Another Beany Guy

[so lucky]

I was watching a local public TV station, a program about Kentucky. Possibly called Kentucky Life, can't remember. Anyway, they did a piece about a man who grows heirloom beans. His name is Bill Best, and he is involved in an organization called Sustainable Mountain Agriculture Center. It is a non-profit based in Berea, Ky. They have a website with beans for sale, and lots of information. I don't know if you, Bluejay77, or Marshall, have ever heard of this group, or this man. There may be some beans for sale that you don't have, or have been looking for. It is pretty interesting and a good addition to what we have been doing and learning here. I'm pretty pumped about trying some greasy beans, now that I know what they are!

 

[897tgigvib]

Oh yes I know about Bill Best. He is a purist, and specializes in Beans grown for snap beans in the Appalachians. The varieties he preserves, grows and sells packets of are only of the types called:

Cornfield Beans
Greasy Beans
Cutshort Beans
Greasy Cutshort Beans
Half Runner (Tender only) Beans
October Beans

Oh, and I see he has added
Butter Beans

I was thinking about inviting him to join us here, but I got kinda nervous about it.

The snap bean in Appalachia is a very special thing. The old ways of cooking them there are disappearing, but they are actually much better. Beans there were what they had for breakfast and supper. They are not harvested as young as what the rest of the world harvests. They are picked when the pods are more full, and are snapped by hand to remove any strings. For this, the variety must be more tender, and o some controversy can possibly arise. Whose family beans are the most tender. Folks often claim their variety is better than someone elses.

Appalachian beans are some of the best there are. Often they entirely lack even microscopic fuzziness. That makes the pods look shiny. Greasy. Even varieties not considered "greasy" are almost greasy, like some of the Cornfield varieties.

Cutshort Beans have thick rounded and lumpy pods that are often only 3 or 4 inches long, and the beans are jam packed in them. As those beans develop like that, they squish against each other and kind of square up. Some Cutshort varieties make kind of contorted "Tobacco Worm" shaped pods. Cutshort beans when picked just right, with beans almost at the shelly stage really cook up into a hearty meal with beans n bacon recipes in lots of additive things and variations.

Almost all true purist appalachian bean varieties are pole beans. October beans ripen late and are used for dry beans usually.

Mr. Best's Half Runner varieties are only the most tender heirloom appalachian varieties.

www.heirlooms.org

 

[journey11]

I love that he chronicles the history and origins of his beans whenever possible. Most are named after the family that grew them. I have 3 varieties that I bought from him and am planning on getting a few more. Those greasy beans truly are so slick and shiny. They are some of the most tender and flavorful snap beans too.