Weatherbury Farm Grain Tracker
From Planting to Harvest, Zorro Black Beans in the field:
Planting Zorro Black Turtle Beans
Zorro Black Beans in bloom
Swathing Zorro Black Beans
Harvesting Zorro Black Beans
Zorro Black Turtle Bean Facts 2019
Zorro Black Bean Fields 2019
In 2019, Zorro Black Turtle Beans were grown in Independence Township on 3.4 acres on the farm established by Robert Leggett in 1815. Leggett had holdings totaling 585 acres in the area and raised 1000 sheep. In addition to being a farmer, he was a breeder and dealer of 1st class Spanish sheep (Merino).
Today the farm still raises sheep. Weatherbury Farm transitioned this land from conventional in 2013 and it was certified organic in 2015.
The beans were planted on June 29,2019. Omega Golden Flax was interseeded on the fields using hand spinners after the beans were planted.
On October 19 2019, the beans were swathed. Swathing gathers the beans into windrows to allow them to dry down without wildlife pressure.
The beans were harvested on October 21, 2019.
For an illustrated explanation of how Weatherbury’s beans are planted, harvested and cleaned, visit the from seed to flour page.
About Zorro Black Turtle Beans
Beans were one of the first foods that were gathered and prepared by humans; some researchers think that black beans may have been the first legume to
Organic Black Turtle Beans
be domesticated for food. Black beans were first consumed in Mexico and South America about 7,000 years ago, .
Black beans are quite difficult to grow in our area (witness our crop loss in 2016 and 2018). We plant Zorro Black Turtle Beans because their mounding characteristic shades out weeds. Additionally, flax was interseeded to further control weeds.
Products from Zorro Black Turtle Beans
Zorro Black Turtle Beans are cleaned and offered as dry beans. For best results, beans should be soaked overnight before cooking to achieve optimum texture and flavor. With their rich full flavor, black turtle beans are suited for everything from baked beans to soups to Latin cuisine.
Health benefits of Black Beans
Black beans are a nutritional powerhouse, loaded with protein, fiber, molybdenum, copper and zinc. They have more antioxidant benefits, gram for gram than other beans. In addition to protein, black beans provide lots of fiber (both soluble and insoluble). Both protein and fiber can help you stay fuller longer as well as decreasing your risk of many chronic diseases.
One advantage of dried beans over canned beans is that canned beans, because of the canning process, may be high in sodium, which could affect the health of folks with high blood pressure.
More Information
Zorro Black Turtle Beans can be ordered either for our monthly on-farm pickup or you can have your order sent to you.
To read more about black beans, please visit our products page.
More information on Zorro Black Turtle Beans and other grains are on the grains grown page.