bobm
Garden Master
How about putting in a small piece of BBQ briquette in a plastic baggie with the beans to absorb any moisture ? I know that the small piece isn't activated carbon, but should work for a short term.
The 2014 Little Easy Bean Network - Get New Beans On The Cheap
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Blue-Jay
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I don't like sending seed in any kind of material if they are not thoroughly dry. I'm still afraid when seed has enough moisture in them they can mold if enclosed in any thing. My seed has to be dry and hard before I send them.
journey11
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Yeah, I agree, I'm not real comfortable with it on some of these. I didn't hear about the swap until just this Tuesday, so I can't say I am well prepared on such short notice. I still have a lot of sorting and cataloging to do. We grew 40 different beans this year. It's just a couple of varieties that came on later that I am concerned about. I think I will just leave those here.
Hal
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I think that is a good call playing it safe
Pulsegleaner
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And of course, some seeds have their own special problems. Some types of soybean NEVER seem to quite dry down. They go sort of gummy, but never actually get to a crumbly state (I think it's the oil content).
And then there's my personal bane parval melon (Tricosanthes dioca) a small cucurbit related to the snake gourd eaten in India. I can't grow it (too far north) but I know someone who does, and since I have access to Indian grocery stores (with the possibility of the odd fruit overripe enough to have usable seed) and he doesn't I do often have to dry some. Or TRY to dry some. Compared to most cucurbit species seeds (which are on the flattish side, and hence dry pretty well) Parval seeds are almost spherical. For some reason, this makes them SUPER hard to dry down all the way. I have left seed out to sit and dry for five MONTHS, and it STILL goes moldy as soon as it is put away. I usually end up giving up and sending them priority to him (on my own dime) in the hope he can get them in the ground before the mold kills them and hope that eventually he has enough of them (unlike a lot of edible cucurbits, parval is completely dioecios so getting a stable population means getting a male plant and MANY female plants to maturity (assuming you want to be able to eat any) at the same time (so, you tend to need large amounts of seed).
I tend to use the "clink" test to determine if beans are dry, rather than Blue's smash method (while I have no doubt his method works, it really is only feasible if you have enough seed of each variety to be able to AFFORD smashing one or more to pieces. If your whole supply of a given bean for the year is 3-4 seeds, smashing one is a pretty bit sacrifice) I take a bean, hold it over a hard surface (usually, the ceramic ramekin I dried them in, drop it and listen to how it sounds when it hits. Dry beans "clink" or "ping"; wet ones "thunk"
And then there's my personal bane parval melon (Tricosanthes dioca) a small cucurbit related to the snake gourd eaten in India. I can't grow it (too far north) but I know someone who does, and since I have access to Indian grocery stores (with the possibility of the odd fruit overripe enough to have usable seed) and he doesn't I do often have to dry some. Or TRY to dry some. Compared to most cucurbit species seeds (which are on the flattish side, and hence dry pretty well) Parval seeds are almost spherical. For some reason, this makes them SUPER hard to dry down all the way. I have left seed out to sit and dry for five MONTHS, and it STILL goes moldy as soon as it is put away. I usually end up giving up and sending them priority to him (on my own dime) in the hope he can get them in the ground before the mold kills them and hope that eventually he has enough of them (unlike a lot of edible cucurbits, parval is completely dioecios so getting a stable population means getting a male plant and MANY female plants to maturity (assuming you want to be able to eat any) at the same time (so, you tend to need large amounts of seed).
I tend to use the "clink" test to determine if beans are dry, rather than Blue's smash method (while I have no doubt his method works, it really is only feasible if you have enough seed of each variety to be able to AFFORD smashing one or more to pieces. If your whole supply of a given bean for the year is 3-4 seeds, smashing one is a pretty bit sacrifice) I take a bean, hold it over a hard surface (usually, the ceramic ramekin I dried them in, drop it and listen to how it sounds when it hits. Dry beans "clink" or "ping"; wet ones "thunk"
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journey11
Garden Master
That's how I check mine too, Pulsegleaner. There is a discernible difference in the sound.
journey11
Garden Master
We just came from the swap. Got there a bit late in the day @ 2pm and missed most of the action though. Roadwork made for a longer drive than I anticipated and the gusty winds across the mountains made for some white knuckle driving!
We weren't completely skunked though and still got to make a few trades.
Here's Ava with the take:
I'll post more later when I get home because I hate typing on this phone.
We weren't completely skunked though and still got to make a few trades.
Here's Ava with the take:
I'll post more later when I get home because I hate typing on this phone.
Hal
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Talk about suspense you left us all wondering what your ten new beans are, talk about a cliffhangerWe just came from the swap. Got there a bit late in the day @ 2pm and missed most of the action though. Roadwork made for a longer drive than I anticipated and the gusty winds across the mountains made for some white knuckle driving!
We weren't completely skunked though and still got to make a few trades.
Here's Ava with the take:
View attachment 4565
I'll post more later when I get home because I hate typing on this phone.
journey11
Garden Master
I apologize for the suspense. Boy was I tired when I dragged in late last night.
Here's what we got:
These first 6 were a trade I made with a very pleasant lady who had flown in from CA. She "recognized" me from the Little Easy Bean Network when I mentioned I was from WV. I was so surprised. She has been reading the thread, but hasn't signed up yet. She was interested in the African beans and like me, bottom line--how does a bean taste. I encouraged her to check back in with us next spring and join in. We actually traded for 4, but Ava was like a magpie and she let her have the other two. Aren't those Willow Leaf limas gorgeous? They look like river stones. I have not grown any tepary beans before, but I recall you guys talking about them somewhere. I'll have to learn more about them.
Can't wait for 2015's garden!
I gave Mr. Best the packet of Sallee/Dunahoo Wide Pod White Greasies. He traded me on that one and I bought the other. He said it wasn't one he had yet and seemed happy to receive it. I was just going to give it to him, but he insisted I get one in return. Most folks had cleared out by then, so I did get to enjoy an unhurried conversation with him. He spoke very encouragingly to Ava to pursue her gardening interests. I also bought his book and asked him to sign it to both Ava and I (it will be hers someday.) I asked if he had heard of a black and white seeded Logan Giant, but he wasn't aware of any.
These 3 are all greasy, purchased from Frank Barnett of Georgetown, KY. Otis Stewart bean is also a cutshort. I also really enjoyed talking to Frank. His beans were very well labeled with a pic of the pod on the package. I had packed my beans in 30's, but folks seem to like to trade in packages of 100. Mr. Best plants long rows on each of his and has more to select from for disease resistance, etc. He has a lot of space to do it. Lovely farmland there.
I guess the attendance peaked around noon. It just took me too long to get there. My DH said he will come with me next year and watch the kids so I can get an earlier start. Were it just me, I could have driven through 4 hours with just one stop. Can you imagine how many beans I would have come home with had I gotten there when it was really hopping? I am up to 52 in my collection now.
@marshallsmyth -- Here is a pic of the black and white Ora's Speckled from this year. They have darkened some since I shelled them to more of a beige background. PM me your address again when you get a chance...
Original Ora's Speckled for comparison... Their pods are not speckled.
And here's your Powder Stars as they grew out this summer. What do you think--consistent?
Here's what we got:
These first 6 were a trade I made with a very pleasant lady who had flown in from CA. She "recognized" me from the Little Easy Bean Network when I mentioned I was from WV. I was so surprised.
She has been reading the thread, but hasn't signed up yet. She was interested in the African beans and like me, bottom line--how does a bean taste. I encouraged her to check back in with us next spring and join in. We actually traded for 4, but Ava was like a magpie and she let her have the other two. Aren't those Willow Leaf limas gorgeous? They look like river stones. I have not grown any tepary beans before, but I recall you guys talking about them somewhere. I'll have to learn more about them. Can't wait for 2015's garden!
I gave Mr. Best the packet of Sallee/Dunahoo Wide Pod White Greasies. He traded me on that one and I bought the other. He said it wasn't one he had yet and seemed happy to receive it. I was just going to give it to him, but he insisted I get one in return. Most folks had cleared out by then, so I did get to enjoy an unhurried conversation with him. He spoke very encouragingly to Ava to pursue her gardening interests.
I also bought his book and asked him to sign it to both Ava and I (it will be hers someday.) I asked if he had heard of a black and white seeded Logan Giant, but he wasn't aware of any.These 3 are all greasy, purchased from Frank Barnett of Georgetown, KY. Otis Stewart bean is also a cutshort. I also really enjoyed talking to Frank. His beans were very well labeled with a pic of the pod on the package. I had packed my beans in 30's, but folks seem to like to trade in packages of 100. Mr. Best plants long rows on each of his and has more to select from for disease resistance, etc. He has a lot of space to do it. Lovely farmland there.
I guess the attendance peaked around noon. It just took me too long to get there. My DH said he will come with me next year and watch the kids so I can get an earlier start. Were it just me, I could have driven through 4 hours with just one stop. Can you imagine how many beans I would have come home with had I gotten there when it was really hopping? I am up to 52 in my collection now.
@marshallsmyth -- Here is a pic of the black and white Ora's Speckled from this year. They have darkened some since I shelled them to more of a beige background. PM me your address again when you get a chance...
Original Ora's Speckled for comparison... Their pods are not speckled.
And here's your Powder Stars as they grew out this summer. What do you think--consistent?
897tgigvib
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@journey11 I think that lady is on some of the fb bean and seed collector pages. She seems to be super nice, and has almost the entire native seed search catalog of seeds.
You scored a super nice assortment!
Tepary beans will do real well in a raised bed for good drainage, and other than that are easy peasy to grow, especially the Paiutes.
Grow them like as if they were mini pole beans with good coarse stakes 3 or 4 feet tall, and water them as normal providing they have great drainage. They love composty soil and it does not need to be sandy.
Your grow out of the powder stars is nicer than mine. I knew they were appalachia?n! Only, new appalachians, future heirlooms. ADD YOUR FAMILY NAME TO THEIR NAME, and make sure Ava gives them to her kids some day. I kind of think they're multi purpose. Do you?
I'll send you the Buxton Buckshot, and to, was it bucka up in Maine? I'll miss those little beauties but they are just not liking my climate and conditions.
You scored a super nice assortment!
Tepary beans will do real well in a raised bed for good drainage, and other than that are easy peasy to grow, especially the Paiutes.
Grow them like as if they were mini pole beans with good coarse stakes 3 or 4 feet tall, and water them as normal providing they have great drainage. They love composty soil and it does not need to be sandy.
Your grow out of the powder stars is nicer than mine. I knew they were appalachia?n! Only, new appalachians, future heirlooms. ADD YOUR FAMILY NAME TO THEIR NAME, and make sure Ava gives them to her kids some day. I kind of think they're multi purpose. Do you?
I'll send you the Buxton Buckshot, and to, was it bucka up in Maine? I'll miss those little beauties but they are just not liking my climate and conditions.
