Pam Moore wrote:
Has anyone tried growing soya beans here?

Yes.

An allotment neighbour asked me whether he could do so, and I had to
admit I do not know. I assume our weather is not warm enough, but a
quick look at the internet says they are grown in Austria but more
generally USA, Brazil etc.
Any thoughts?

They are easier than aubergine or peanut under glass if you choose a
cool growing cultivar. Planted outside in the UK you probably will not
get a long enough growing season unless you live in the far south mild
coastal regions or are very lucky. I have grown them in the greenhouse
in North Yorkshire with reasonable success (some years better than
others).

Question to ask before you grow them is do you like boiled soya beans
from the pod?
(a favourite beer snack in Japan)

Nattou - the fermented version is a great Japanese delicacy (OK if you
like blue cheeses).
Imagine baked beans smelling strongly of old socks in Evostick...

Regards,
Martin Brown