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  1. R

    2024 Little Easy Bean Network - Growing Heirloom Beans Of Today And Tomorrow

    We've been getting some rain and I'm trying to harvest between showers and as often as possible. I'm using my seed-starting setup as a drying rack and taking full advantage of the small fan I use to circulate air around seedling to assist in drying pods. One variety pulled from the garden and...
  2. R

    2024 Little Easy Bean Network - Growing Heirloom Beans Of Today And Tomorrow

    I immediately planted the garlic bed after harvesting with a dry bean landrace and Corbaci peppers. Both have done phenomenal! I'm constantly harvesting the peppers to keep the plants upright and rough estimate is 40+ peppers per plant and they're still blooming. The bean mix is mostly...
  3. R

    2024 Little Easy Bean Network - Growing Heirloom Beans Of Today And Tomorrow

    Yesterday was a bit of a scramble. Rain finally forecasted so pulled any pods that were close to being dry and a few that I felt would be dry in a day or two. Rain total so far: a few sprinkles. :confused:
  4. R

    2024 Little Easy Bean Network - Growing Heirloom Beans Of Today And Tomorrow

    The trial is actually through SeedLinked and all seem to be home gardener friendly. They provide a selection of trials early to mid-winter available for the following year and I simply choose the ones I'm most interested in. So basically an organization or individual sets everything up, I...
  5. R

    2024 Little Easy Bean Network - Growing Heirloom Beans Of Today And Tomorrow

    It's part of the USDA collection. I've participated in several trials the last few years but this is the first time beans have been offered and my first time with USDA sourced beans as it's usually SSE or similar organizations. Five out of seven seeds germinated and it's been an overachiever...
  6. R

    2024 Little Easy Bean Network - Growing Heirloom Beans Of Today And Tomorrow

    I stand corrected. Found a video and an article about Bill Best in which he states the Goose bean is the one prone to cross-pollination. I think I confused it with Turkey Craw because the local seller I acquire many of my heirloom varieties from sells both and they both are fowl. ;)
  7. R

    2024 Little Easy Bean Network - Growing Heirloom Beans Of Today And Tomorrow

    I have a total of four very swollen pods on my San Fiacre beans and decided to let them grow. This shows a normal pod (actually there's two there) beside one of the overly swollen pods. Seeds from normal pods on the left, seeds from the gigantic pods on the right. I expected the seeds...
  8. R

    2024 Little Easy Bean Network - Growing Heirloom Beans Of Today And Tomorrow

    The rush is indeed on here too as I had to make several trips in and out yesterday with pockets full of beans. I've added a second shelf as a drying area and some of the ones that are finished producing will be sorted and put in the freezer for a bit. One of my dry bean mixes really isn't...
  9. R

    2024 Little Easy Bean Network - Growing Heirloom Beans Of Today And Tomorrow

    Both of my dry bean mixes are maturing and each day's harvest brings new surprises. Trying to shell everything as soon as they're dry. I spent a few days shelling last winter but I'm hoping to move my seed starting set-up this winter and that's where I have the beans drying now. Also wasn't...
  10. R

    2024 Little Easy Bean Network - Growing Heirloom Beans Of Today And Tomorrow

    @Blue-Jay, are you interested in Network varieties that originated elsewhere? I'm hoping to harvest Mbombo in the next few weeks. The only other variety that is on the network list is Blue Meerabarbe, and the packet notes on that one also refers to it at Nonna Agnes. You have them listed as...
  11. R

    2024 Little Easy Bean Network - Growing Heirloom Beans Of Today And Tomorrow

    Hope you and the beans made it through the night unscathed. Dropped to 38F here last night. Thankfully nighttime temps are to warm back up again. I dug out all my frost sheets but am very unprepared. Love that drying rack! :love
  12. R

    2024 Little Easy Bean Network - Growing Heirloom Beans Of Today And Tomorrow

    I'm dealing with a similar issue with a bean variety called Bhatmash. Lush growth but no flowers for three months. Has some tiny pods forming now. Seed originates from Nepal and is a climber, but no other information available.
  13. R

    2024 Little Easy Bean Network - Growing Heirloom Beans Of Today And Tomorrow

    Definitely wouldn't want to steam shellies as they would still be really firm. I love to steam fresh beans and especially noodle beans but I'm a bit of an oddball in my family. Beans are usually put in a pot with a bit of water and simmered until tender. The few shellies that are in there are...
  14. R

    Volunteers You Can Count On

    I have the sterile varieties as well and an constantly taking root cuttings to increase them. Unfortunately deer love comfrey which is why I have to grow it inside of the fence if I want to harvest any for mulch or fertilizer.
  15. R

    Volunteers You Can Count On

    I just started using it for a mulch this year too as I try to keep it topped off to delay seeds forming as long as possible. We're having a year of record drought so I'm trying to utilize everything for mulch. The tougher woody stems are getting set aside to run through the chipper later
  16. R

    Volunteers You Can Count On

    It's actually hairy bittercress that pops up in my garden in the spring. I love it! Has a bit of a brassica flavor to it.
  17. R

    2024 Little Easy Bean Network - Growing Heirloom Beans Of Today And Tomorrow

    Thought I'd share a photo of a cutshort pod ready to spill its beans. This demonstrates how the seed gets its square ends.
  18. R

    2024 Little Easy Bean Network - Growing Heirloom Beans Of Today And Tomorrow

    The crisply dried ones I'd either save for dry beans or seed. The plump "shelly" beans just get added in with the regular beans here. As for leather britches, I am planning to try it this year but only have my Granny's recollection of doing them. She told me that as a kid she would usually...
  19. R

    Volunteers You Can Count On

    In the garden it's edible weeds like bittercress and lamb's quarters and I let a few grow every year because I harvest and eat them. Curly and Red Russian kale produce enough volunteer seedlings that I haven't had to plant either variety for three years and of course there's the occasional...
  20. R

    2024 Little Easy Bean Network - Growing Heirloom Beans Of Today And Tomorrow

    I didn't obtain network beans this year but an anxiously awaiting mature seed from two varieties that are network selections. We have a chance of rain this weekend and I went out last evening and harvested mature pods for drying. Opened a few pods of a dry bean landrace mix I'd harvested...
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