Jerry’s Pea Beans Beat the Odds

One of my favorite phrases is " if you can't be good, then be lucky." That was surely the case with my pea beans, or second crop beans after peas. Saturday they were dry enough so I harvested them. My bean bin at the farm was full so I hauled them all to the elevator. They yielded 24 bushels an acre. That sounds really low but I did not plant them until July 15 after the peas were harvested.

Agronomists normally say you need to have your second crop beans after peas planted by the Fourth of July to have a reasonable chance at getting a crop. I planted almost two weeks later! I knew I was taking a chance, but I had to at least plant a cover crop so, why not plant beans and see if you get lucky. It did cost a little more to plant beans than a cover crop, but at least then you have a chance at getting a crop to harvest. The first killing frost was about at the normal date. However, all the warm weather and extra growing degree units later this summer and fall sure helped!