Bright leaf, murky future: Despite the times, tobacco continues to put food on Alamance County tables

(Times News) Even at 8:30 a.m., the sun beat down cruelly Thursday on Hugh Davis’ 125-acre tobacco farm north of Burlington.
Temperatures were already in the upper 80s and creeping closer to the 97-degree forecast as Davis, his son Darrell, nephew, Matt, and 12 hired farmhands continued harvesting the first primings from hill upon hill of greenish-gold tobacco plants.
This time of year, they hit the fields at 5:45 a.m. to hand-pick ripe leaves. Continued

Image: Boss Tweed Cigars circa 1869 (Library of Congress).