U-Pick Gren Beans: Pros/Cons

Fergienewbee · Jun 19, 2013

My BIL has had a roadside stand for several years. This is his last year. I'm thinking I might put in a patch of green beans next year and try a U-Pick operation. A lady up the road does U-Pick flowers. I like growing beans and they produce abundantly and over a long time. Parking might be a problem, although I have lots of room on the power line. Water might be another problem; I'd be at the mercy of the weather. What's new there? I'm thinking maybe a half-acre or so to start. Even if the operation failed the deer and rabbits would love me. Any thoughts, advice, experience is appreciated. I don't want a stand because picking is so labor intensive. That's one reason produce is expensive at the market.

Larry

randallinMo · Jun 19, 2013

My wife and I have an agreement. I plant the greenbeans and grow them, she picks them, I snap them for canning. She doesn't like to snap beans and I FOR SURE don't like picking them. I"m afriad I'd not be a customer of yours on a "pick your own" deal green bean patch.

LAA · Jun 19, 2013

Depends on the local customer base, the disability/welfare crowd won"t cook their own much less pick their own, they don"t have to worry about saving money because everything is free to them anyhow.

State of Jefferson · Jun 19, 2013

If you wanna do it for fun and as a service to the community, I'd say go for it.
If you wanna do it as a profitable enterprise, I'd say good luck.
When I had my little truck farm, I figured all the money I made on green beans was from picking labor. If I paid someone to harvest, nearly all the revenue from sales went to pay the pickers. However, I likely didn't have the most efficient pickers.
Second, you can grow ALOT of green beans on a half an acre! I had a couple 100foot rows, and I frequently picked 20# of green beans twice a week off each row.

Kinda makes my back hurt just thinkin about it. Being 6foot2 a good bean picker does not make...

Ben

JK-NY · Jun 25, 2013

I doubt if you will get alot of people to come out and pick beans. Your main customers would likely be people who want to can/freeze some and they are usually gardeners with their own cropsalready. U pick beans might work as part of a "CSA" arrangement - along with other crops. Around here the main u-pick crops are - strawberries, apples,blueberries and pumpkins and tomatoes, although the last 2 arent as popular as they were 10-20 years ago. When I was young, u-pick vegetables were more popular , even a couple larger potato growers used to haver u-pick but thats all died out.I grew fresh market vegetables for a few years and you are correct when you say picking beans is labor intensive. I would start with alot less than a half acre if you try it, and stagger your planting dates to spread out the harvest time.

Dean Olson · Jun 26, 2013

Will not work at all, at least around Houston.

I have a big garden and intentionally plant way too much. There's enough for me, the bugs,birds,coons, deer and every other critter.

I have tried giving it away and folks show up wanting to know where it's at. I point to the garden and they get back in the car and leave. Several have chewed my azz for wasting there time and gas for not having it picked for them. I'm talking about the easy stuff ie sweet corn, tomatoes etc let alone beans and peas that take a little labor to get picked.

AND if they do pick it themselves some have complained about finding an ear worm or blemish. After all it doesn't look like what's in the grocery store.

Needless to say I have a select few that I give stuff to.

U-Pick Gren Beans: Pros/Cons

Fergienewbee

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randallinMo

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LAA

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State of Jefferson

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JK-NY

Well-known Member

Dean Olson

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