Does bean straw burn alright?

[Pigman_mike]

I have been burning OSR straw in my Farm 2000 boiler for years now as loose baled mini hestons. However, no one around here can grow OSR anymore so I was just wondering what experience people have with burning bean straw and how it compares? Any tips on how it should be baled and how easily it burns? I am trying to find some Linseed but everyone around here is growing beans.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

Yes it does, needs to be dry obviously, an you fit a round in?

it gets bailed later in the season so weather can be tricky. Watch out for green in it too.

linseed and peas also works well FYI

 

[Exfarmer]

Beans go well better than rape in my memory, but was 40 years ago with a Farm 2000

 

[Pigman_mike]

That is reassuring as I always felt bean straw was soft and not woody like OSR straw. I bale 80 x 70 x 190 mini hestons for my farm 2000. I don't think these boilers changed a lot in 40 years. They may have changed them for the emissions regulations but I bought mine before those.

I also think beans are harvested earlier than they used to be so I hope I can get the straw dry. I have struggled with OSR straw for the last two years. It has been cut and then it has rained continuously for 2 or more weeks. You end up turning it, it breaks up, mixes soil and stones in, far from ideal. On the other hand it burns smoke free as it has had a good soaking!

 

[Exfarmer]

That is reassuring as I always felt bean straw was soft and not woody like OSR straw. I bale 80 x 70 x 190 mini hestons for my farm 2000. I don't think these boilers changed a lot in 40 years. They may have changed them for the emissions regulations but I bought mine before those.

I also think beans are harvested earlier than they used to be so I hope I can get the straw dry. I have struggled with OSR straw for the last two years. It has been cut and then it has rained continuously for 2 or more weeks. You end up turning it, it breaks up, mixes soil and stones in, far from ideal. On the other hand it burns smoke free as it has had a good soaking!

Hah , you obviously have never handled beans in small bales, it must be the hardest straw of all, certainly was on the hands

 

[Pigman_mike]

Have to say I have never baled bean straw in small bales, I can't think why. We always had a few round baled as well years ago so I think the beans were rolled up.

 

[Exfarmer]

Have to say I have never baled bean straw in small bales, I can't think why. We always had a few round baled as well years ago so I think the beans were rolled up.

We used to bale all our bean straw , it was very good on the bottom of cattle yards as a base layer as it encouraged drainage.. We used to lay it out as a complete layer of bales then remove the strings

 

[Still Farming]

Linseed straw is like Gorse

 

[ollie989898]

We used to bale all our bean straw , it was very good on the bottom of cattle yards as a base layer as it encouraged drainage.. We used to lay it out as a complete layer of bales then remove the strings

Used to throw it in strawchopper for youngstock years ago. Rough horrible stuff but better than nothing.

 

[Andrew]

It burns just fine in them, our neighbor prefers it to osr.
Downside is baling it, especially if it’s a Hesston built baler the beans can get stuck in the trapdoor for the stuffer, then you get mis shape bales.

 

[Atomic SL]

Bean straw & OSR straw are brilliant fuels for batch boilers. As good as each other....way better that Wheat straw.

Only have experience in rounds though.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

Osr stinks, beans has a better aroma!

from memory slightly more kWh output too