That woman, and the young girls, were probably awaiting the sale of their tobacco. In the background was an auctioneer, followed by buyers, and farmers with tobacco to be sold. The entourage moved up and down each rows of tobacco until all lots were sold. If a seller was unsatisfied with the price offered for his or her tobacco, he or she would sometimes "turn the ticket" (refuse the offer) and moved the tobacco to another row that had not yet been sold, hoping to receive a better price. It was a gamble that sometimes paid off, and sometimes did not. Tobacco sales normally occurred in the months of September and October each year. It was at that time of year that farmers received money for the product that they had worked so hard earlier in the year to produce.