The tobacco setter is pulled by the tractor. A wheel that rolls on the ground, turns another wheel that has mechanical fingers. The tobacco plugs are placed in the fingers, which then plant the plugs at predetermined distances. A trench is plowed from the front of the setter, and the trench is closed when the setter passes. In a perfect world, the plugs are planted perfectly spaced and at the optimum depth.
Every farmer worries about plant diseases, natural disasters like hail and high winds.
At our farm last year, we had several trees fall in one of the tobacco patches over the last two weeks in June. One tree was more than 200 years old, and over 50 feet high. The tobacco, which had been in the field for just 3-4 weeks, managed to weather the disaster with little damage. Sometime in August or September, it's time to cut. Tobacco sticks are dropped in the fields so the cutters can spear the tobacco stalks.