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Heirloom Beans

(Phaseolus vulgaris)

• A-B
• C-E
• F-G
• H-J
• L-M
• O-P
• R-S
• T-Z

Red Peanut

Old fashioned heirloom variety that is delicious eaten as a snap when young or as a dry bean later on. The small seed is light red and resembles peanuts in color, hence the name. Very productive plants produce loads of pods that turn bright pink when ready to shell.

• Type: Bush
• Days to Maturity: 85 days to dry beans
• Package Qty: 50 seeds
• Price: $3.00

Red Swan

Very unique! The 4-5" long pods are a dusty redrose color. This bean was developed by the late Robert Lobitz. Although a more recent development, I thought it would be an interesting addition to my collection due to the unique coloration of the pods.

• Type: Bush
• Days to Maturity: 55 days to snaps
• Package Qty: 50 seeds
• Price: $3.00

Red Valentine pre-1817

Originally grown by the Missouri River Indians, this bean was sent to Europe in 1817 and then sent back to America in 1837, where the Landreth Seed Co. first listed it. The Red Valentine bean was used as a snap bean and is best when picked young. The seed is pink mottled with cream to lighter pink and is about the size of a kidney bean. Fearing Burr (Field and Garden vegetables of America, 1865) stated that, "Few, if any, of the dwarfs harden their pods so slowly, or continue longer in condition for use, and few are more productive." A very historic variety. EXTREMELY RARE.

• Type: Bush
• Days to Maturity: 55 days to snaps
• Package Qty: 50 seeds
• Price: $3.95

Refugee

A very old bean believed to have been brought to England by French Huguenots. This bean was also canned commercially in the early 1900’s in Ontario. The 1908 McKenzie Seed Catalog states that the Refugee bean is "An immense producer and valuable for pickling." The green pods are striped and contain small pinkish beige seed mottled with black. Some dark seed among the others is normal. A very productive and early bush bean. Can be used as a very tasty snap bean when young or as a dried bean. Very dependable and disease resistant. One of the most productive beans available.

• Type: Bush
• Days to Maturity: 80 days for dry beans
• Package Qty: 50 seeds
• Price: $3.00

Roja de Seda

Originally from Central America. Roja de Seda is a productive bush plant with short vines. The pods ripen to a bright pink and the small pinkish red seed is great for refried beans.

• Type: Bush
• Days to Maturity: 95 days for dry beans
• Package Qty: 50 seeds
• Price: $3.00

Romano 14

A nice flat Romano type green bean that is great for freezing or eating fresh. The seed is buff colored with a white eye.

• Type: Bush
• Days to Maturity: 60-65 days for snaps
• Package Qty: 50 seeds
• Price: $3.00

Royalty Purple Pod

Developed by Professor Elwyn Meader at the University of New Hampshire and introduced in 1957. Productive plants produce 5" purple pods that blanch to green when cooked.

"Out of Stock"

• Type: Bush
• Days to Maturity: 55 days
• Package Qty: 50 seeds
• Price: $3.00

Scarlet Beauty

Beautiful large kidney shaped burgundy seed mottled with pink. Yellowish pods are heavily streaked with red. An early bush bean that is excellent in chili and used in place of kidney beans in recipes. Quite disease resistant, very reliable, productive bush plant.

• Type: Bush
• Days to Maturity: 100 days for dry beans
• Package Qty: 50 seeds
• Price: $3.00

Regular Packet - 50 Seeds $3.00 Trade Packet - 150 seeds $6.95

Snowcap

Beautiful seed! Snowcap is one of the largest heirloom soup beans available and the large putty white seed has a light tan blotch around the hilum with maroon streaks. A must for soup!

• Type: Pole
• Days to Maturity: 100 days for dry beans
• Package Qty: 25 seeds
• Price: $3.00

Regular Packet - 25 seeds $3.00 Trade Packet - 100 seeds $6.95

Soldat de la Beauce

An old strain of Soldier bean originally from Quebec, this hardy baking bean is early and productive. Produces large white elongated seed with a reddish brown blotch on the hilum resembling a soldier

• Type: Bush
• Days to Maturity: 100 days for dry beans

Regular Packet - 50 Seeds $3.00

Southern Soldier

An heirloom baking bean with a black "soldier" figure instead of brown. This variety is quite rare in Canada.

• Type: Bush
• Days to Maturity: 100 days for dry beans
• Package Qty: 50 seeds
• Price: $3.00

Steeves Caseknife

I am very excited to introduce this rare variety that I obtained from Jan SteevesCuvelier last winter. This bean originated in Albert County, New Brunswick and was grown by three generations of the Steeves Family since the early 1930’s at their home in Surrey, Albert County, New Brunswick. The house which came to be called Surrey House, was bought by Jan’s grandfather, Cedric Steeves, who fully restored it with the help of his wife, his sister and her husband. They continued to grow these beans in the back garden on metal frames until the death of Cedric in 1972, at which time the metal frames went to Jan’s fathers house in Cap Brule on the Northcumberland Strait. Jan’s father continued to grow these beans on the same metal frames until 1994 when he passed away. Jan then inherited a bag of the Steeves Caseknife Beans and put them aside until recently. The beans were 10 years old and not stored in optimum conditions but luckily the beans still germinated after all those years and I was given some to plant last summer. They grew beautifully and produced enough beans so I can now offer them to my customers. Jan remembers going up into the attic at Surrey House in the fall of 1964 to see the crop of beans drying. "There was newspaper all over the floor and beans spread over in their cases (none touching!) all over the whole attic." The Steeves family would then have a huge family gathering to have a feast of dried beans and pork. An interesting fact is that "the beans are reconstituted cases and all and cooked with pork for hours". The Steeves family loved these gatherings and the delicious beans that were served. An excellent early maturing variety that I am happy to be able to preserve.

"A Heritage Harvest Seed Exclusive!"

• Type: Pole
• Days to Maturity: 100 days for dry beans
• Package Qty: 20 seeds
• Price: $3.95

Stringless Green Pod (1894)

(aka Burpee’s Stringless Green Pod) In 1894 Calvin Keeney who was known as the "Father of the Stringless Bean", developed Burpee’s Stringless Green Pod which was then introduced by the Burpee Seed Company. It remained the most popular bean for years and was claimed to be the first stringless bean. An excellent snap bean with 5" pods and brown seed. Early, productive and tasty. One of the best!

• Type: Bush
• Package Qty: 50 seeds
• Days to Maturity: 45-50 days

Regular Packet - 25 Seeds $3.00 Trade Packet - 150 Seeds $6.95 1/4 lb. Approx. 300 Seeds $8.95

Stoltfus String (1888)

A rare heirloom bean from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania that is thought to be a selection of Excelsior Refugee Bean. Prolific round podded snap bean with dark purple mottled seed. This variety can be used as a snap bean when young and can be used as a dry bean when mature.

• Type: Bush
• Days to Maturity: 75 days for snaps
• Package Qty: 50 seeds
• Price: $3.00

Superlative

(aka Magpie) Introduced by Sutton’s in 1909. The long thin pods are nice as snaps when young but the most interesting aspect of this variety is the long black seeds frosted with white on one end. Very beautiful seeds!

• Type: Bush
• Days to Maturity: 65 days for snaps
• Package Qty: 50 seeds
• Price: $3.95

Sweeney Family Heirloom

An exciting find given to me by Jim Sweeney. Jim’s family is originally from Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia and Jim’s father always planted these beans who he got from his father, so this is a very old bean that has bean passed down through the generations. Jim’s father called them American Mohawk Bean and they have similar coloration to Jesse Fisk or Red Valentine Bean but are definitely a different variety. The beans are kidney sized and are purplish red with lighter speckles or mottling. Jim has been growing this variety in Lloydminster, AB for the last 10 years and it does very well in Alberta as well. The pods of this variety usually dry on the plant and then the beans are used in their dry state for baking.

• Type: Bush
• Days to Maturity: 65 days for snaps
• Package Qty: 50 seeds
• Price: $3.00

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