Dry bean harvest underway in Scotts Bluff County Sept. 12, 2018. (Photo by Gary Stone)
While eastern Nebraska has been receiving rainfall, the Panhandle has received only spotty precipitation at best. With the low precipitation amounts and warm temperatures the last few days there has been a change in the dry edible bean fields, turning from dark green to yellow in just a few days. Growers have been out early in the morning cutting and windrowing the beans to dry down prior to combining. Forecasted temperatures are to be in the 80s and 90s for the next week, allowing growers to continue with the harvest. Currently, yields have been in the 50+ bushel per acre range.
The last few years John Thomas, Extension Educator in Box Butte County, has been working on some exceptional on-farm research studying direct harvest of dry edible beans and should get some great data from this year’s harvest.
Figure 2. Dry edible beans can be harvested with a regular combine, but some growers choose to utilize a specialty dry edible bean combine from Pickett, as shown in this photo.
Nebraska's Dry Bean Impact
Nebraska is number one in the nation in Great Northern dry bean production and number two in Pinto and Light Red Kidney dry bean production. Dry edible beans, a great source of protein, vitamins, and minerals, realize a $158.4 million impact to the state's economy.
