Edamame are unique  soybeans that are harvested at the green stage. They are lightly boiled in water and eaten as a snack or appetizer by popping the beans out of the pods. Children love this fun snack!

A recent customer told me that I should forget about saying that edamame are a good snack or appetizer. A bowl of edamame can easily be your MEAL. Go for it!

Frozen edamame are readily available in Asian and health food stores, and now fresh and/or fresh, organic edamame are occasionally seen in the marketplace.

With the amazing health benefits of soy, we encourage you and your customers to explore and enjoy this new specialty food.

In 2009 edamame seed sales benefited from the desire of consumers to grow more vegetables in home gardens and to buy locally from farmer's markets or CSA's. Fresh, vibrant green, steamed edamame on a summer evening are well worth the wait and so healthy for you! Organic seed sales were brisk as more consumers are eating organic food. We also saw continued interest in large-scale commercial production of shelled edamame or edamame in the pod in the United States. Good luck with your growing season.

In 2010, we will be trialing more edamame varieties of varying maturities to round out our lineup. We are happy that plant breeders at several universities are developing new edamame varieties. We will also be working with selected farmers in the southeast to explore new ways to extend shelf life of fresh market edamame. Stay tuned.