Edible Bean School: Leave no bean behind — a look at the Pickett One Step

Описание: Equipment choice and field conditions play a critical role in protecting bean quality and maximizing yield potential heading into harvest.

In this episode of the Edible Bean School, Warren McCutcheon demonstrates how McCutcheon Farms uses the Pickett One Step machine to pull and windrow light red kidney beans for harvest near Carman, Manitoba.

McCutcheon has tried several approaches over the years — from direct harvesting to the traditional undercutting or knifing and then windrowing — but says he finds the One Step offers a valuable balance in terms of efficiency and protecting crop quality. "When it’s a little bit dry on top, nice and loose, this system works fantastic in those conditions," he explains. "We want to leave no bean behind, especially with these high-value kidney beans."

As shown in the video, the machine uses rotating rods or bars just below the soil surface to lift beans and feed them gently onto a pickup and conveyor, creating a consistent windrow for the combine, McCutcheon notes.

From Pickett Equipment’s headquarters in Burley, Idaho, general manager Brady Olson explains how the One Step builds on decades of innovation dating back to the late 1970s, when company founder Steve Pickett combined a rod weeder, a hay pickup system, and a conveyor into a single pass system. Olson emphasizes that the machine is designed to pull beans rather than cut them.

Both McCutcheon and Olson note depth settings are critical: running too high leaves beans behind, while running too low pulls in excess soil. Timing is also key — ideally, the One Step is run just days ahead of combining to avoid weather-related losses in windrows.

With harvest around the corner, the message is clear: whether pulling or undercutting, attention to detail and equipment is important for setting the stage for harvest.

#farming #beans #food

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