As you maaaay have noticed by now, I’m rather fond of beans. Sure, you could argue obsessed. But considering beans are so perfect, it’s hard not to be. So, I was thrilled to get to write about beans in the field (I know, sometimes it is shocking to be reminded they don’t come from a can on a supermarket shelf) on CO-Horts, the Colorado State University Extension Gardening Blog.
Here is the intro, and then head on over to CO-Horts to keep reading!
Wait…What? Beans Don’t Come from a Can?
You may have seen snap bean and sugar snap pea plants in your garden, but raise your hand if you have ever seen a pinto bean plant in real life. If your answer is no, we have good news for you – Colorado is sixth in the nation in terms of bean production, and approximately 75% of our dry bean production is pinto beans. So, keep your eyes open this summer and you may be able to spot your first Phaseolus vulgaris from the pinto group!
Beans in Colorado
Colorado produces numerous market classes of beans. Pinto, light red kidney, and Mayocoba (aka yellow) beans are our three main types, and we also grow great northern beans, black-eyed peas, and others. The Colorado Dry Bean Committee and other organizations work to support bean growers in our state, and Colorado State University researches diverse aspects of beans, ranging from nutritional and health benefits to bean breeding. As gardeners know all too well, growing in Colorado can be challenging (albeit rewarding). So, what does it look like growing beans here?
