Tobacco Harvest: 60 Years of Burley Farming in Southwest Virginia

Creator: Burke, Ryan

: Altizer, Aaron C.

: Altizer, Ada

: Huff, Jeremy A.

In this project, Ryan Burke interviewed former tobacco farmers Aaron C. Altizer, Ada Altizer, and Jeremy A. Huff to learn about tobacco farming. Mr. Burke grew up in a part of the state that did not have this sort of farming, so he intended to learn about various farming techniques, how technology played a factor in the process, how traditional methods of farming have survived and how the industry is changing. All three farmed Burley tobacco, which is used in cigarette manufacture and used similar, though not identical farming methods. This interview is among projects created by students enrolled in English 446 (initially English 452), “Appalachian Folklore,” 1981-2019, and in graduate level counterparts English 548 and 648 “Appalachian Folk Culture(s)” offered 17 fall semesters between 1987 and 2009. Minimally contain collector’s introduction and analysis, transcribed informant interviews, and excerpted and labeled examples of oral, customary, and/or material folklore/folklife collected primarily within the Appalachian region. Most include also tables of contents, informant information, indexes (outlines) of interviews, photographs, miscellaneous paper items, and indexes of informants, genres, and geographic locations. Accompanying audio recordings (several minutes to 2+ hours). Transferred to McConnell Library Archives & Special Collections from Appalachian Regional and Rural Studies Center, Fall 2013.