2020 Little Easy Bean Network - An Exciting Adventure In Heirloom Beans !

[Blue-Jay]

@Rhodie Ranch,

Stuff can happen. I don't know what you got from me to grow out. Not sure if there is more of what you got or if some of your packets were the last of something. I can't look you up because your not listed in my address label software files under your screen name but under your actual name. Some of the growers I do have screen names an actual names paired up on their address label file.

 

[Blue-Jay]

I got beans! After drought, intense Texas heat, attack of the grasshoppers, all my bean plants gave up and died. One came back to life, the Black cattle bean plant. I built a wire cage around it for protection from the Sheep. I picked the pods today. They are supposed to be Black Cattle beans, the seed I got from you, @Bluejay77 we’re black. These are a mottled brown and are acttractive. I got 28 seed, a few look a little sketchy.

That is truely interesting Bay. This year is the second time I have grown Black Cattle and I'm sure I've planted more seed than probably what I sent to you. Not a single off type here. I've also grown Red Cattle here for the second time since acquiring it and no off type seed from this one either. You got lucky to get the outcrossed seed.

I sent you 2014 seed. I looked up my planting diagram for 2014 and in the same row next variety from Black Cattle was Koronis Three islands a true bush variety. In the row just north of Black Cattle running exactly adjacent to it was Angel Cattle a true bush type which has not become stable yet. In the row just south of Black Cattle running adjacent to it was Canadian Wild Goose semi runner. So those might be the most immediate possibilities of beans that could have crossed with Black Cattle. If you didn't get a semi runner from your crossed bean then Candian Wild Goose is not the pollen donor. Semi Runner is a dominate trait over true bush. My guess is Koronis Three Islands is the pollen donor.

I no longer plant semi runner beans with true bush types anymore. True bush types only with other true bush types. If they cross they will still remain bush beans. No more mixing of the different types. Bush stringless snap beans only with others of its type etc.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I got beans! After drought, intense Texas heat, attack of the grasshoppers, all my bean plants gave up and died. One came back to life, the Black cattle bean plant. I built a wire cage around it for protection from the Sheep. I picked the pods today. They are supposed to be Black Cattle beans, the seed I got from you, @Bluejay77 we’re black. These are a mottled brown and are acttractive. I got 28 seed, a few look a little sketchy.

Bay, if you plant them again and they stabilize you get to name a new variety. You need to grow them three consecutive times with no differences for them to be considered stable. If they are anything like the outcrosses I got from Russ don't expect them to immediately stabilize. When you plant them you may come up with many different colors and patterns. I've learned to not use a good name on a bean until it stabilizes. Until then I use codes or working names. I used up some good names before I learned this lesson.

I hope you try it. Out of the ones I initially grew from Russ three initial segregations have stabilized and I think two more will. So that's five out of 25. But another has gone like this.

When I planted Russ's original #27 I get several segregations. I called one of them Raspberry Ripple. When I planted Raspberry Ripple I got more segregations. I called one Tallulah's Treasure. When I planted Tallulah's Treasure I got several more segregations, TT-A, TT-B and TT-C. When I planted TT-A, I got TT-A-1, TT-A-2, and TT-A-3.

I planted these three this summer and am starting to get beans. TT-A-1 looks like it stayed the same. TT-A-2 gave me three new segregations, one looks a lot like Raspberry Ripple. TT-A-3 gave me two segregations.

If this sounds frustrating, it is. But it is also very exciting. It's Forrest Gump's box of chocolates every year.

Or you may work something else out with Russ. That's between you and Russ.

 

[Blue-Jay]

@baymule,

If you want to keep your new outcross from Black Cattle be my guest. I got plenty of outcross material here to work with. I'm almost drowning in outcrosses. The new bean looks like it's got some neat colors in it. I also got lots of Black Cattle seed here too to fill seed requets.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

Barbara Wilde

Stuff can happen. I don't know what you got from me to grow out. Not sure if there is more of what you got or if some of your packets were the last of something. I can't look you up because your not listed in my address label software files under your screen name but under your actual name. Some of the growers I do have screen names an actual names paired up on their address label file.
[/QUOTE]

 

[Blue-Jay]

@Rhodie Ranch,

You only had two beans. The Geradi bean was all the seed I had. Someone at the Appalachian Seed Swap in Pikeville, Ky gave it to me two years ago and I'm very sure that person has more of that bean. This person was dealing the bean out to lots of people the day of the swap. I don't think it's any big deal. The other bean you had two other people were growing it this year beside you. So plenty safe on that one too.

 

[baymule]

Thanks @Bluejay77 and @Ridgerunner yes I will keep them and see what I get next year. The colors are lovely and I can’t wait to see what I get next year.

 

[flowerbug]

bean sorting coming along - weather too nice to spend a lot of time inside sorting though so while i have combined a lot of box tops and sorted quite a few beans i still have a ways to go before i can send the network beans back.

Russ @Bluejay77 if you come across those Monster beans i sent you a few years ago please don't throw them out. if you don't want them i can get them back from you with next spring's network grow outs so i can plant them here and continue to see what they are up to. it's been amazingly interesting so far. if you've already tossed them that's ok. just thought i would mention it while it was on my brain. i may have also sent you some Dominoes which are similarly crazy and i would take those wandering children back too if you don't want them.

 

[Blue-Jay]

@flowerbug,

I checked my freezer storage list and Monster has been in the freezer since you sent it. I can send them back with your next years grow out beans. No Dominoes. Didn't show up on my list. I don't think you sent those. I didn't throw anything out that you sent. I wouldn't do that. You just never know when something will come in handy.

 

[flowerbug]

@flowerbug,

I checked my freezer storage list and Monster has been in the freezer since you sent it. I can send them back with your next years grow out beans. No Dominoes. Didn't show up on my list. I don't think you sent those. I didn't throw anything out that you sent. I wouldn't do that. You just never know when something will come in handy.

hahaha! ok! good to hear, i'll remember to put them on my list. and, yes, if i had room for a big freezer i'd never throw out any bean samples i have either. alas, my shelves can only hold so much. i'm actually making more space here by shredding old papers i never need or used so the space can be better used for the beans, peas and other seeds collection...

how are is your sorting going? doing ok there i hope?