the bean lowdown

jean's beans- bean varieties

Jacob’s Cattle
This popular New England heirloom variety is also known as trout or Dalmation bean. This bean is excellent in soups and chili, and unsurpassed for baking.

Maine Sunset:
A wonderful baking bean, with a creamy texture and rich flavor when cooked . Also delicious in soups or pasta con fagioli.

Steuben:
Old-timey bean variety. Great baked or for use in soups and stews.

Brown Dutch:
Heirloom bean from Pennsylvania. Holds it's shape well, and has a nut-like flavor when baked. Also makes a great addition to soups.

Scarlet Beauty-SOLD OUT!!
New Hampshire Heirloom developed by Elwyn Meader. This mottled red and beige kidney-type bean is a knockout in chili.

Peregion:
Oregon heirloom. This truly unique bean keeps its color after cooking. Thin skinned and tender all-around bean.

Yin Yang:
Beautiful black and white markings resemble a Chinese Yin Yang. Excellent full flavor.

chilly bean field

Winter has finally settled in and I must say it feels as though all is right with the world again. We are in the thick of January's seed-ordering frenzy. There's nothing like pouring over catalogs with a hot bowl of soup as the cold wind blows outside. One of the best aspects of farming is the ability to start from scratch every spring- tweaking, improving, trying new things. Who knows what wrench the weather will throw into the works! For now, I am content to enjoy the pleasantly brisk arctic air. Here's me on one of our coldest days walking on the frozen furrows of the future bean field.