a little bean thread

[digitS']

I'm intimidated by the bean saving thread and it's merry aficionados.

Still and yet, for about the 4th year, and after a hiatus of about 30 , I've got soup beans to try. There were these ~ link ~, and I should be able to get some more of those snap beans this week because it seems only the tops of the beans were sheared off by frost.

We have had a pot of Jacob's Cattle beans, already. Unless I'm mistaken, the memories of those beans are what inspired that founder of the bean saver group, John Withee. Anyway, they sure are good.

I'm about ready to try @marshallsmyth 's Burgundy Bolitas. They are going just in beef broth so that I can learn something about their flavor. Later, I may try something more "South of the Border" with those .

DW will be inspired to make her inevitable green bean & onion ring casserole, soon . The furnace runs every morning so turning the oven on will come to mind with a crisper drawer full of snap beans. Are there other bean casserole recipes?

I wish I had a proper butter bean variety to grow. Oh, I should admit that my broad beans and soup peas were utter and complete failures, back in early summer. Record heat destroyed those plants. Luckily, I didn't commit all the seed to this season. And, this was a second season without edamame ... I may have more seasons growing soybeans but I've gotta commit to their taking up room in the little veggie garden. The big veggie garden is too much of a hostile environment for soybeans ... I'm sorry to say.

Beans !

Steve

 

[digitS']

A cup of these Burgundy Bolitas cooked up into a delicious meal for DW and me!

My first thought on tasting them was "cumin!" But, there was no cumin in those beans. I think it was just that there should be ...

My second thought was that they were sweet. I'm not sure if that is characteristic of beans only a few days from their plants and it will go away in storage, or not. I haven't noticed sweetness before, at least not in beans with nothing sweet added.

Bolitas come in several colors and @Bluejay77 has these. That might be Marshall's source - or, vice versa. They were early and nicely productive with semi-runners but did not cause trouble for their neighbors. There was no trellis.

Steve

 

[ninnymary]

Steve, how many plants of beans do you plant? That is beans for drying.

Mary

 

[digitS']

I had about half of a 4' x 35' bed in dry beans, Mary.

There were only about 20 or 30 of these Burgundy Bolitas. They really did quite well for themselves .

For years, I didn't think it made sense to grow soup beans. It was probably from having a teepee or two of Cascade Giants that got me back into them. DW doesn't really like those as green beans and I would have too many by the end of the season. Those are a pain to shell once they are dry but, what else could I do ? They were absolutely delicious in soup.

I would much rather shell the ones intended for dry beans. Easy peasy - the seed almost jumps out at me! It also helps that DW is beginning to take a real interest in these! She had never really eaten chili or bean soup and is discovering that all beans are not the same.

Steve

 

[ninnymary]

I think growing beans is fun. I wish I had room for them. Last year we planted about 8 plants interspersed in my small perennial bed. The kids had lots of fun shelling them. Those were the soldier beans that you sent us. Next year, we may plant some in those black nursery tree pots.

Mary

 

[digitS']

There seem to be several varieties of Rattlesnake beans, besides the Cascade Giants. @hoodat talked about them.

Besides, Russ and others would know about pole beans like the Rattlesnakes but maybe more appropriate. Pole beans take up little room. Of course, they can shade their neighbors so you need to match them with shorties. Or, let a few compete with tall tomatoes.

The 3 sisters worked well for me once I decided to keep the teepees and run interference between the beans and corn. I could be a friend to both but competition between them was a no-no. If you haven't the room, you aren't likely to want corn and little feet would probably squash the #3 sister.

I have a neighbor who plants Scarlet Runners every year on the chainlink fence between her backyard and driveway. She could grow something more edible on those 40+', if she wanted to.

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

Thanks for the non-intimidating bean thread Steve.

And those are pretty beans in an attractive setting.