Nightshade can be a nightmare for edible bean growers. The weed can play havoc with the crop as mature berries produced by the eastern black nightshade plant cause edible bean staining and mud tagging, and can even gum up cleaning equipment at the processing plant. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Edible Bean School, Ontario… Read More

Many edible bean growers target the first week of June as the optimal planting window for the range of bean types that make up the category. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Edible Bean School, Hensall Co-op field marketer and edible bean grower Dave Louwagie shares tips on prepping the seedbed and the planter for… Read More

Edible beans are not huge consumers of fertilizer, but they will deliver better performance with a balanced fertility plan. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Edible Bean School, Hensall Co-op field marketer Meghan Scott breaks down the components of that plan and offers tips on how growers can fine-tune fertility for the 2023 crop. Overall,… Read More

What did growers learn about growing edible beans in 2022? Growers experienced much different conditions in the key growing regions, but overall the season was generally positive. In Manitoba, a good crop prevailed after a wet spring delayed planting. In many cases, growers experienced record yields. Further east, dry conditions stressed the Ontario crop but… Read More

Every year, adzuki beans grown in Ontario fields find their way to markets in southeast Asia where they are synonymous with sweet treats — everything from pastries to candy bars and even adzuki-flavoured Pepsi. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Edible Bean School, host Bernard Tobin discussed adzuki end uses, market opportunities and agronomics with… Read More

Higher yields are always a top priority for plant breeders developing new crop varieties, but yield itself is the result of a combination of different factors, including resistance to disease threats, maturity timing, and harvestability. These characteristics are all taken into consideration when screening and developing new edible bean varieties, explains Anfu Hou, bean breeder… Read More

Protecting and improving quality is a top priority as edible bean harvest gets underway. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Edible Bean School, we focus on fine-tuning the combine with Delta Power Equipment technicians Brad Saunders and Andrew McCarthy. They take growers inside an edible bean combine and offer tips on how to reduce cracked… Read More

Edible beans are usually viewed as one of the weaker performers among legume crops when it comes to fixing nitrogen, but new research shows they likely deserve more credit than they’ve been given. “We’ve really regarded them as non-legumes and standard practice in most areas has been to fertilize to their full nitrogen requirements,” notes… Read More

Precision agriculture strategies and technology have become an integral part of managing crops such as corn, soybeans, and wheat, but are edible bean growers using it effectively in dry bean crops? Dublin, Ont., grower and Hensall Co-op field marketer Dave Louwagie doesn’t think so. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Edible Bean School, Louwagie explains that compared to other… Read More

Depending on where you farm, the story of the 2021 edible bean varied across the country. Growers in Eastern Canada were the recipients of excellent growing conditions that produced above-average yields in most classes. The story in Western Canada was much different, however, as growers endured a dry, difficult year that produced below-average crops. On… Read More

Whether undercutting or direct harvesting edible beans, a pre-harvest application of a desiccant can allow for a quicker harvest, while protecting yield and quality. Proper desiccation timing is critical for maximizing the crop’s potential, explains Calem Alexander, field marketer with Hensall Co-op, in this Edible Bean School episode focused on setting the crop up for… Read More

 

Register for a RealAgriculture account to manage your Shortcut menu instead of the default.

Register