Record bean yields!

[Hammer]

Just finished first block of Spring beans, on light land, with record yields for us of around 1.5 t/ha. I wasn't expecting great things but that is certainly a record low here Winter beans were not too bad at 3.4 t/ha.

 

[Gong Farmer]

A lot of growers are desperate for another break crop (to go with rape) but realise beans are never going to be worthwhile.

 

[Hammer]

A lot of growers are desperate for another break crop (to go with rape) but realise beans are never going to be worthwhile.

Well most years they have been worthwhile for us, but clearly in this case they’ve lost us a few £...

 

[Shutesy]

As I have seen said about beans before, they are a wish crop, you either wish you had more in the ground in a good year, or wish you had never planted them in a bad year, this year definitely being the latter.

 

[Henry B]

When I grew some Beans a few years ago, an old man said to me a wise man feeds them but a fool grows them. After growing them for 3 years I realised what he meant.

 

[shakerator]

In 2012 I got 3t/ ac at £300/t with no herbicide or tillage and 1 fungicide

Everything since has disappointed

Winters doing around 4t/ha here

 

[E_B]

Just finished first block of Spring beans, on light land, with record yields for us of around 1.5 t/ha. I wasn't expecting great things but that is certainly a record low here Winter beans were not too bad at 3.4 t/ha.

I don't think you're alone, seen plenty of posts on twitter about how disappointing spring beans are this year. The beans look more like peas, etc. Half our winters did decently and half were a shocking mess, as you may have seen. Not bean a good year.

 

[Hammer]

I don't think you're alone, seen plenty of posts on twitter about how disappointing spring beans are this year. The beans look more like peas, etc. Half our winters did decently and half were a shocking mess, as you may have seen. Not bean a good year.

Good pun! I’m hoping the rest of our spring beans will be at least slightly better on the stronger land...

 

[snarling bee]

My winters did from 2.5 to 4.5 t/ha, depending on charlock burden. Locally springs look appalling, or were not drilled.

 

[Clive]

ours are a disaster this year as well

but that disaster only cost farm saved seed and of glyphosate to achieve ! circa £15/ac spent

despite low yield they will still produce a margin and surely thats what its all about


the last 4 years they have been pretty good so will be staying in our rotation

 

[ollie989898]

Grow them cheap.

 

[Exfarmer]

Saw some spring beans this week not sure when planted, green as grass and not more than 18 inches tall most pods very close to ground

 

[texelburger]

I remember in 1976 my father growing Maris Bead spring beans.They had zero rainfall from planting to harvest and yielded 5 cwt/acre.625 kgs/ha for our younger members.They were sold direct to a racing pigeon club,i can't remember for how much but it was a fortune compared to previous years.

 

[bankrupt]

a fortune compared to previous years.

Quite so, texelburger.

In 1976 wheat fetched £600/t in today's money, and beans were over £1000.

So 5cwt/acre left a very good margin.

 

[Clive]

What’s a tonne of beans worth today ?

 

[bankrupt]

What’s a tonne of beans worth today ?

Not nearly enough, currently.

Hardly any more than wheat.

 

[Clive]

Not nearly enough, currently.

Hardly more than wheat.

Going to be in short supply but I guess there are alternatives for feed

 

[bankrupt]

short supply

Currently, Clive, some parts of the trade seem to have been taken quite a bit by surprise.

Should have logged in to the FF back in June.

 

[richard hammond]

What’s a tonne of beans worth today ?

A client sold winter beans @£191/tonne Tuesday this week.

 

[richard hammond]

Grow them cheap.

Absolutely the only way !!