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  • From: Richard Moyer <ramoyer AT gmail.com>
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Fava bean prices
  • Date: Sat, 19 Jun 2010 23:15:27 -0400

Carla,
Took a little less than 1 bushel of favas to market and sold almost
all of them, for $3/lb, unshelled. Customers were happy to try them.
Though a number paused at the price for they knew how few beans they'd
end up with, upon shelling those fat pods. Several customers had
never cooked their own before, so were glad to have them. Customers
buying favas also bought all our kale and almost all our chard and
shiitakes, so I was happy to come back home today with few leftovers.

Makes me wonder what else I can grow, that my customers will know and
buy and that few to no other vendors have. Shiitakes, bok choy and
mache are in that category, but there must be some others. Ideas? We
are trying to win folks over to garland chrysanthemum leaves now.

Fava bean variety we have grown three times over the years is
'Windsor'. Bought seed in past from Southern Exposure and E&R.
Carla, have you tried planting them in fall and overwintering them?
Snow cover favors survival in harsh winters. Fall planting helps them
come in before the heat. One frustration, whether fall or early
spring planting, is that there are MANY more blooms than pods that
actually set. Don't know if it's varietal or environmental factors,
but we don't get a lot of yield for the amount of space to grow these.

As for the 'allergic' reaction, it's more technically a genetic
(inherited) sensitivity, more common in people of Mediterranean
descent, then moreso in children and males. (Could post this sign to
attract attention "Favas For Females" :)) The amount of red blood
cells damaged depends on the amount eaten, that is favas consumed as a
side dish is less a cause of concern than as the main source of
calories in the meal. But most if not all buying them today had
eaten them before.

What other unusuals will my customers recognize and buy?
Richard Moyer
SW VA
> Date: Sat, 19 Jun 2010 03:01:28 GMT
> From: "cjmaness AT juno.com" <cjmaness AT juno.com>
> Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Fava bean prices, unshelled and shelled?
> To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
> Message-ID: <20100618.220128.18723.1 AT webmail13.dca.untd.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> I would be charging premium prices for fava beans! I have tried to grow them
> and can't. They burn up in our heat. If you have something at market that no
> one else has??? My gosh. You are lucky!
> We can't even buy fresh fava beans in any of our grocery stores. Heck, you
> can't even find them frozen or canned around here. It might be different in
> your area though.
> We sell our sugar snap peas for 3 dollars a pint, which is about half a
> pound. We sell our green beans for 3 dollars a quart which is about a pound.
> If I could grow favas I would sell them by the half pound or pint and charge
> 3 dollars.
> I would love to know how you grew them. When did you seed, what variety, any
> info you would be willing to share.
> Carla
> Perkins, OK who loves fava beans
>




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