Early harvest

Marlboro County farmer McNiel Hinson harvested 27 acres of commercially grown snap (string) beans on Wednesday off Hebron-Dunbar Road. He grew the beans for Hanover Foods of Hanover, PA., who arranged for a harvesting company to gather the beans. Hinson then transported the picked beans to Pennsylvania for processing. Hinson also has 45 acres of snap beans planted in Dillon County. Doug Newton and Cade Baughman are other Marlboro County farmers who commercially grow the beans. Snap beans grow rapidly, producing large yields in a little over six weeks, allowing a second crop, such as soybeans, to be planted after them in the same season.

Photos by Dan McNiel