Peter Denton has posted:
Well now, what do you suppose this is… and where could it be?
Okay, chances are you won’t know, so I’ll tell you. First, the location. It’s in the village of Laforêt in the Ardennes region of Belgium. And (this came as a total surprise to me) it was once an open barn used for... tobacco curing.
Until my trip to the Ardennes a few weeks ago, I had no idea that Belgium grew its own tobacco. I soon discovered that it’s been doing so since the 17th century, particularly in the Semois Valley in the south of the country. The trade has all but died out now, and barns such as this (there are several in Laforêt) are merely relics of the past, nowadays used by farmers to shelter their tractors and let the buttercups grow. But even half a century ago, Belgian tobacco was noted for its quality and distinct taste.
Okay, chances are you won’t know, so I’ll tell you. First, the location. It’s in the village of Laforêt in the Ardennes region of Belgium. And (this came as a total surprise to me) it was once an open barn used for... tobacco curing.
Until my trip to the Ardennes a few weeks ago, I had no idea that Belgium grew its own tobacco. I soon discovered that it’s been doing so since the 17th century, particularly in the Semois Valley in the south of the country. The trade has all but died out now, and barns such as this (there are several in Laforêt) are merely relics of the past, nowadays used by farmers to shelter their tractors and let the buttercups grow. But even half a century ago, Belgian tobacco was noted for its quality and distinct taste.