# Picking green beans with a scissors



## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

Beans are onlilne big time. I love them, don't mind canning them, but hate settin and "snapping" them. Started using a scissors but still hated to just sit. Being alone I get plenty of quiet time. 
Well it hit me last night. I would just go out and "clip" them with a scissors while still on the vine. Works great!! Less time picking, easier on the plants, you can clip two or three at once. I just set there on my little stool :bucket ) go from one plant to the next weed and clip. DONE!
All i have to do is wash them line up the cut ends a few at time and cut them into pieces and leave the other end..
Unless it does something I don't know about to the plant leaving the little beans end on its the way it will be done around here from now on.


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## Vickie44 (Jul 27, 2010)

Great tip . I did 16 pints of green beans and my wrists hurt from snapping , I will try this Thanks


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

That actually sounds like more work to me. My knees don't permit me to get up and down as often as I would need if I picked beans that way. As for snapping them, that is a breeze for me. I simply take my bag of twice-washed beans, a small bowl to put the unwanted parts and a couple of rather large bowls to my big recliner, lean it back a little and snap them while watching one of my favorite shows, i.e. Criminal Minds. It does not take long to snap half a bushel, which is what I usually get on a daily bases.


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## wvstuck (Sep 19, 2008)

No hope on the scissors here... Either Green Bean I grow requires snapping and stringing the bean. I grow an old local Pole Bean (seed has been saved since the 20's) or when I don't want my beans growing 20' tall.... I grow a heirloom half runner... Man I wish I could scissor beans.


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## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

motdaugrnds said:


> That actually sounds like more work to me. My knees don't permit me to get up and down as often as I would need if I picked beans that way. As for snapping them, that is a breeze for me. I simply take my bag of twice-washed beans, a small bowl to put the unwanted parts and a couple of rather large bowls to my big recliner, lean it back a little and snap them while watching one of my favorite shows, i.e. Criminal Minds. It does not take long to snap half a bushel, which is what I usually get on a daily bases.


I have the same problem with my knees. I just got a bucket (gonna make a rolling stool) and set by the bush an grab three or four and snip snip snip. Worked great for me . About 15 minutes in a 25 ft row. brought em in washed them cut them leaving the little end and canned 14 pints all in about 3 hours. 3-4 more times and I'm done for the year.
I can't stand to set (unless its around 50-60) and don't have TV or movies. (No fun kinda guy) but to each his own


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I planted my bush beans in triple rows. That's just wide enough that I can straddle them as I pick. It is easier on my back and the beans shade out a lot of the weeds.


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## wanda1950 (Jan 18, 2009)

motdaugrnds said:


> That actually sounds like more work to me. My knees don't permit me to get up and down as often as I would need if I picked beans that way. As for snapping them, that is a breeze for me. I simply take my bag of twice-washed beans, a small bowl to put the unwanted parts and a couple of rather large bowls to my big recliner, lean it back a little and snap them while watching one of my favorite shows, i.e. Criminal Minds. It does not take long to snap half a bushel, which is what I usually get on a daily bases.


That's what I do, too. Usually don't get much TV time so I enjoy it. That's also how I shell peas, etc. Have a little TV in the kitchen I watch when doing tomatoes & stuff that requires the sink. 

I can only bend over to pick & I have to straighten up pretty often or I'd never raise up again. Tried crawling on my knees like we used to do in the cotton patch but almost fell trying to get back up. Can't squat because of my knees. Tried sitting on a five gallon bucket but that didn't work either--to high & painful to the rear end. 

I've seen a low wheeled covered cart like thing that might work but hate to buy & be sorry. Does anyone have any ideas what might work?


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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

I cut my beans. Snap 'em off the bush, bring them in, rinse, line up 8 or 10 at a time on the cutting board and slice through them all at once, first one end off, then cut into pieces down to the other end leaving it on the cutting board.


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