Since we planted over 35 buschel of beans this year we are pretty cost conscientious. We got them from the co-op. Just put a tarp down to line my pick-up bed, pulled under the auger, and had them fill it up!! Paid the going bushel price which was just over $10. To 'clean' them we pour them out of a bucket across the front of a large shop fan and into tubs. This is an easy way to blow any remaining pods or chaff away that may choke the planter.
I still say if buck-in-a-bag beans produce more than ag beans then farmers would be planting them. They would be stupid not to.
We hunt our bean plots late muzzy (late December/Early January) and the beans are still in their pods. I'd guess they get about 4' tall as all you can see are the deer heads as they feed in the during the summer.
I don't understated the forage labeling either. I believe that is supposed to mean they are more cold weather tolerant? If so I'd like to see an experiment done where the are planted on the same day, side-by side with ag beans and see what fairs better. I know this has been done with Buck Forage Oats, and they didn't fair so well against regular seed oats.
I do agree though that if you are only doing a small plot it may be more convenient to buy buck-in-a-bag products if you don't have easy access to bulk/ag beans.
