The early broad beans which were sown in November are ready to harvest.

The pods have swollen and the beans inside are properly formed, but still really small and sweet.

It is always a balance between yield and sweet tenderness. If yield is the objective, the beans should be left until they are a bit bigger. But if the aim is to experience the exquisite taste of fresh, tender beans, it is worth sacrificing a bit of yield.

The beans change colour when they are ready, and become pale green all over. This photo shows mature beans on the right, which have developed a pale, uniform colour. The row on the left are not quite ready. They are a brighter green, and each bean has various shades of green on it.