The State Fair's old tobacco barn has hit a milestone, clocking in 20 years as a landmark for tobacco curing, according to an announcement from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. This year, during the fair, the barn in Heritage Circle will once again play host to the timeless tradition of tobacco curing, a process steep in Carolina history. Local champs Sandy and Ken Jones, of Maple Hill Loopers fame, have already won the State Fair Tobacco Stringing Contest nine times, if you can believe it, and they're poised to make a strong showing once again.
Wondering how many seasons of tobacco have passed through the barn's modest proportions? So is everyone else; the count's gotten lost over the cycles of tobacco leaves and the persistent fires that kick off the curing rite. The Joneses' team, which includes their son-in-law Michael Sunday, has become somewhat of a fixture in this historical tableau, industriously stringing tobacco with a nine-time champion flair. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler has been right there, too, oftentimes standing by to witness the skillful art that has undeniably become a beloved fair staple.
But the fair isn't only about celebrating traditional crafts and agricultural accomplishments. It’s a reflection of North Carolina's rich farming heritage, a point that Troxler himself might be known to emphasize. The barn functions as a living exhibit, providing fairgoers a peek into the bygone days of tobacco's golden era in the state. Its enduring presence over the past two decades underscores both continuity and change in North Carolina's agricultural scene.
The Jones family, along with their seasoned hands, will take their positions, and the fires will be lit, quite literally keeping the barn's history alive.
