Tobacco farming began circa 1960 in the Kiewa Valley and consequently became one of its major industries. Many of the Italian families were involved in tobacco farming.Historical: This equipment was used on one of the first tobacco farms in the Kiewa Valley at Mongans Bridge. The picking apron was home-made showing the resourcefulness of farmers living in the Kiewa Valley. Picking machines replaced the picking apron. Provenance: This tobacco farmer came from Italy and was sponsored to visit a tobacco farmer in Myrtleford to learn how to grow tobacco so that he could transfer those skills to his own farm in the Kiewa Valley.The apron was used to gather green leaf before picking machines were made. Thick cotton cream apron, hemmed around the outside. Widest at the waist which has 2 rings each side where string is attached with a knot to tie around the waist. From the ring, material tapers inwards to form a bib. The corners of the bib have rings from which white rope is attached to hang around the neck. Similariy material tapers to the bottom where rings in the corners have rope attached - also to hang around the neck. Half way between the waist and neck, the material is double stitched and overlapped. grubbytobacco. mongans bridge, kiewa valley, parmesan, rossaro . picking apron.

Tobacco farming began circa 1960 in the Kiewa Valley and consequently became one of it major industries. Many of the italian families were involved in tobacco farming.Historical: This equipment was used on one of the first tobacco farms in the Kiewa Valley at Mongans Bridge. Provenance: This tobacco farmer came from Italy and was sponsored to visit a tobacco farmer in Myrtleford to learn how to grow tobacco so that he could transfer those skills to his own farm in the Kiewa Valley.Wooden, panelled red (painted on outside) rectangular box on side are iron bars with steel reinforcements around the box, near the top and bottom on 4 sides and across the middle on the 2 ends and front (not back). Diagonal steel between bottom and middle iron on the front. Ends: 2 iron bars from the ground curved up to top holding an iron rectangular beam that goes from end to end. Midway of beam is a vertical long screw at the top of which is a cross formation of 4 iron rods forming a handle for turning. Inside, the screw is attached to an iron frame which is attached to a wooden panelled platform enabling it to be raised or lowered as required.tobacco. mongans bridge. kiewa valley. hand press. parmesan. rossaro. lorenzi brothers.

Tobacco farming began circa 1960 in the Kiewa Valley and consequently became one of its major industries. Many of the Italian families were involved in tobacco farming.Historical: This equipment was used on one of the first tobacco farms in the Kiewa Valley at Mongans Bridge. The tobacco 'stretcher' was home-made showing the resourcefulness of farmers living in the Kiewa Valley. Provenance: This tobacco farmer came from Italy and was sponsored to visit a tobacco farmer in Myrtleford to learn how to grow tobacco so that he could transfer those skills to his own farm in the Kiewa Valley.The 'stretcher' was used for carrying dry tobacco from kiln to stacking shed and later from stacking shed to the grading benches. 2 tree logs parallel to each other with 2 hessian bags cut into a piece each to overlap down the middle and starched between and held by a plank of wood nailed along at each end. The tree logs are held in position across the middle and behind the hessian by a thick plank of wood.Holes. One piece of hessian has painted in green:- Albury NSW and 5 green rectangles printed on it at the top partly covered by wooden plank.tobacco. mongans bridge. kiewa valley. kiln. shed. parmesan. rossaro. lorenzi brothers.

Tobacco farming began circa 1960 in the Kiewa Valley and consequently became one of its major industries. Many of the Italian families were involved in tobacco farming.Historical: This equipment was used on one of the first tobacco farms in the Kiewa Valley at Mongans Bridge. Provenance: This tobacco farmer came from Italy and was sponsored to visit a tobacco farmer in Myrtleford to learn how to grow tobacco so that he could transfer those skills to his own farm in the Kiewa Valley.The twine was used to tie green leaf in bunches onto the sticks. There were 26 bunches per stick and 500 sticks per kiln. Spool of tying cotton used on electric sewing machine. With the bailing, the sewing needles were housed on a hook on the top edge (of the tying horse) with the correct length of string at hand - time was of the essence. A large ball of orange, scratchy, twine kept together by a piece of twine wrapped around it.tobacco. mongans bridge. kiewa valley. twine. tying horse.

Historical: Tobacco farming began circa 1960 in the Kiewa Valley and consequently became one of its major industries. Many of the Italian families were involved in tobacco farming. Historical: This equipment was used on one of the first tobacco farms in the Kiewa Valley at Glenns Creek, Mongans Bridge. The can was home-made showing the resourcefulness of farmers living in the Kiewa Valley. Provenance: This tobacco farmer came from Italy and was sponsored to visit a tobacco farmer in Mytleford to learn how to grow tobacco so that he could transfer those skills to his own farm in the Kiewa Valley. Used for pouring Benzol into special long flat troughs in seed beds. Rusty tin rectangular can with handle on 1 side, opposite side has a spout coming from the bottom of the can reaching out higher than the can and held in place by a flat piece of tin jutting out from the can. At the top there is a screw opening with a lid and a handle both on one half of the top and on the other half an opening has been cut.tobacco, kiewa valley, mongans bridge, glenn creek, handmade can. benzol. aurora. silvano rossaro.

Tobacco farming began circa 1960 in the Kiewa Valley and consequently became one of its major industries. Many of the Italian families were involved in tobacco farming.Historical: This equipment was used on one of the first tobacco farms in the Kiewa Valley at Mongans Bridge. The dividers were home-made showing the resourcefulness of farmers living in the Kiewa Valley. Provenance: This tobacco farmer came from Italy and was sponsored to visit a tobacco farmer in Myrtleford to learn how to grow tobacco so that he could transfer those skills to his own farm in the Kiewa Valley.Wood plank with wire attached through a hole at each end in from side edge to create a stand. Another piece of wire stands vertically and is folded over to create blunt edge at the top. At the bottom it goes through the wood and along a bit to hold the wire in place. There are 6 dividers and because they are handmade the measurements vary slightly. tobacco. kiewa valley. mongans bridge. parmeson. rossaro, lorenzi brothers. grading dividers.

Tobacco farming began circa 1960 in the Kiewa Valley and consequently became one of its major industries. Many of the Italian families were involved in tobacco farming.Historical: This equipment was used on one of the first tobacco farms in the Kiewa Valley at Mongans Bridge. The picking bag was home-made showing the resourcefulness of farmers living in the Kiewa Valley. Provenance: This tobacco farmer came from Italy and was sponsored to visit a tobacco farmer in Myrtleford to learn how to grow tobacco so that he could transfer those skills to his own farm in the Kiewa Valley.Picking bag known as 'Sacco'. The bag was used as a liner to the collecting bin in front of each of the 4 pickers on the picking machine. The bag was then hooked closed and held the leaf together for transport to the shed. Brown hessian woven length with 2 thick wires at 1 end hooked through 'bag' 100 mm from each side and hook on other end. Shaped in 1 rectangle rather than like a bag.Edges rough with wear and tear. A couple of holes where weave in 1 direction has torn.tobacco. picking bag. mongans bridge. kiewa valley. sacco. parmesan. rossaro. lorenzi brothers.

Tobacco farming began circa 1960 in the Kiewa Valley and consequently became one of its major industries. Many of the Italian families were involved in tobacco farming.Historical: This equipment was used on one of the first tobacco farms in the Kiewa Valley at Mongans Bridge. The frame holding the thermometers was home-made showing the resourcefulness of farmers living in the Kiewa Valley. Provenance: This tobacco farmer came from Italy and was sponsored to visit a tobacco farmer in Myrtleford to learn how to grow tobacco so that he could transfer those skills to his own farm in the Kiewa Valley.Used for monitoring the temperature and humidity in the kiln during the drying process of the tobacco leaf (the thermometer is missing the water holder) 2 thermometers attached to a steel attached to an old rusty tin frame with handle at the top enabling it to be hung, using wire, to hook on the wall. Tin frame has cap on it coming out to protect the thermometers and a base for standing the frame up. 1 thermometer has a hollow piece of material (or cord) strip (125 mm long) attached to the bottom of it.Beside the thermometers is inscribed on steel - the lines for measuring and numbers from 40, 60 (by 20s) up to 240.tobacco. kiewa valley. mongans bridge. wet and dry bulb thermometer. silvano rossaro.

Tobacco farming began circa 1960 in the Kiewa Valley and consequently became one of its major industries. Many of the italian families were involved in tobacco farming. These scales were bought from Arthur Barnard in 1962.Historical: Tobacco farming began circa 1960 in the Kiewa Valley and consequently became one of its major industries. Many of the Italian families were involved in tobacco farming. Provenance: This tobacco farmer came from Italy and was sponsored to visit a tobacco farmer in Myrtleford to learn how to grow tobacco so that he could transfer those skills to his own farm in the Kiewa Valley.Iron circular plate attached to iron frame with rings attached to rings at both ends. 1 end facing frontwards and second end facing sideways. At 1 end is a back to front iron S formed as a hook. Attached to the middle of the plate is a very thin and sharp pointer. The plate is attached to a rectangular iron solid rectangle. Used to weigh leaf when bailing.0 - 250 numbers (by 10s) and measurements faintly inscribed around the edge of the plate.tobacco. kiewa valley. mongans bridge. arthur barnard. scales. rossaro.

Tobacco farming began circa 1960 in the Kiewa Valley and consequently became one of its major industries. Many of the Italian families were involved in tobacco farming.Historical: This equipment was used on one of the first tobacco farms in the Kiewa Valley at Mongans Bridge. Provenance: This tobacco farmer came from Italy and was sponsored to visit a tobacco farmer in Myrtleford to learn how to grow tobacco so that he could transfer those skills to his own farm in the Kiewa Valley.2 different sized iron needles curved and pointed at 1 end and opening at the other. Twine: like soft string - 35 lengths tied together. Used for hand closure of tobacco bales.tobacco. kiewa valley. mongans bridge. twine. sewing needle. rossaro.

Tobacco farming began circa 1960 in the Kiewa Valley and consequently became one of its major industries. Many of the Italian families were involved in tobacco farming.Historical: This equipment was used on one of the first tobacco farms in the Kiewa Valley at Mongans Bridge. The sand sieve was home-made showing the resourcefulness of farmers living in the Kiewa Valley. Provenance: This tobacco farmer came from Italy and was sponsored to visit a tobacco farmer in Myrtleford to learn how to grow tobacco so that he could transfer those skills to his own farm in the Kiewa Valley.Used for sifting sand over the sowing of tobacco seed in seed beds. Rectangular wooden frame with tin attached on all 4 sides. Tin has been punched randomly to form ragged holes about 20 mm apart. A wooden beam has been attached vertically to the frame and extends upwards to form a handle tapered towards the end. Tin is nailed on. tobacco. kiewa valley. mongans bridge. vannucci. sand sieve. rossaro.

Tobacco farming began circa 1960 in the Kiewa Valley and consequently became one of its major industries. Many of the Italian families were involved in tobacco farming.Historical: This equipment was used on one of the first tobacco farms in the Kiewa Valley at Mongans Bridge. Provenance: This tobacco farmer came from Italy and was sponsored to visit a tobacco farmer in Myrtleford to learn how to grow tobacco so that he could transfer those skills to his own farm in the Kiewa Valley.Iron pointed spear with 4 sides opening for handle where there are 3 sides the missing face being on one of the narrow sides. Split where iron has come apart is opposite the opening and is 60 mm long. tobacco. kiewa valley. spear. burley