Savoury specials

Brown beans form the basis of a popular winter dish in the Dutch province of Zeeland, and while there are no precise figures the current area in the region is estimated to be around 3,000ha. Part of this is tackled by Paridaen. Operating from a base on the outskirts of Sint Kruis village, a short drive from the Belgian border, the Dutch contractor has harvested the crop since 1990.

Specially made tractor-mounted implements lift and windrow the brown bean plants. This is done when it is damp, usually starting late in the evening. It depends on the weather, but the swath