Help me select a pole bean variety.

[Schroeder]

I'm tired of Kentucky Wonder and want to try something new. I have had bountiful harvests, but I wound like to find something less stringy, still of the pole type. I went to this site http://www.heirlooms.org/catalog.htm and now I'm more confused then ever. I had never heard of half runners or greasy beans.

I've read here that some like Rattlesnake. Help me decide please!

 

[lesa]

I have stuck to the basics on beans. There are some posts on here, with people discussing their favorites. You might be finding those Kentucky Wonders stringing and tough, if you are not picking them young enough. As they develop they become practically inedible. They are so prolific, it is easy for them to get past their prime... Good luck!

 

[Smiles Jr.]

<snip> I'm tired of Kentucky Wonder and want to try something new. <snip>

Me too. My beans have been very good producers but sometimes they are too stringy. I try to pick them when they are young but even then they get stringy sometimes.

 

[journey11]

I bought 3 kinds from heirlooms.org last year, but only grew the Nickell beans because I didn't want to cross pollinate (so I'll try a different one next year and save seed off of it too if I like it). I saved a lot of the Nickell and will trade you some if you want to try them out. We really liked them. They have a nice flavor (and I usually cook them up light--simmer in a little water or chicken broth, the only thing I add is onion). I picked them young and also up to the "shelly bean" stage (not sure if that is a universal bean term or not, but that's what we call them when they have the beans in the pod at that stage, but the green pod is still plump and tender.)

Those Nickell beans were not a greasy bean, but a slender, white cornfield (pole) bean. The other two I bought were the "Hill Family Greasy Bean" and the "Ora's Speckled" which is a brown speckled greasy cut-short. I'm going to plant them both next year, but separate them by distance to keep them from crossing.

I know what you mean about trying to narrow it down. There's a whole other world of beans out there to explore!

(ETA: the Nickell beans of course had to be strung when you snap them, but they weren't very stringy and I never come across any "missed" strings when I eat them.)

 

[vfem]

I am a blue lake girl ALL the way! I had the worst year for beans ever this year because I did the Kentucky Wonder. Never again!

 

[bigredfeather]

Rattlesnakes are very unique and have a wonderful flavor.

 

[Schroeder]

Rattlesnakes are very unique and have a wonderful flavor.

I've seen them mentioned here often and think I'll give them a try next spring. How stringy are they? Must you string each one as you clean them? If so, are there many strings remaining after they are cooked?

 

[wifezilla]

I am growing Chinese Red Noodle Beans. I grew some last year but my quail got a hold of them. I managed to grow just enough for seed saving. I hope to actually get to eat some next season

 

[BarredBuff]

Greasy grits are good if you can find a seller.

 

[dragonlaurel]

I grew the " Asparagus Yard Long" beans last summer and I loved them. They weren't picky growers and many of them didn't even make it into the house before I ate them. Putting in extra plants of them next time.