I received my first choice as Seed Guardian for the Heritage Seed Library. I chose a large white bean - Fabes de la Granja Asturiana - Asturian Farm Bean. It's a climbing bean and I received 30 of the lovely chunky cream seeds. What a good thing I took over an allotment with a whopping bean frame!
They are more than 3/4 inch long in their unsoaked state so as shelly or dried casserole beans they look really brilliant. They are said to be good as a green bean - I shall try a couple, just so I can send in a thorough report - but it does seem a shame not to save them to maturity. I like them fresh, shelled out when at their full size but before the pods begin to dry. I also like to have a store of dried beans in for the winter and this bean looks just the job.
I am to fill in report forms and send back as many as possible to the HSL, taking care to keep a stock of seed for myself for next year. Once I have fulfilled that obligation, I will start a smaller tee pee of the bean at home for my own use (and swapsies of course!). Roll on growing time!
5 comments:
And then you'll need some Spanish tapas recipes that use lovely big white beans ;-)
They do look good... hop they do well.
Celia
Quite a responsibility but I know you are up to the task.
It's a wonderful thing to do and the more I learn about the network of volunteers who are helping preserve all the seeds which are not on the list of those which can be legally sold, the more I want to do the same thing in years to come.
First thing I did was google the beans on offer Celia. This variety came up with a host of good recipes! (What a way to choose a bean!)
The responsibility isn't all on my shoulders Bilbo. It helps to know that several people in various parts of the country share the guardianship of a seed. It's good to choose a type of plant you like and are experienced in growing though.
What a wonderful responsibility!
They're lovely beans.
That's exciting I should think, but scarey too.
Post a Comment