Jon, a further thought on your post above. If the grower left the stalks standing , what would you think about strip tilling between the standing stalks, planting your snap beans on the strip then rolling the entire surface with one of the Canadian type rollers. We have some edible bean growers in the Dakotas who do this very successfully.

The stalks are standing over the winter then kinked and flatenned by the roller, but still rooted and attached so they don't blow. Rocks also pushed down. The surface left for direct platform harvest is like cutting beans on a pool table. Maybe you harvest snap beans differently.

Jim at Dawn