17th December 2025

Several of the local fields are sprouting beans. They are rather reminiscent of garden broad beans, but are a different variety and would almost certainly be a disappointing meal. They are field beans and are often used as a break crop between cereal crops. Beans are leguminous plants like peas, clover, gorse and a host of other species. All leguminous plants are able to 'fix' nitrogen gas in the atmosphere and turn it into a soluble nitrogen fertilizer. This benefits plant growth and subsequent crops will require less bought-in fertilizers, reducing the farms expenditure. Weeds, like blackgrass, that are difficult to control in cereal crops can be more easily dealt with when beans are grown. Beans are a valuable source of plant protein and are used in animal feeds. Overall, beans are a useful and profitable crop.

Field beans along Buckland Lane