Jeff,
Sorry it took me so long to get back with you. I just got called back to work, we're working 6/12 hour days and I'm driving 2 hours each way. Now to answer your questions.
1. I cure them in a barn. You can use any type of storage building, it needs to allow some air movement. This will speed up the drying process, but will still take close to 6 weeks to be completely cured. After that they will need to be fermented. Go to seedman.com for free plans to build a kiln for fermenting. Also after your leaves are cured you will only be able to handle them when there is moisture in them (we call this "in case") with out the moisture all your hard work will crumble between your fingers. You can wait for a few days of rain the leaves will absorb this moisture from the air, becoming very pliable and easy to work with. Or you can lightly mist the leaves with water to make them moist.
2.After they have been fermented and your ready to roll some smokes. you can take a knife or chaveta along each side of the main stem, or you can grasp the end of the stem in one hand and the base of the leaf with the other. Then roll the stem hand around the other , this will strip the stem from the leaf leaving you with 2 usable leaves. I haven't tried this technique yet, however I watched en experienced roller do this and he was fast.
I hope this was some help. If you have any other questions let me know if I don't know the answers I'll try to find them . GOOD LUCK!!!!!!
ps. I'll have plenty of seeds available for next year, they should be ready around December. Let me know.
