A few years ago I sent Ed Ammons a handful of greasy beans for him to grow. The dried bean was white, but they didn’t stay white.
Here’s what Ed said about growing them.
“I planted those 21 Tipper beans the next spring. The weather was good, and they grew well. No problems except for ever present weeds and bugs. I picked a few to try and I liked them. The rest were allowed to dry on the vine. Now there’s plenty for seed.
The following year, 2023, I planted a 30 foot row. Enough for me to eat on, can and freeze, and give away. Again, they did well.
One day in late summer while I was stringing and breaking a mess for supper, I noticed something different about a couple of beans. The immature seeds were a different color. Something like a lilac color. Further inspection revealed the same color running through the string. The pods were no different from the rest of the greasy beans except for that purplish colored string.
I searched through my bean rows until I found a few more beans with that characteristic. The blooms had the same lilac color, as well as the stem. I identified 2 vines that had the same type of bean pods. These I left to fully mature and dry on the vine.”
The beans Ed grew went from a chalky white to a milk chocolate color. We both wondered if it was a mutation or Ed said maybe it was a recessive gene that worked it’s way to the forefront. He had never planted a dark colored bean before and there are no gardens near him.
Ed sent us some of the brown beans to plant and we remembered to plant them this year. The bean did wonderful. Lots of production and vigorous growth.
Just like the ones we originally sent Ed the pods had a slight sheen to them, almost like someone smeared a small amount of grease on them—that’s where the greasy bean name comes from.
We ate some of the beans fresh and added some pickings to our canning, but left the rest to dry on the vine so we could save the seed.
As the beans were growing I thought they might be like the original white ones we sent, but as you can see from the photo the beans are various colors of brown.
There are some that are chocolate brown, some more of a tan color, and some that appear to have a bluish gray cast to them. I wonder if they will ever revert back to white.
We plan to keep growing them because they are good eating and prolific.
Hopefully Ed will share another guest post and tell us how the ones he grew did this year. You can read his other posts about the beans here and here.
Last night’s video: Late Summer Garden Tour.
Tipper
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I’m a bean eater from way back. Momma always fixed great northern beans, that I remember. I still love them. Years ago I expanded my choice of beans. I truly like pintos and sometimes fix them in a mixed pot with northerns. Navy beans, red beans. If I knew more about different beans and their names I surely give them a try. I have to buy my beans in the stores because I’m unable to plant any. Another reason for the limited variety of beans. If I see any I’m not familiar with I’d buy them, prepare, cook and eat them. I’m sure I’ll like them too. Y’all have a great weekend. Always enjoy BP&A. It’s like a social event for me everyday. See ya later friends. Miss Tipper and family, I’m praying for your precious momma, grandma, mother-in-law, sister, and friend. She’s such a wonderful influence to your family and all us who feel we’re family too. Hugs, prayers and love always. J
Greacy beans and Turkey Craw beans are my favorite. I would grow them in my BFF’s garden down the road from my house. She died in 2021 and then the house burned down last year. I havent eaten the beans since she died. TY for your garden tour.
Oh my! I love greasy beans. Last year mine didn’t do too well. So, I had to buy some for this year. This year they did very well altho they were stringier than I’ve grown before. Maybe they weren’t the lazy wife brand. But, my question to you is where do you keep your seed for next year. My friend says she keeps them in the fridge. Another friend says he keeps his in the freezer. What do you suggest. Thank you!!
It’s interesting how beans and other things mutate. A long time ago, my mama ate a golden delicious apple. She saved a seed and planted it. It now grows in my front yard. It’s still a little small, but it is growing each year, and it was very prolific this year. We got a half bushel of apples off of it, but they don’t look or taste like golden delicious. They have a rough skin and they are pretty sour. The apples are really big, like the size of a golden delicious, and they do make good pies and applesauce. Last year we got about four or five apples and the years before that, it was mostly just leaves and a couple blossoms. My mama was so excited to see that a seed she dried and saved turned out to be a beautiful apple tree in my yard.
So funny ! The mystery continues! What a blessing that ,regardless, they have grown & produced well & that you all still enjoy them !
My post has nothing to do with beans today.
Today is the 24th anniversary of the World Trade Center and Shanksville Pennsylvania bombing. Lest we never forget. Also the murder of Charlie Kirk in Utah yesterday. Please do not read this as a political statement. Let’s pray for our country
Beans are both interesting and delicious!
So cool. I’m trying the same thing with some beans that my grandfather’s sister-in-law used to plant. The beans are white or cream-colored with streaks and spots ranging from pale pink to full purple, but as they dry the beans turn more brown and the markings become more maroon or burgundy. Over the last few years, I have started getting some that are fully maroon; no streaks or white parts. I’m saving those out specifically for seeds just to see what they become.
It’s interesting how plants will evolve over time. I grow rattlesnake beans and last year after drying the beans I found several beans that were completely black instead of the usual spotted brown and some of the pods were more of a solid purple color instead of the usual green with purple stripes. I’m going to plant those separately and see what happens when I plant the beans again.