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western NY | As has been mentioned beans were a major crop here in NY untill recent years. Up untill WW2 the main bean was the pea or navy bean which fell out of favor for the red kidney bean around that time because of there ease to grow and harvest compared to navys which would stain from fall rains. In our area the red kidney was brought to the forfront by one man in particular Mr Ted Zornow a bean broker in Pittsford. He made a small empire on red kidneys and was the most honest and fair person to deal with that anyone would ever know. He was known for taking less than perfact beans and extended credit to almost anyone he felt would pay him back. He also was able to and did pay for the beans as soon as the truck was dumped if you asked for it.
As for the bean industry in NY it realy started around the Civil War and by the late 1800's they were raised in almost evry county in NY. After WW1 the acrage of beans started to fall off. One reason was western competition mainly from Michigan. Michigan became a bean area because many of the new farmers in that area came from NY as can be scean today in the names of there towns which are often the same as in NY. Beans weren't realy sutible in the corn belt states since the weather can be too hot in the summer. Another reason beans left NY at that time was the dairy cow and refrigeration. Beans and wheat which had been the staple crops in NY up untill that time were being replaced by milking cows. Beans were still raised on many farms as a side line and around WW2 the demand for them skyrocketed again and so did the price. That was the era when beans lifted morgages in one season. My grandfather bought the farm they had been a tennant on in the early 40's for $90 an acre and payed for it with one crop of kidney beans. Beans remained popular as a crop up untill the late 80's when soybeans started coming into the area. My fealing is that many farmers were just getting older and soybeans are much easier to harvest that edibles. As younger guys came along they weren't interested in spending all summer cultivating beans and opted for soys. Another reason was the soil was just beaned out and we also had several years of bad weather which in the last few years has realy cut the bean acerage.
If you look at the history of bean harvest equipment you will find most of the equipment was at one time made here in NY. The Bidwell thresher and later combine which is now the Bob Equipment Co. combine has always been made here in NY. | |
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Question about the Old West
