On-Farm Research Plots Harvest Last of Dry Beans

Oct 30, 2025

By Gary Stone

Dry bean harvest in the Panhandle is usually completed by the part of October. Still, due to unforeseen weather delays that plague harvest in the fall, Nebraska Extension Water and Cropping Systems Educators John Thomas and Gary Stone completed the last of their Nebraska Extension on-farm dry bean research plots Oct. 20-24.

Dry bean on-farm research consisted of testing Pod Ceal® Harvest Aid to see if it would help reduce harvest loss by maintaining the integrity of the bean pod’s structure. Yield, harvest loss and dry bean quality, as well as cropping input data, are collected and analyzed for results. The on-farm dry bean research is centered on direct harvesting of the crop.

Other on-farm research conducted by the educators this season included a dry bean variety trial in conjunction with the dry bean industry, a dry bean seed inoculant study, a black-eyed pea population study, and two different compost tea studies on winter wheat. This dry bean research is supported by a grant from the Nebraska Dry Bean Commission.

Source : unl.edu

Video: A chain harrow is a game changer

Utilizing a rotational grazing method on our farmstead with our sheep helps to let the pasture/paddocks rest. We also just invested in a chain harrow to allow us to drag the paddocks our sheep just left to break up and spread their manure around, dethatch thicker grass areas, and to rough up bare dirt areas to all for a better seed to soil contact if we overseed that paddock. This was our first time really using the chain harrow besides initially testing it out. We are very impressed with the work it did and how and area that was majority dirt, could be roughed up before reseeding.

Did you know we also operate a small business on the homestead. We make homemade, handcrafted soaps, shampoo bars, hair and beard products in addition to offering our pasture raised pork, lamb, and 100% raw honey. You can find out more about our products and ingredients by visiting our website at www.mimiandpoppysplace.com. There you can shop our products and sign up for our monthly newsletter that highlights a soap or ingredient, gives monthly updates about the homestead, and also lists the markets, festivals, and events we’ll be attending that month.