Farmer Fred is out standing in his field. This time, it is a field of black beans.
The tiny plants are popping up in neat rows. They were planted into last year's barley stubble.
The seed puts a root shoot down, then brings its seed up on a stem.
The pod splits in half as it opens.
On the left you can see a black bean seedling emerging and shedding its skin so that it can open and allow the leaves to grow. The plants to the right have formed leaves above the bean seed attached to the stem. The leaves continue to grow from the stem, above the bean pod.
It is difficult to identify a black bean leaf from the leaves of other edible bean plants. Nature is an orderly master, and we planted black bean seed. Therefore, we will indeed always have black bean plants grow from them.
Emerging beans need heat and moisture to produce.
Although the temperatures have been cool recently, moisture has been plentiful and the sunshine keeps the soil toasty warm.
When the tiny leaves first form, it appears that they follow the sun by leaning just a bit toward the warm light.
Farmer Fred is out standing and the black beans look outstanding in the fields of GriggsDakota.