I couldn’t find any specific information about your use of pesticides and/or any growth chemicals for your beans. Can you please be specific about what, if anything, you use? I’d need to know that before I purchase.

Thank you for your interest. My companies Zursun Ltd and Soranco Bean Products do not actually “grow” or maintain farms to produce the beans we distribute. We do however, work directly and personally with many, many farmers who grow and produce beans specifically for us. We receive their beans in the fall in a raw state and we perform the cleaning and milling and sorting to get them into condition for sale to the public.

We handle some seeds used to produce some varieties. Some varieties are grown in other states such as California, Washington, Oregon, Michigan, and Nebraska. Regarding any chemicals used in the production cycle I can only speak to the beans grown here in the Magic Valley of Southern Idaho. However, dry edible beans use far fewer agents in their production than many other crops.

There are two main areas where chemicals are used, one being fertilizers to promote vigorous plant health, and herbicides to destroy weed plants that would choke and kill the bean plants.

Typical fertilizer used is a combination of powered phosphates and nitrogen, with some potash and many growers also use animal manure from local dairy operations because it is prevalent and inexpensive. These are applied well before planting time and tilled into the soil and water is applied to balance out the levels.

Herbicides are also applied before planting to the soil and are specific in targeting certain weeds. Beans are planted several weeks later and from that point on weeds are controlled by cultivating where a tractor pulling a cultivating attachment moves through the bean rows and cuts and pulls any weeds from the soil. The typical brand names of these agents are, Sonalan, Eptam, Sevin, and Colmite. Not all are used; it is grower and area specific but most use Sonalan and or Eptam.

I am not a botanist or anything of the sort so I cannot comment on any possible trace amounts or residues that may be absorbed and present in the mature bean. This would of course require a scientific chemical analysis. There is likely to be some information available on the web. I have attached a document from the EPA which discusses the use and effects of Eptam. In brief page 31 of this report describing residuals left behind, found that any measureable amounts were less than, 5 one hundredths parts per million. (<0.05 ppm). For all intents and purposes this amounts to non-detectable or 0.

I cannot say whether this applies to the other possible agents that are used but for myself I’ve been around beans and bean farms all my life. I have never heard of any illnesses ascribed to beans and lentils grown using the typical chemicals we see. Also, all our bean and lentils seeds have been developed using standard plant breeding methods of single plant selection and mating to achieve more disease resistant plants with strong yield potential and of course the color and shape that is desired. No genetic modification is done nor is it practiced in the dry edible bean industry. I do not know if this holds true for Soy Beans. We do not grow or sell soy beans.

Obviously a completely organic growing method would be more comforting. The costs to the grower to grow organically are very high and to make it work they must choose specific crops that they know they can sell. Heirloom varieties are produced in such small quantities it is not possible to have them grown organically without taking very strong and risky financial positions on crops that may or may not have a market. Growers require fixed contracts to be paid no matter the circumstance, whether they get a crop or not. The pressure can only be managed by using conventional growing methods where we have more choices of growers to work with and the grower has better potential for good yields per acre.

I hope this helps you understand a little more about bean production and allay any possible trepidation you may have concerning trace chemical carryover. If you are of a mind that any amount is unacceptable than I would recommend you seek out strictly organically grown products. Good health to you and yours.

Good health to you and yours.

It is a busy time of year. It would just ease my mind (as I’m cooking with your beans) to know that they are safe from poison sprays. They are beautiful and blemish free. They don’t need to be certified. I just want to hear about the conditions under which they are grown. It would give me comfort.

Thank you for your kind concern and questions.

In a nutshell, I for one do not have any concerns with dry beans grown using conventional methods. I believe there are far greater and more pressing risks to our health coming from processed foods, bacterial outbreaks, water and air pollution.

To me the greatest benefits of organic farming are to the soils and the water tables. The chemicals used for farming of all crops that is left in the soil is of great concern and much like global warming, it is a slow but ominous eventuality of potentially life changing affects.

The people of the world could not be fed if all farming converted to organic methods, and certainly there are millions of people who are underfed or even starving now.

I must admit that I am very cynical when it comes to the “Organic Movement”. I believe it is wrought with fraud and deception and is used by many solely to meet a market need and generate profits. There are many legitimate and ethical growers, producers, processors and purveyors of Certified Organic Foods. They have worked hard to produce the very safest foods possible, and people with the time, abilities, options and resources to consume and support these goods have every right to do so.

However, success breeds imitation and the quality standards and practices followed in the USA, may in other countries be replaced by something as little as a “rubber stamp” stating “Certified Organic”. The quality of any product be it food or otherwise, is only as good as the morals, ethics, and practices of the purveyor, along with the standards used and the methods of qualification and inspections. I don’t have many answers only a lot of questions.

Laura, please see the attached pdf of my notes on general dry bean growing practices.

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

I am a vegetarian and have a question about how the beans are fertilized. Are heirloom beans fertilized using animal parts (not animal manure), but “animal parts/products?”

No, I have never encountered any information that would support beans being fertilized using animal parts or products. I’m wholly unaware of any such practice.

Some producers may use manure but it’s much more common for them to use chemically produced synthetic fertilizers containing Nitrogen, Zinc, and Potassium among others. Some bean fields will not require additional fertilizers at all.

I’ve attached a resource document on Idaho Soil Fertility and Bean Production.

Best Regards.

I am gathering information for our Food Co-op’s Product Research Committee on glyphosate being used as a desiccant before harvest on beans and grains, and I’m hoping you can tell me that glyphosate is not used on your beans and grains. Thank you for your help.

We do not now, nor have we ever used desiccant products in our beans or for any other purposes.

If desiccants are used at all for beans, I would guess it would most likely be in the high moisture growing areas of Michigan and/or North Dakota.

Their bean crops typically contain 16% or more MC (moisture content) at the time of harvest. They employ fans, dryers and dehumidifiers to bring the MC down and/or remain stable.

Personally, I’ve never heard of desiccants being used for beans in any growing areas.

I would think that it would be more common in grains, but I do not know.

I’ll see if I can find out more information on possible uses when I have a little time.

Best regards.

Our restaurant is focusing on Non-GMO crops and sustainable practices. We are more concerned with responsible practices, than the label of certified organic, as we know the certification process is expensive and can sometimes be misleading. Do the farmers associated with your company use GMO crops, chemical fertilizers, insecticides, or herbicides? And if so, are there any products that do not fall into this category?

Dry Beans are All Non-GMO. And, as of 2016, Zursun is now Non-GMO verified.

However, regarding soybeans I do not know and we do not grow or handle soybeans at all.

Bean Breeding is still done with single plant selection and cross breeding of varieties with grow outs for each cycle to produce the coloration, shape, size and growing characteristics that are desired.

We do not offer any certified organically grown even though we are an Idaho State Certified Organic Handler. We process and condition several organic bean varieties that remain grower owned and marketed to their exclusive customers.

Our growers use common synthetic and natural fertilizers and minimal herbicides and occasionally pesticides, but the actual dry bean itself is never directly exposed to these agents.

I’m in my sixties and have been in and around my Father’s business all my life. I eat beans all the time and to my knowledge I never suffered any ill effects nor have I heard of any by others due to any carryover chemicals from beans. The bean skin is porous but much less so than say other garden crops such as lettuce, spinach or any leafy vegetables really. I realize this is of no scientific or statistical value but I firmly believe that dry processed Beans and Lentils are two of the safest foods you can consume.

Our growers are typically all family farms of small scale and they must practice sustainable agriculture because it is the only way they can guarantee the viability of their land to produce crops of several types. Crop rotation is always practiced to make use of natural element replacement such as nitrogen and zinc. Water usage is critically monitored always.

As I’ve told others who’ve questioned me about this subject before, if you are of a mind that any amount of synthetic or manufactured chemical usage is a deal killer, then you will have a very difficult time finding such products in more than a few select common varieties that are mostly sold to Organic Frozen and Canned Food manufacturers, i.e. Amy’s Kitchen.

I hope this helps your understanding of our products. If I can be of any further help please let me know.

I was wondering if you grow any grains or if your beans would ever possibly come into contact with any grains? I have celiac disease and have trouble getting some beans that are not contaminated with wheat.

Thank you for your inquiry. We only clean and process dry edible beans in our facilities. We do not take in grains from growers, or from field production. The only grains we package are purchased from others already milled and cleaned.

We package those items exclusively in the Zursun small 24 oz. packages over one piece of equipment. We clean this small line thoroughly between every item and there is no residue of grains in any of our beans.

We are inspected by a third-party food safety company each year and we are an Idaho Certified Organic Handler. The organic regulations cover the proper cleaning, storage, inspection and auditing of all our packaging and bean processing equipment lines regarding product separation. We have not had any issues or problems with cross contamination of any products containing gluten.

In the case of lentils there will always be the slight chance of tiny particles of grains remaining in those items. Lentils are grown in the Northern Idaho Palouse Valley area and produced in fields that alternate with grains.

There is no way to insure the complete removal of every tiny particle of grain, however any possible remaining particles would be less than .1%. Our lentil items state this on the labels and as such are not to be considered “gluten free”.

Please rest assured that Zursun Beans are completely free of any gluten particles or residue.

I hope this helps.

All the best.

I was recently diagnosed with celiac disease and need to eat food that has 20 ppm or less of gluten in it. I have your Cannellini beans. Are they gluten-free or were they processed/manufactured in a facility or on equipment that also manufactures gluten and therefore could be cross contaminated?

No gluten whatsoever. No chance of cross contamination since we do not clean or process any grains.

We do package a few grain varieties and we make sure our equipment is thoroughly cleaned between products.

Lentils (may) contain a trace (read tiny) amount of grain chaff from volunteer seeds in the fields. Dry beans do not share this issue so you can safely consume any of our bean varieties with no concerns as to Gluten.

Thank you for contacting us and I hope you’re able to successfully manage your condition. I’m sure it’s not easy.

Heirloom beans “filled the cupboards” of our ancestors because dry beans keep for long periods without spoiling and are easy to prepare. Once hydrated by soaking them in water, beans cook quickly in a pot on top of the stove (most beans are tender within 45 minutes to one hour).

Simple seasonings, like a drizzle of fruity olive oil and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt and fresh-ground pepper, enhance the taste of beans. Pungent spices and aromatic herbs add savory flavors to beans’ meaty, yet tender flesh. A pot of heirloom beans is inexpensive to prepare and can be enjoyed for many meals over several days.

Cleaning, sorting and soaking

Before cooking any dried beans, always sort through them looking for misshapen beans and pebbles or soil. Although Zursun uses sophisticated equipment to sort and clean all our beans, there may be occasional natural debris.

Soaking beans prior to cooking softens them and shortens their cooking time. Although beans can be cooked without soaking, they will take considerably longer to become tender.

Long-soak method – Place beans in a large bowl and add tepid water to cover by about 3 inches. Preferably let stand overnight, or for several hours. When soaking beans during hot weather refrigerate to prevent fermentation.

Quick-soak method – In pot, add beans and water to cover by 3 inches and bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover pot and let stand for at least 1 hour before cooking.

Note: One cup of dried beans yields about 2-3 cups of cooked beans depending on the variety.

Lentils and split peas do not require soaking before cooking.

Cooking beans on stovetop

After soaking, drain beans using a colander and rinse thoroughly. Place the drained beans in an appropriately sized heavy-bottomed pot, and add enough fresh water to cover them by 3 inches leaving at least 2 inches of space between top of the water and rim of the pot.

Do not add salt. Both salt and acidic ingredients like ketchup or tomatoes will keep beans from tenderizing, so add these ingredients the last 20-30 minutes of cooking.

Bring the beans to a boil over medium heat. As soon as they reach a simmer, reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and simmer gently until the beans are tender but still hold their shape.

Beans will take about 45 minutes to 1-1/2 hours to cook depending on their size. Test for doneness by biting into a few beans while cooking.

The trick is to cook beans until they are just tender and creamy, yet still hold their shape; overcooked beans begin to split, become mushy and turn unpleasantly soft.

Cooking beans in the oven

Beans can also be cooked in the oven using a heavy, ovenproof baking dish with lid. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Soak beans as instructed, and place in baking dish, add water and cover. Cook for about the same amount of time as stovetop, and check for doneness by tasting.

Cooking with pressure cookers

To prevent overcooking, follow the manufacturers directions. Pressure cookers could reduce cooking time by more than half due to higher temperature that occurs inside the pressurized pot. Using this method, however, makes it impossible to gauge when beans are tender and to adjust the seasonings during cooking.

Season beans

Beans can be seasoned while cooking or after they are cooked. (As noted above, it is not recommended to add salt or acidic ingredients during first part of cooking).

Aromatic vegetables (onions, garlic, celery and carrots), fresh or dried herbs, and spices added at the beginning of cooking will help produce rich, flavorful bean broths and soups.

For example, the broth in Cannellini Bean Soup is made with sweet red onions, carrots and celery sautéed in olive oil. The soup is then finished with sea salt, fresh-ground black pepper and extra drizzle of oil.

Spicy chili powder is a perfect seasoning for many types of dried beans (try Anasazi, Black Turtle, Pintos). In recipes for Chili Beans with Fire Roasted Tomatoes and Mexican Pot Beans the beans simmer with chili powder creating a piquant, smoky broth.

Another option is to prepare beans in plain water and season after cooking, preferably while beans are still warm because the flavor of the added ingredients absorb better. For instance, Flageolet Bean Salad, melds delicate, pale green beans with fruity olive oil, white wine vinegar, black olives, fresh basil and parsley creating a delectable salad best served at room temperature.

Season lentils

Zursun lentils come in an alluring variety of tastes, colors and sizes. It’s important, however, to know beforehand how each lentil cooks up: whether retaining its sturdy texture and shape, or transforming into a smooth, creamy purée.

Lentils are best seasoned during cooking or baking. For fun, flavor lentils using an East Indian tarka, known as “seasoning with oil.” For this method, aromatic vegetables may be added while the lentils cook in water. After the lentils are cooked, the peppery tarka is mixed in. To make a tarka, oil is heated in a small skillet to which highly-flavored spices are fried until fragrant.

Petite red or golden yellow lentils used in Lentil Purée (Dal) make a spicy Indian soup using a tarka. The lentils are seasoned with onion, garlic and ginger while cooking in water. The tarka, made with black mustard seeds, red chilies and dried curry leaves, is mixed into the creamy lentils just before serving.

For a simple, tasteful Lentil Soup, use Spanish Pardina lentils that hold their shape during cooking. Simply seasoned with a bit of butter, fresh thyme and mint, the soup is light and full of pure lentil flavor.

Red Lentil Soup with Indian Spices is another easy and vibrant potage made with delicate crimson lentils flavored with pungent garlic, cumin, chili powder, tomatoes and fresh lemon.

Baking is a fun and easy method to cook and season lentils because it eliminates the need to watch the pot on the stovetop. For instance, try Lentilles du Puy with Roasted Carrots and Beets made with hearty French green lentils. The earthy-flavored legumes are combined in a casserole with sweet-scented beets, carrots and shallots, savory herbs, and finished with a splash of sherry wine vinegar.

Recipes for all Zursun’s beans, lentils and grains can be found on the Recipes page of our website.

Dry Beans are much less susceptible to pesticide residues because they are shelled out of their dry pods during harvesting. They must be re-hydrated and boiled to consume which reduces the chance of systemic residues.

Below is a letter from Zursun owner Jim Soran:

Thank you for your interest in our products. My companies Zursun Idaho Heirloom Beans and Soranco Bean Products Inc. do not actually “grow” or maintain farms to produce the beans we process, package and distribute. However, we do work directly and personally with many farmers who grow and produce these specifically for us. We receive their beans in the fall in a raw state and we perform the cleaning, milling and sorting to get them into the best possible condition for sale to the public.

We handle some seeds used to produce some varieties. Some varieties are grown in other states such as California, Washington, Oregon, Michigan, and Nebraska. With regard to any chemicals used in the production cycle I can only speak to the beans grown here in the Magic Valley of Southern Idaho. However, dry edible beans use far fewer agents in their production than many other crops.

Dry beans are included in many online resource listings comparing foods grown organically versus non-organically. Beans and other legumes, fall into the class of the “Top 20 products that you don’t “Have” to buy organically”. This is because the actual “seed” matures inside the pods of the plants and not in the soil. The pod provides protection unlike flowering seed plants.

There are three main areas where chemicals are used, one being fertilizers to promote vigorous plant health, herbicides to destroy weed plants that would choke and kill the bean plants, and pesticides to control insects that may feed on the bean plants during the growing season.

Typical fertilizer used is a combination of powered phosphates and nitrogen, with some potash and many growers also used animal manure from local dairy operations because it is prevalent and inexpensive. These are applied well before planting time, tilled into the soil and water is applied to balance out the levels.

Herbicides are also applied before planting to the soil and are specific in targeting certain weeds. Beans are planted several weeks later and from that point on weeds are controlled by cultivating where a tractor pulling a cultivating attachment moves through the bean rows and cuts and pulls any weeds from the soil. The typical brand names of these agents are, Sonalan, Eptam, Sevin, and Colmite.

Usage of any agents is never mandatory but completely dependent upon individual grower practices and decisions regarding their unique field conditions and makeup. Growers never wish to add more input costs to their production by applying chemicals. It comes down to a decision of how best to promote good yields, weighing the cost of a possible solution against the cost of overall reduced yields due as a result of excess weeds or the occasional pest.

Additionally, in the case of pesticides, any use of these products is the exception not the rule. The actual percentages of pest incidence are very low, especially in the Western most bean growing states of Idaho and Washington. There are of course many insects that may attack beans plants. Most are aphid or mites that feed on the plant damaging its’ vigor and ability to produce mature seeds. Only the most serious outbreaks are typically treated with airborne sprays, when the potential insect damage costs are far greater than the application costs.

Once an infestation takes hold it’s usually too late to stop. The control of these types of insects is also managed by the rotation and placement of different crops relative to their attractiveness by the insect. Alfalfa is the first choice of these pests as a food source but after the first cutting of Alfalfa they may move into bean fields. Weather also has an impact on the proliferation of pests. Prolonged freezing temperatures during the winter can significantly reduce the degree of outbreaks the following summer growing season. Should airborne pesticides be employed the agents are dispensed as a fog and act upon the pests and dissipate quickly into the surrounding air. The actual bean seeds are protected in the pods from direct contact with the chemicals, and the chemicals become inert soon after exposure to open air.

Some people have expressed deep and great concern over the use of Roundup to kill post-harvest weeds and plant growth. I share this concern but please be aware this practiced has never been used at all on dry edible beans. This method is employed with Soybean production to be used in processed foods only. We do not purchase, grow, package or sell soybeans.

I am not a botanist or an agronomist or anything of the sort, so I cannot comment on any possible trace amounts or residues that may be absorbed and present in the mature bean. This would of course require a scientific chemical analysis. There is likely to be some information available on the web. I referenced a document from the EPA which discusses the use and effects of Eptam. This report described residuals left behind, found that any measureable amounts were less than, 5 one hundredths parts per million.(<0.05 ppm) For all intents and purposes this amounts to non-detectable or zero.

I cannot say whether this applies to the other possible agents that are used but for myself I’ve been around beans and bean farms all my life. I am now 66 and my Mother lived to be 97. My three older sisters all are in great health. My Father died at 77 of Pancreatic cancer from unknown causes. I have never heard of any illnesses ascribed to beans and lentils grown using the typical chemicals we see. I realize that my experience is not proof that some damage may still be present at a molecular level. Nevertheless, I believe there are many more worrisome concerns related to the overall quality of our air, water, non-organic fruits and vegetables containing water, and specifically processed foods.

All of our bean and lentil seeds have been developed using standard plant breeding methods of single plant selection and mating to achieve more disease resistant plants with strong yield potential and of course the color and shape that is desired. This is genetic modification at the plant variety level and has been in use as for as long as agriculture has been practiced on the earth.

Genetic modification performed in laboratories at the DNA molecular level, is most commonly known and described using the acronym “GMO”. In truth, this cellular gene work is more correctly described as “genetic engineering using modern biotechnology”.

The statement of “NON-GMO” is not an honest representation of the practice, but rather a dumb-downed thinking and decision-making shortcut label.

The true statement applicable to products of this type is: “not genetically engineered using modern biotechnology” That statement requires some actual knowledge and a reasoned thought process by individuals wanting to avoid those type of foods. Marketing people decided to use “NON-GMO” as the handle for these processes.

Virtually all modern dry edible bean varieties have been genetically modified using plant breeding methods. However, the dry bean industry does not and has never practiced “genetic engineering using modern biotechnology”. This is not the case with Soybean production to be used in processed foods. We do not grow, purchase, package or handle any soybeans in our operations.

Obviously a completely organic growing method would be more comforting. The costs to the grower to grow organically are very high and to make it work they must choose specific crops that they know they can sell. Heirloom varieties are produced in such small quantities it is not possible to have them grown organically without taking very strong and risky financial positions on crops that may or may not have a market. Growers require fixed contracts to be paid no matter the circumstance, whether they get a crop or not. The pressure can only be managed by using conventional growing methods where we have more choices of growers to work with and the grower has better potential for good yields per acre.

I hope this helps you understand a little more about bean production and allay any possible trepidation you may have concerning trace chemical carryover. If you are of a mind that any amount is unacceptable, then I would recommend you seek out strictly organically grown products.

Good health to you and yours.

Sincerely, Jim Soran