[Kurt]

Who got fababeans , and how do they perform!
Seen couple fields in NE sask and they look impressive.
They handle moisture good and stay healthy.
What marketing options are there and what variety are you growing or what market are you shoooting for?

 

[nicemustang]

This is my first year. Only did 25 acres to demo and get seed for next year. These are "snowbird". I wish I had more, they look great. But long time until harvest so I'll wait to toot any horns yet. All of the pulse places are taking fababeans, most brokers have lines as well. Besides the late excepted harvest, the other downside is chemical options and large seed size. I had some left over authority from doing flax acres and I wish I had done the whole field. Then I used viper but got in a little late because of the weather. Set back good and not the greatest kill, I can see some canola flowers out there now. The seed size is huge too. Didn't have any trouble seeding though as others report, but worried about combining them. We'll see I guess.

Here's a couple of pics. I used celltech granula pea inoculant and have excellent nodulation.

 

[712alberta]

Nicemustang What do you use for a seeding implement?

 

[nicemustang]

3320 paralink with 6450 tank. Seeded 3.5 bushles per acre, 6 lbs granular inoculant, 20 lbs actual phos. Tried to get them 1.5" deep. Seeded at 4.5 mph.

 

[Don Boles]

Looks good.
Happen to know seed mg?

Now, if we can just get market development.

 

[nicemustang]

Don't know for sure but around 475 g/1000

 

[Don Boles]

Don't know for sure but around 475 g/1000

475 mg, same thing.
You seeded 235 kg/ha and by simply dividing by the 475 gives 50 seeds sq/m.
That's toward high side seeding rates I think.

Big Snowbird seed and not all openers can deal with seed that big, just something anyone considering Faba should keep in mind.

 

[rod]

You seeded 235 kg/ha and by simply dividing by the 475 gives 50 seeds sq/m.
That's toward high side seeding rates I think....

Just enquiring, why so high a seeding rate? Normally OZ seeding rates would be around 100kg/ha. Do you seed thick to make the plant push faster to maturity since your weather is ..... let's face it ....... not pleasant (sh.t-house) .... in Ozzie terms?

 

[nicemustang]

Honestly don't know the answer! That was recommended by my seed supplier, maybe he was trying to do that on purpose, I dunno lol. But I can understand 2 points, one to shorten maturity and second to increase crop competition. Probably 3 bushels per acre like peas is probably enough as my stand and germ is excellent.

 

[Fingers]

Anybody ever had hailed fababeans? how long does it set it back?

 

[briandublanko]

Our first year with them also. Seeded 500 acres @ 5.2 bushels per acre (300-325) pounds per acre at first then down to 4.5 on some other fields. Ended up with 7 to 9 plants per square foot, on higher seeding rates and 6 to 8 plants per sq ft on others. kernel weight was 380 gram per 1000 (was somewhat shriveled seed) Seeded higher rate here cause of late seeding date (May 8th to 13th). I Was at a fabba bean seminar in Lacombe Alberta last winter and was told to seed around 4 bushels per acre and after May 7th to seed heavier so this is what i did. Put on 35 pounds of actual phos and utilized a 5" seedbed 2" deep with 11" shovels on a 9.8 " seed row width for seeding with a 5710 air seeder tool and a 64450 tank by Bourgault. Could not seed faster then 3 mph with that amount of material going through the airlines or plugging became a serious issue.

Seems to be a difference in pod set on higher seeding rates then the lower seeding rates as the higher seed rates have more pods per plant. I don't know what the pods per plant should be but to me they look to have lots. Some plants have as high as 25. Whether or not they all make it to maturity is a wait and see thing.

Had 4 inches of rain here today with 90 kph winds and a lot of wheat and barley are flat while the beans all have a good lean to them but are still upright so they can stand a lot of wind. beans here were average 40 inches tall with some spots well over 6 ft.

 

[Kurt]

Bolt statement = fababean is a dead horse , why would you buy fababeans if soy or peas has way better feedvalue ?
Human consumption is a very small market?
The crop is as old as the bible or older and now discovered in N America?

 

[nicemustang]

Bolt statement = fababean is a dead horse , why would you buy fababeans if soy or peas has way better feedvalue ?
Human consumption is a very small market?
The crop is as old as the bible or older and now discovered in N America?

That's not what sask pulse companies are saying. There's a demand for food market all over the world for these. North America just hasn't been doing it? All feed mills I talk to would take fabas over soys because soys are generally too expensive and yield is comparatively low. Don't think there is a huge demand for them now or ever but it's something. For me, a later season crop is ok because it helps to spread out harvest. Don't need a flex header like peas or soys. Proven to be the highest nitrogen fixer to soil of any pulses. Tolerates this wet cycle we're in. Good for my rotation instead of canola cereal canola. I'm anxious to see how they turn out. Going to be doing at least a quarter or two next year if they do. On the other hand, soybeans also worked for me last year and look even better this year, so that's an option too.

 

[Don Boles]

Bolt statement = fababean is a dead horse

Did your blanket get left out in the rain today?
Get it?
Wet blanket.

As is always the case with new crops stability will take some time but from an agronomic point of view I'm really pulling for this one.

 

[briandublanko]

Here's a few pics of our fabba beans. this field was sown thick at 330 pounds (5.5 bpa). Had 4. inches of rain on it with 90 kph winds yesterday and you can see a good lean on some of them.

 

[dirtfarmer2]

Lots can go wrong

This is my third season growing Faba's. The first year got away without any serious problems at all. Last year ended up spraying them by plane from 3-4 times. Leaf disease can take a big chunk of yield out of a crop if left unchecked. Its also aphids crop of choice. Some varieties have no legs and can't stand worth a hoot. Herbicides for weed control are limited. On the bright side next years crop benefits huge from faba's. Marketing is not difficult at all. There are a lot of buyers looking for quality beans. My land is not level enough for peas. Too many hills and rocks. Faba's seem to work well. This years crop has been stressed by too much rain right from emergence. Some fields received over 8 inches of rain over a week. Lost a lot of acres to flooding and more that just couldn't withstand the water. I'm hoping for an average crop this years at best.

 

[misterjade9]

What have been the average yeild on Fababeans? New crop prices are about ¢.12/lb so wondering if that is comparable to soys and peas as far as gross dollars per acre. I know that the smaller Snowdrop variety are Tanin free and can also be used as a protein in feed rations were as other varirties that have Tanin in them cannot be used in feed rations.

 

[nicemustang]

I think tanins are only not desirable for human consumption but fine for feed. In fact only zero tanin ones can be sold as food and feed and tanin ones only for feed as I understand it. Not sure where new crop buds are now but they were at 7.50/bus for zero tanins couple months ago. I'm hoping for 50 bpa.

 

[cnh007]

I think tanins are only not desirable for human consumption but fine for feed. In fact only zero tanin ones can be sold as food and feed and tanin ones only for feed as I understand it. Not sure where new crop buds are now but they were at 7.50/bus for zero tanins couple months ago. I'm hoping for 50 bpa.

It's the other way around, zero tannin are for the feed market but can also cross over into human market, tannin are more desirable for human market because the keep their color when cooked

 

[nicemustang]

Right...tannin can't go to feed market? I think that's why I grew snowbird.