2022 Little Easy Bean Network - We Are Beans Without Borders

[Blue-Jay]

grew Grey Eyed Greasy in 2021 and didn't notice any remarkable shine to the pods. So if it is the same as Skunk then I don't believe it would be uncharacteristic for you not to have observed any greasy pods.
Sometimes I'm left a little baffled as to why some beans are titled 'greasy' and others are not; I'm really trying to tune my eye to the nuances but often fail to distinguish unless the shine is undeniable or they feel particularly smooth/waxy to the touch. Sometimes it is easier for me to notice the shine when the pods are completely full. A friend posited once that over time 'greasy' became synonymous with quality tender-podded beans in the region, with less emphasis on how the pods actually looked. I can see this happening... but, the vast majority of popular beans in Appalachia are tender anyway, so perhaps not?

I've been told by a fellow in Kentucky that greasy beans are tender when cooked including the point when they turn yellow.

 

[Blue-Jay]

Blue Jay's 2022 Bean Show - Day 26​

Spotted Pheasant - Semi Runner Dry - 2022

Recieved these beans from our very own @flowerbug. These plants grew very low to the ground and produced very short runners. Two of the plants were earlier than the rest of the grow out and produced seed that looked nearly like the original. The remainder of the plants were cut from their roots on the day a killing frost event was going to happen and dried in a box at my home. The seed produced was very small (shown in the second photo) and was disposed of by being included in my soup beans canister. Total weight of the seed that was saved from the early plants was 8.85 ounces (250.89 gm).


Spotted Pheasant - Semi Runner Dry.......................Seeds from very late plants.

 

[Blue-Jay]

Blue Jay's 2022 Bean Show - Day 26​

Steuben Yellow Eye - Bush Dry - 2022

I obtained this bean from a grower in Ilukste, Latvia in 2020. The grower told me they had acquired the bean on a one time trip into Russia. This bean has been traded among members of the Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa through yearbook listings since the earliest days of the organization and the bean is spelled the same way. Steuben Yellow Eye was named after the family in the U.S. that had grown it for many years. The bean I had received and grown this summer does not look like the Steuben Yellow Eyes that can be found today on the internet. This yellow eye is also the most productive yellow eye I have ever grown. Total seed collected from about 11 plants was 15.05 ounces (426.66 gm).


Steuben Yellow Eye - Bush Dry

 

[reedy]

I've been told by a fellow in Kentucky that greasy beans are tender when cooked including the point when they turn yellow.

Yes, they do. They also are the best I know of for making leather britches. They rehydrate quickly and cook tender; the flavor that way is great.

I have quite a collection of greasy beans, one my Granny grew many years ago and several from Bill Best seeds swaps. I really can't say though, that aside from different colors if they are really separate varieties. I just call them brown greasy, speckled greasy, white greasy and so on. A fun thing about them is that they are happy growing horizontally along a fence and it's amazing how far they can go and how much they can produce that way.

 

[Blue-Jay]

Blue Jay's 2022 Bean Show - Day 26​

Stevenson's Blue Eye - Semi Runner Dry - 2022

This is one of the original beans of a former member of the Seed Savers Exchange the late Ralph Stevenson of Tekonsha, Michigan. I had the pleasure of meeting Ralph on a one time trip in July of 1981 with one of the founding members of the SSE Kent Whealy. We drove to Ralph's home for a one day visit to see his gardens and talk about his bean collection. Ralph's gardens were immaculately kept. Two years ago I found this bean to be very outcrossed and have been trying to bleed out the off type genes each season since. The bean produced one off type this year. Total seed collected from this years grow out including the off type for about 8 plants was 10.15 ounces (287.74). The bean is usually more productive that it was this past summer. First photo is Stevenson's Blue Eye and the second photo is the off type.


Stevenson's Blue Eye - Semi Runner Dry......................Stevenson's Blue Eye Off Type #1

 

[Blue-Jay]

Blue Jay's 2022 Bean Show - Day 26​

Swan Island - Bush Dry - 2022

One of the many Robert Lobitz original named beans from over 20 years ago. The bean is moderately productive. The color and pattern of the seed takes about a month to become visible after harvesting new seed. When first harvested the bean is an off white color. Total seed collected from 11 plants was 12.15 ounces (344.44 gm)


Swan Island - Bush Dry

 

[ducks4you]

You will see that I am a total novice at bean seed saving. STILL, I made the effort this year.
I bought all of my beans seeds already tucked away, from Baker Creek, so I may/may not plant ANY of these pictured.
Still, I learned a lot from my efforts.
I grew/saved seeds from purple bush beans, Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans, (I WILL grow these seeds, again,) and some kind of pole beans (not labeled) that grew from purple seeds, hence the mix. Since they look different, I can make planting decisions later. There were too few of the purple pole bean seeds to warrant their own saving container. At LEAST I know which is bush and which is pole bc I planted on different rows.
I will probably experiment with the tiny seeds by putting them in a baggie with a moist paper towel to see if Any germinate.
All pods have been drying on top of a heat mat in an aluminum roaster for 3 months in my basement.

 

[ducks4you]

Glad I Don't have to live on this harvest!
@flowerbug , don't feel sorry for me.
Encourage me to do better!!

 

[flowerbug]

Blue Jay's 2022 Bean Show - Day 26​

Spotted Pheasant - Semi Runner Dry - 2022

Recieved these beans from our very own @flowerbug. These plants grew very low to the ground and produced very short runners. Two of the plants were earlier than the rest of the grow out and produced seed that looked nearly like the original. The remainder of the plants were cut from their roots on the day a killing frost event was going to happen and dried in a box at my home. The seed produced was very small (shown in the second photo) and was disposed of by being included in my soup beans canister. Total weight of the seed that was saved from the early plants was 8.85 ounces (250.89 gm).

from two plants that's a nice harvest.

interesting to see how different they can look from what i get here. less brown color more white. the early Spotted Pheasant exhibits the same kind of "More color in better soils" effect.

@Artorius wants to continue the mostly white beans he's found in his grow out of SP so i've already told him that was ok with me and to give them a different name when they're stable enough.

alas, my own SP was almost a bust this year - maybe a few dozen seeds of the early type with many not well developed. the later growth habit plants had no pods or seeds - nice plants and green foliage up until the frost finally took them out.

 

[flowerbug]

Glad I Don't have to live on this harvest!
@flowerbug , don't feel sorry for me.
Encourage me to do better!!

i'll always encourage people to grow beans.

finding out what works in your gardens and with your own gardening habits and goals can be a challenging combination of many variables.

my own goals are likely very different than yours - so what i would suggest may not really fit.

for network beans my main goal is to get them to grow well enough to return as many seeds as possible. for bonus beans it's a bit easier since there isn't as much of an obligation to return seeds but if i get a good harvest i don't mind sending half or more of them back to Russ to replenish/refresh his supply if he needs them. as long as i'm sending a package i might as well be sending beans instead of empty space or packing peanuts.

for my own beans, each variety may have different goals and a development line running in parallel with many others. it's pretty chaotic and i'm ok with that.