2018 Little Easy Bean Network - Join Us In Saving Amazing Heirloom Beans

[Blue-Jay]

@Ridgerunner,

You should like this. A bean farmer in Twin Falls, Idaho requested and grew one of your named beans this year. It was "Up The Valley". This fellow owns a company called Gentec. He grows certified seed so other farmers can grow his seed for food to be shipped overseas or packaged for the grocery trade.

This is what he said in his observations about "Up The Valley". A large bush. The structure of this plant was as good as you are going to find in an old variety and as good as most new varieties. All the bush types were early in maturity.

I took a photo of the new seed he grew and I placed six of the original seed you grew on the outside of the Gentec grown one's. His seed was really big. I don't know what he might do to his soil but the "Up The Valley" Twin Falls grown beans look pretty amazing. Thought you would enjoy seeing this. "Up The Valley" realized in full potential.

"Up The Valley" - Bush Dry. 2016 and 2018

 

[Ridgerunner]

@Ridgerunner,

You should like this. A bean farmer in Twin Falls, Idaho requested and grew one of your named beans this year. It was "Up The Valley". This fellow owns a company called Gentec. He grows certified seed so other farmers can grow his seed for food to be shipped overseas or packaged for the grocery trade.

This is what he said in his observations about "Up The Valley". A large bush. The structure of this plant was as good as you are going to find in an old variety and as good as most new varieties. All the bush types were early in maturity.

I took a photo of the new seed he grew and I placed six of the original seed you grew on the outside of the Gentec grown one's. His seed was really big. I don't know what he might do to his soil but the "Up The Valley" Twin Falls grown beans look pretty amazing. Thought you would enjoy seeing this. "Up The Valley" realized in full potential.

View attachment 29718
"Up The Valley" - Bush Dry. 2016 and 2018

Glad to hear that. Those are from the Will Bonsall #39. I'll show what the bean looked like before it aged. Mine were a little darker but that could be the soil they were grown in. And look at the difference in size. All the original seed came from one plant. That was in a garden fence row so probably not the best of soils.

I think this is the first time it has been grown so we don't know if it will stabilize but it would really be great if it did and retained the name. I really do appreciate the update.

While we are chatting what are your plans for Karachaganak, another Will Bonsall #39 segregation. It seems to be holding color/pattern but the bean has two different shapes, one round and one more oval/flat. I believe someone else grew it this year. Are you going to try to stabilize this bean, I know from your remarks you like it? If you are, will you concentrate on one shape? I have limited room down here and don't want to duplicate efforts. I would like at least one of those versions to stabilize, it is a pretty bean.

 

[Blue-Jay]

@Ridgerunner, Think Karachaganak or is it Karachaganack is fairly stable now giving it's same seed coat color every year I've grown it. We could select it for seed shape or just leave it with the rounder and longer mix. If I wanted to select it I thought the rounder seeds looked nicer since so many varieties we have already are longer or more kidney shaped seed.

 

[Ridgerunner]

@Ridgerunner, Think Karachaganak or is it Karachaganack is fairly stable now giving it's same seed coat color every year I've grown it. We could select it for seed shape or just leave it with the rounder and longer mix. If I wanted to select it I thought the rounder seeds looked nicer since so many varieties we have already are longer or more kidney shaped seed.

I've been thinking about what you wrote. I could go either way but I'll try growing the round seed I have this year and see how goes. If it remains constant in color/pattern, shape, flower color, and pod color I'd say go with that one. If the two different seed shapes breed true then technically it's probably two different varieties. I think this one will wind up on your main page pretty soon, I want it to really be stable. So I'll target the round.

 

[Blue-Jay]

I've been thinking about what you wrote. I could go either way but I'll try growing the round seed I have this year and see how goes. If it remains constant in color/pattern, shape, flower color, and pod color I'd say go with that one. If the two different seed shapes breed true then technically it's probably two different varieties. I think this one will wind up on your main page pretty soon, I want it to really be stable. So I'll target the round.

I've grown Karachaganak two years in row using each new generation of seed and so far I didn't get any different colored seed, but that white bean with the black mottled eye patch. The black makes the tan mottling look gold. Love the look of that bean. I been thinking of growing enough of them to list on my A-Z pages on the website. People are definitely attracted to it.

 

[flowerbug]

@Ridgerunner,

You should like this. A bean farmer in Twin Falls, Idaho requested and grew one of your named beans this year. It was "Up The Valley". This fellow owns a company called Gentec. He grows certified seed so other farmers can grow his seed for food to be shipped overseas or packaged for the grocery trade.

This is what he said in his observations about "Up The Valley". A large bush. The structure of this plant was as good as you are going to find in an old variety and as good as most new varieties. All the bush types were early in maturity.

I took a photo of the new seed he grew and I placed six of the original seed you grew on the outside of the Gentec grown one's. His seed was really big. I don't know what he might do to his soil but the "Up The Valley" Twin Falls grown beans look pretty amazing. Thought you would enjoy seeing this. "Up The Valley" realized in full potential.

View attachment 29718
"Up The Valley" - Bush Dry. 2016 and 2018

to me that looks like the difference between new shellies and older dried beans. the size differences between what i first get from a pod when shellies and when they're dried down is often quite a bit.

love beans anyway.

 

[flowerbug]

I've been thinking about what you wrote. I could go either way but I'll try growing the round seed I have this year and see how goes. If it remains constant in color/pattern, shape, flower color, and pod color I'd say go with that one. If the two different seed shapes breed true then technically it's probably two different varieties. I think this one will wind up on your main page pretty soon, I want it to really be stable. So I'll target the round.

you guys know i usually vote for round right? not that it matters that much since i'm not growing them yet, but i do too think they are a pretty bean.

 

[Michael Lusk]

@Bluejay77 I received my 2019 beans, thank you! Would you happen to know the country of origin of these? I'm particularly curious about Nwambili, Trebulino di Domenico and Fisole Rassacher Kipfler. These three are listed as being donated by Joseph Simcox "The Botanical Explorer" - I googled him and that was some fun reading; very interesting man. In any case, I wasn't able to find these particular beans so hoping you can releive my curiosity. Thanks!

 

[Blue-Jay]

@Bluejay77 I received my 2019 beans, thank you! Would you happen to know the country of origin of these? I'm particularly curious about Nwambili, Trebulino di Domenico and Fisole Rassacher Kipfler. These three are listed as being donated by Joseph Simcox "The Botanical Explorer" - I googled him and that was some fun reading; very interesting man. In any case, I wasn't able to find these particular beans so hoping you can releive my curiosity. Thanks!

Nwambili - comes from the southern parts of Africa
Trebulino di Domenico is an Italian bean
Fisole Rassacher Kipfler I believe is from Germany

 

[Blue-Jay]

I want to thank everyone who participated in the grow outs this past summer. Many thank you's for all your terrific efforts in some crumby weather that many of the growers had. Hope you all will be back again in 2019. I will be checking in here from time to time to see if there are any new posts. Until then.....Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy and Healthy new year.

Bluejay77
Russ