Dry Beans! Community Call with the Staple Crop Growers

The 2026 Staple Crop series continues with one of our favorite magical crops, the bean! Legumes play a critical role in soil health and have long been important for indigenous companion planting practices. Beans provide critical plant-based protein to people across the globe. Learn from Kevin Messing (Michigan, Sheridan Acres) about how dry beans can invigorate your field diversity and sales opportunities at multiple scales of production.

This webinar is part of an ongoing series focused on the food crops that sustain us, connect us to our heritage, and help us adapt to changing climate and food systems. Participants are encouraged to bring questions and share experiences from the field.

Participants will also connect with fellow farmers, and resource providers from Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, Fresher Together, Michigan Food & Farming Systems, and Fondy Food Center. Together, We’ll learn about upcoming workshops, training opportunities, and available one-on-one support. You’ll also be introduced to USDA programs that may be a good fit for your farm business.

This event is free to attend, but registration is required to get the Zoom link. Can’t make it live? Sign up anyway and we’ll send you the recording!

Language interpretation (Spanish, Hmong) is available upon request. Please indicate your need for interpretation on the event registration form, or by emailing Christine Johnson (cjohnson@michaelfields.org).

Interpretación en español y hmong disponible a solicitud. Por favor, indique si necesita interpretación en el formulario de registro del evento o enviando un correo electrónico a Christine Johnson (cjohnson@michaelfields.org).

Muaj kev txhais lus Mev (Spanish) thiab lus Hmoob yog muaj raws li thov. Thov qhia tias koj xav tau kev txhais lus rau hauv daim ntawv sau npe rau qhov kev tshwm sim no, lossis xa email rau Christine Johnson (cjohnson@michaelfields.org). Speaker: Kevin Messing is a 4th generation dry bean grower from Michigan's thumb region, the heart of Michigan bean country. In 2016 Kevin started Sheridan Acres and planted his first heirloom dry beans on half an acre. With hopes of finding new markets to grow his small farm, Kevin began visiting restaurants and meeting chefs who were focused on sourcing local food. Now 10 years later, Sheridan Acres will grow as many as 20 different heirloom beans on 15 acres and 15 acres of heirloom small grains. The beans and grains are cleaned and marketed beans to roughly 15 restaurants across Michigan and online through the Sheridan Acres website. Kevin resides in Ubly, MI with his wife, Sarah, and their daughters Neely, Myra and Lena. Learn more about Kevin and Sheridan Acres at https://www.sheridanacres.com/ ​What Are Staple Crops?

Staple crops are foods people rely on every day. They usually provide a large share of calories, protein, and other essential nutrients, and are often crops that can be dried, cured, or stored for long periods after harvest. Staple crops vary among different cultures and regions.

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In the Upper Midwest, staple crops might include:

• Grains like corn, wheat, oats, rye, barley and millets

• Legumes like dry beans and lentils

• Roots and tubers like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and other storage roots

• Oilseeds like sunflowers and flax

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Why Grow Staple Crops?

Because staple crops can typically be stored for months after harvest, they give growers flexibility in how and when the harvest is used, processed, or sold. There is a steady, year-round demand for staple crops, adding them to your farm's enterprise can help diversify your farm production, reduce market risk and strengthen your farm's bottom line.

About The Staple Crop Growers Network 

 The Staple Crop Growers Network is a community of farmers, gardeners, and food system advocates across the Midwest learning together about staple crops—the calorically dense, versatile crops that connect us to our heritage and nourish our communities every day.

The Staple Crop Growers Network is a project of Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, in partnership with Fresher Together, the Fondy Food Center, and Michigan Food and Farming Systems. This collaboration is supported by funding from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

About Michael Fields Agricultural Institute

Michael Fields Agricultural Institute is a non-profit organization that has been cultivating resiliency through research, education, and policy work since 1984. With a broad coalition of public and private partners, MFAI supports farmers, food systems and communities in the Upper Midwest and beyond through a range of programs and initiatives. Follow along on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news and events. Learn more and join us at michaelfields.org. About Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS)

MIFFS is a statewide nonprofit with a mission to connect beginning and small-scale, diversified farmers, including farmers who underutilize support programs, to each other and resource opportunities to ensure resilient, healthy, vibrant, and viable local food systems. Learn more at www.miffs.org Growing in Michigan? Connect with Hagan hagan@miffs.org 

About Fondy Food Center  

The Fondy Food Center cultivates wellness in the Lindsay Heights and Amani neighborhoods and the Greater Milwaukee Area by focusing on issues of healthy food access and economic opportunity. We operate local farmers markets throughout the year, provide access to land, resources and support to local farmers, and work with partners to build a better food system for our community. Learn more at www.fondymke.org Growing in Wisconsin? Connect with Stephen spetro@fondymarket.org 

About Fresher Together

Fresher Together is a Black and LGBTQ+ owned and led food and farming collaboration dedicated to serving the people in our community with local nourishing foods and restorative spaces for healing, economic development, training and retreat. Learn more at www.freshertogether.com. Growing in Illinois/NW Indiana? Connect with Fresh outreach@freshertogether.com 

The views and opinions expressed by the speakers in this webinar are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute (MFAI) or partners. The inclusion of these speakers, and the recording, hosting, or sharing of this webinar, does not constitute an endorsement of any individual, organization, product, or service mentioned.