Any farmers about?

[Whatwouldscullydo]

I have a question if you dont mind me asking. During lockdown dds and I went on multiple walks that took us around fields that had been planted.

It was lovely to see them grow and omg the bees...it was so lovely and so many you could just hear buzzing...

Due to hot weather and excessive bugs everywhere, we didnt go round the fields fir a bit

When we last saw them the plants which I think were either soya beans or broad beans, the plants had grown quite big and there were flowers and beans/pods and they were all green .

We went today and they were all black. So black and shrivelled at first I thought they had been burnt.

We debated some theories as to what happened. I just wondered if there were any farmers about who could explain why they had all been left to die rather than harvested or if they had been burnt on purpose ...

TIA

[Scrowy]

What colour were the flowers?

[Whatwouldscullydo]

Kinda white I think with purple bits and black spots towards the inside

[YewHedge]

Not a farmer but perhaps they are a sort of green fertiliser.

[Pombearbuffet]

It’s just normal beans. They harvest them when they’re black and dry. They haven’t been burnt.

[Whatwouldscullydo]

Aaah so they are meant to be like that?

That's a relief really

Dds were worried about all the bees' hard work

[wowfudge]

What variety of beans is harvested when they're black Pombear?

[OrchidFlakes]

Could they be linseed? They look almost dead before harvesting I think

[Pombearbuffet]

I don’t know the variety tbh. They’re harvested as a dry crop like wheat or barley with a combine. They do look pretty terrible when they’re all black. I can see why you thought they’d been burnt.

[Mrsmorton]

Sounds like field beans. Have a google OP

[Mrsmorton]

Can be eaten by humans or animals or used as green manure but definitely look burnt.

[Whatwouldscullydo]

A Google of field beans just brought up broad beans?

I'd say the flowers look a pretty good match to what they were . Its deffo not linseed the flowers are all wrong.

I just had no idea they were harvested when black. The farmer having an accident was one of the theories as to why they hadn't been picked yet

[Scrowy]

Possibly broad beans,

Did they look like this?

[Whatwouldscullydo]

Yeah thats pretty close actually!

[BindTheWobbinUp]

They're probably feed beans for livestock.

[Pombearbuffet]

You could try googling ‘harvesting winter beans’ or ‘harvesting spring beans’ and you’ll find some videos to show your DDs.

[Mrsmorton]

www.gardenorganic.org.uk/growing-field-beans-human-consumption

[Whatwouldscullydo]

Well I guess that's mystery solved then

The farmers not sick, vandals didn't burn the whole field in the heat wave and the bees didn't waste their time

Thank you all!! I shall let the girls know in the morning

[Mrsmorton]

gallery.nen.gov.uk/asset59081_164-.html

[BindTheWobbinUp]

They can also be grown for human consumption (I think the main market for human consumption is Egypt)

We stopped growing them on our farm after a couple of particularly bad years.

[Whatwouldscullydo]

Yep that's what fhe field looks like !

[Whatwouldscullydo]

There were sheep and cows in the field next to it so would definitely make sense it would be animal feed.

What caused the bad year bind ?

We saw a fair few deer on the walks amd rabbit holes so did wonder how much could be lost to wild animals

[Pantsomime]

Hi OP yes probs field beans. OSR oil Seed rape Looks similar at harvest, diner but more dense than beans, yellow flowers. That crop is sprayed to kill it a few days before harvest & it goes black. NFU did EatFarmNow on line during lockdown with Jamie Oliver’s pal Jimmy - lots of on line farm to fork Information- Video clips etc- it sounds like something your DD may like

[BindTheWobbinUp]

@Whatwouldscullydo

There were sheep and cows in the field next to it so would definitely make sense it would be animal feed.

What caused the bad year bind ?

We saw a fair few deer on the walks amd rabbit holes so did wonder how much could be lost to wild animals

I think it was weather issues (wrong weather at the wrong time!) rather than pests or disease.
It was quite a few years ago that we last grew them.
They look awful just before they're harvested; just as you describe, all black and burnt looking.

[Whatwouldscullydo]

lots of on line farm to fork Information- Video clips etc- it sounds like something your DD may like

I will show the youngest some I think. She does like planting things. She can learn about a real farm not a Minecraft one

[Whatwouldscullydo]

I think it was weather issues (wrong weather at the wrong time!) rather than pests or disease

Thats certainly something that must be noticeably worse now? This year has been really erratic.