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Some Minnesota dry bean farmers expect above-average crop as harvest nears

Two dry bean farmers in Minnesota say harvest is getting close, and the crops look promising.

Cordell Huebsch raises dark red kidney beans in Ottertail County, located in west-central Minnesota.

“I’ve noticed a couple of neighbors have started thrashing already,” he says. “We’re starting to see buckskin pods, and we’re probably going to start killing fields in a week or so.”

Huebsch says irrigation has helped offset some of the drought struggles farmers in Minnesota are dealing with, and he’s optimistic the kidney beans should be above average.

Dan Ohden raises black beans in Kandiyohi County, in southern Minnesota.

“There’s lots of foliage, and the crop looks, from the road, like a bumper crop,” says Ohden. “I think we did lose some blossoms from the hot weather we had, but it’s definitely going to be a good, above average crop. I’m looking forward to getting into it.”

Ohden says dry bean harvest is still about three weeks away.

Huebsch is the vice president of the Northarvest Bean Growers Association. Ohden is the treasurer for the Minnesota Dry Bean Council.

Hear Brownfield’s interview with Cordell Huebsch.

Hear Brownfield’s interview with Dan Ohden.