Four years later, Rob Baur of Lake Oswego, Oregon was able to graft a tomato plant onto the root of a tobacco plant, creating an actual tomacco with no side effects like the ones seen here.
The lyrics for the "Zorro Rap" were improvised by Hank Azaria when recording the episode. The producers loved it so much that they had a credits scene for "The Poke of Zorro" added in for the song to play over.
This was the 2nd time the "Old Simpson Farm" (where Homer was supposedly raised) was featured, after the previous year's "Grandpa vs. Sexual Inadequacy". The farmhouse was accidentally burned down at the end of that episode, which demonstrates The Simpsons' flippancy towards the idea of continuity.
The term "(Annoying Grunt)" in the title of this episode was the original script entry where Homer's famous "D'oh!" originated from. It was inspired by James Finlayson from the Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy movies, but was shortened from "d'ooooooh" because Matt Groening thought it made for better pacing. As such the episode name would be said as "E-I-E-I-D'oh" which is in keeping with the nursery rhyme "Old McDonald had a far, E-I-E-I-O"
Actors and celebrities credited in the fake "Poke of Zorro" credits include Curtis Armstrong, Gina Gershon, Shawn Wayans, Posh Spice, Meryl Streep, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Pele, Rita Rudner, Robert Evans, Robert Guccione, Spalding Gray, Anthony Hopkins , Cheech Marin, James Earl Jones, and Eric Roberts.