Years ago when beans were grown plentiful this was how the people prepared the fields.
First they ploughed the field with a wooden plough or dug it with wooden spades. Then they harrowed it with pieces of wood with long nails driven through them. When they had all the weeds and grass out of it they would plough it again and then they would keep harrowing it till it was fine enough to make ridges in it.
When the ridges were made manure was put in them and the beans put on top of the manure and then with some rain and sun they would soon be above the ground. When the time came to pull the beans many people were got to do the work.
When they were pulled they were tied into sheaves and when they would be dry they would be drawn into the haggard and then the great day would come at the threshing of the beans. The beans were threshed by two men with flails. Then the people would sell the beans and they would burn the stalks.

I remember when the public road was made from Carrig to Bannow, Beans roasted, potatoes and salt was the food of the workers. I remember the road being made and I often saw the men roasting the beans.