Soybeans

(Glycine max)

Soybeans are one of my favourite crops and the one that first got me interested in seed saving. Soybeans originated in northern China and have been an important crop there for 5000 years. Soybeans are grown on a huge scale across North America but almost all of it is destined for livestock feed. Over 50 percent of Canada’s soybean crop has been genetically modified by Monsanto to resist Monsanto’s own herbicide, Roundup. This allows large-scale farmers to douse their fields in more chemicals to kill every plant but the soybeans. What better reason is there than that to grow your own soybeans?

Although all types of soybeans can really be used interchangably for most uses, here's the basic breakdown of our soybean types. Our beige soybeans are good all purpose varieties for making tofu, soymilk, soynuts, adding to soup or maybe feeding your hens (note: they should be roasted first). Our black and other brown varieties are more flavourful, making them good in soups, chilies or anywhere else you might use regular dry beans. Edemame soybeans are those that are eaten when the green seeds are plump in their pods at the same stage as shelling peas.  For a late summer treat, just steam the pods whole, pop the seeds out and eat with a little butter and salt. Fresh edemames also freeze well.

Soybeans should be planted after risk of frost and after the soil has warmed, around here in early June. As a general rule they should be planted at the same time as corn. Soybeans are drought tolerant plants and tolerant of less then ideal soil, due to the fact that they fix nitrogen. Like most plants however they grow best in a healthy, fertile loam. Although slightly lower yielding than dry beans, they make up for it in the fact they are higher in protein (40% compared to 25%). They grow to knee height and can be planted quite densely, in which case they will form a canopy to shade out weed seedlings. We harvest ours in September at around the same time as our dry beans. Soybeans produce perfect, self-fertile flowers and cross pollination is rare, making it easy to save seed.

Each packet costs $3.00 and contains approx. 60 seeds.

Grand Forks - Bi-coloured brown and gold seeds. A top quality soybean whether edemame or dry.   Sold Out

Black Jet - High yields of jet black dry soybeans. Developed by Johnny’s Select Seeds of Maine.   

Envy - A great edemame variety. Developed by Elwyn Meader. Meader developed over 60 popular varieties of vegetables, fruit and flowers both independently and during his career at the University of New Hampshire. He opposed patents on living organisms, even though he could have made a major profit off royalties from his varieties.   Sold Out   

Shirofumi - Another great edemame variety. The seeds are larger and lighter in colour than Envy.   Sold Out

(new) Velvet - Unique plants are covered in a fine, velvety fuzz, far thicker than regular soybean fuzz. A good producer of yellow seeds.   Limited Supply, 30 seeds

Alta - Early and high yields of mid-sized, beige soybeans. 

(new) Oosodefuri - Yet another edemame with large dark green seeds.   Sold Out

(new) Pando - Yep, another edemame!  Sold Out

(new) Cha Kura Kake - Beautiful bi-coloured seeds similar to Grand Forks except they’re much larger.   Sold Out

(new) St. Ita – One more fine edemame.   Sold Out