Registering with the Raw Tobacco Scheme – Revisted

Long term readers here may recall that a while back I registered with the HMRC for their raw tobacco scheme as I sometimes grow the stuff for various purposes, mainly wine making, and of course because the regulations are insane. Well as it’s a new year I received a letter asking me to let them know if “Raw Tobacco approval” was still required, which was all quite expected. As the decorative varieties didn’t take that well and the smokable varieties are getting out competed by the cobb nut trees and grape vines I’m not bothering this year, though maybe next … Continue reading

Registering with the Raw Tobacco Scheme III

Mission accomplished! In the post today I received a very dull letter on gray paper from HMRC, providing me with me Raw Tobacco approval number which “should be quoted on all correspondence relating” to my “controlled activities”. I still wonder just why growing plants and throwing them away should be controlled but there you go. I’m now approved for a year to throw away up to 15kg of dead Nicotiana plants. All it took was a short letter and a phone call to be allowed to throw away legal garden waste. Time will tell if they come round to inspect … Continue reading

Experiments in baccy

A while back LegIron posted an update on his Tobacco experiments and I promised I’d share what I’d been up to with my experiments. So now with all of last years leaves all packed and mellowing and the new crop in I thought it a good time for that update. Before I go any further I must point out that I don’t smoke so I’m dependent on friends for feedback as to how well it smokes and so far that feedback is good. I’m mainly growing baccy because I can and because people think you can’t (it’ll also be a … Continue reading