Velvet Beans

A number of my older farming friends often told me about how farming was carried out during the early years of their lives and by those who came before them. Due to the practices of modern mechanized farming, many of the old ways of farming were left by the wayside, and over the years much of the knowledge which had been passed down from generation to generation became lost.

I am personally thankful that a good number of my old farming friends passed farming ways from former times on to me. Over the years, I have put a good number of the old farming methods to good use when farming here at Blackberry Farm. Many of the older farming methods are well suited for our sustainable agricultural practices.

This year I am planting velvet beans, which were once commonly grown with field corn as a late fodder crop for cows. One old farmer friend of mine once stated that when consumed by cows, the cream from the milk was of a very high quality and also helped boost milk production.

The velvet beans produce long vines which thrive well when grown with sturdy field corn, with some varieties reaching heights from 10 to 12 feet in height. At the peak of their production, the vines produce strands of light violet flowers which resemble wisteria when in full bloom.

With this year being Blackberry Farm’s 50th-year celebration, I look forward to our velvet beans adding a special touch to our gardens.

P.S. Velvet beans got their name from the fact that beans have a surface that feels like velvet to the touch.

– John Coykendall, Blackberry Farm Master Gardener