[Lesleyk]

In a recent thread someone (sorry, can't remember the thread or the person posting) mentioned drying broad beans as a way of storing (instead of freezing) and that they could just be left in the pods, on the plant until they had dried out.  More info please!  I always have a huge crop of broad beans and I usually spend hours blanching and freezing but I'm interested in anything that might make my life a bit easier .......

[Nobbie]

I think they were referring to storing for sowing next year, I don't think they would be very palatable once they'd been left to to fully dry as they would be leathery and starchy even when soaked and cooked, so probably not worth the bother and more work than just blanching and chucking in the freezer.

[Lesleyk]

Thanks - that makes a lot of sense.  Back to the blanching ......

[Annen]

I have dried some of my broad beans in the de-hydrator, those are for eating in soups etc and I blanched them as you would for freezing.
I also have a stand (more a falling over)of beans which I haven't cropped and am leaving until they are brown on the stem.  Those are my next years seed beans.
The beans from both methods are hard and leathery but rehydrate okay except the skins sometimes stay leathery, which is why I have blanched them this year to see if that is better.

I don't see why the method of drying should make a difference though, drying is drying whether slow or quick. You could always try drying some in the pod and see how they rehydrate.

[Lesleyk]

Given that I have a lot of beans, I may leave some in the pods as an experiment this year.  Silly question (sorry) but I have never used my own, dried beans for next year's crop - do they normally prove successful?  Could save me a fortune in bean-buying 

[MalcW]

That's what I'll be trying for next year. I'm new to all this and have never done it, but I'm told by those with experience at our site that it's very successful.

[Annen]

I used my own this year and they all germinated really well.

The only odd thing that happened was that although I saved and planted all Red Epicure beans, the ones that grew from those seeds were a mixture of both red and green beans. So I can only guess that the red epicure had cross pollinated with the other beans I was growing nearby. They eat well though no matter what colour they are.