Threshing Beans

[gilberte]

Anybody here grow their own storage beans, Red Kidney, Jacobs Cattle, etc.? I'm talking on a small scale just for family use. How do you thresh them? Right now I'm puting them in a burlap bag and beating the bejesus out of it, then separating the chaff by pouring between two buckets on a windy day. Anyone tell me of a better method without buying expensive equipment?

[moonwolf]

I grew jacob's cattle, vermont cranberry, red kidney and other dry beans to harvest. Believe it or not, your method is probably much better and faster than what I did before when separating the beans from the shell by hand.
Dry beans are great to grow and as a nice staple to store. I remember couldn't get to them all at the same time, so I had kept the dry shell and bean in a 5 gallon bucket until at a less busy time I could separate them. It didn't seem to harm anything by doing that.

[Cyngbaeld]

You might use a box fan for wind if the weather doesn't cooperate. Otherwise prob not a 'better' way than what you are doing.

[KrisW]

I just did them by hand, after dark when there was nothing else to do.
But I like your idea better! Next year I'll just beat the stuffing out on em

Kris