(85 days) 1800’s. An ancient Native American variety, this bean is hardy & drought-tolerant. Long, yellowish bean- excellent for baking.

(70 - 90 days) Aka Orca, Yin Yang. This beautiful bean is one of the best beans for baking and soup-making. Each bean is half-black/half-white with a contrasting eye - they do, indeed, resemble orcas or yin yang symbols (the Chinese symbol for harmony). Stout, 15" plants produce large harvests of these plump, delicious beans that have a potato-like taste. The markings remain when cooked, but turn to a tan and ecru colour combination. Harvest young as a snap bean or leave on the bush for a dried bean.

(Bush. 90 days) Pods are an attractive black or purple that dry to pale mauve or white. Black seeds are great for soup, casseroles or refried for Mexican dishes. Hardy, prolific.

(48 - 70 days) Grown before 1850, introduced by Peter Henderson & Co. in 1897. At one time, this bean was almost legendary amongst gardeners - it produces masses of delicious, tender, straight, 6" long green beans very early in the season. Leave some pods to dry on the bush and you'll also have an excellent dry black soup bean. Catalogues of the time described it as having "fine quality and delicate flavour". It's known for its hardiness, ability to grow in adverse growing conditions and resistance to bean mosaic.

NEW FOR 2010!! 60 days snap; 90 days dry. This is a very rare heirloom bean that was originally preserved and re-introduced by Seeds of Diversity Canada and the Everdale Environmental Learning Centre in Ontario. This bean is very prolific, producing large yields of beans that can be harvested green for a sweet, tender taste or left to dry on the bush for a rich-tasting dry bean. Actually, it produces so many beans that you can do both! The bean itself is worth growing for its beauty alone - a navy blue mottled with tan markings. Short-season bean that grew extremely well for us in cool, wet conditions.

(Bush; 47-50 days) 1897. This bean has a Canadian heritage! In 1897, Abel Steele from Ferguson, Ontario won a reward for naming this newly-introduced variety. Touted for its hardiness and productivity (hence the name), it produces 6-7" stringless pods.

(50 days) 1900. Curved light yellow pods are brittle, stringless with an excellent texture & taste. Can be used as a cut bean or for canning whole.

(Pole; 65-85 days) 1800's. So-named because it was carried by the Cherokee on their forced march. Pods turn dark purple with shiny black seeds. Delicious, prolific long producers.

Aka ‘Shoestring’. This string bean, from the 1800’s, is an old gourmet variety from France growon for filet beans. It’s a heavy producer of long thin pods that are best picked every 2-3 days, while young, as they can become fibrous. It does well in cool soils. 55 days.

(60-70 days) An heirloom from Bacau, Romania, this unusual wax bean has a pole habit, saving lots of space in the garden! It produces very heavy yields of 6-10" long, wide and flat beans that are golden-coloured. The pods are very sweet and stay tender for a long time, even when starting to fill out with seeds.

(Bush) (45-60 days) 1871. Pods are 4-6" long, stringless, with a buttery flavour. Disease-resistant.

(90 days) Ancient. This attractive bean was one of the first cultivated beans and was grown by the Hidatsa peoples in North Dakota as part of their “Three Sisters” companion plantings. Its attractive pods are white with tan/maroon markings and are produced prolifically on 6 – 8’ vines.

NEW FOR 2010!! 75 - 85 days. A Canadian heirloom, this variety was brought to Canada by Hutterites when they emmigrated from Austria in the 1750's. The little pale green-yellow beans cook down beautifully and make delicious soup. The plants are heavy producers and mature early.

(Bush; 70-75 days) ) An English heirloom grown in British Columbia since the 1930’s. Its wonderful flavour makes it a superb soup bean.

(Bush; 80- 100 days) Aka ‘Trout’ Very old bean, of ancient origin. Plump, white beans are spotted reddish-brown and are excellent for soups and baking.

(Bush; 65 days) Derived from Kentucky Wonder Pole. Produces heavy yields of tender, stringless pods of excellent flavour.

(Pole; 68 – 72 days) Grown since 1850, this traditional pole bean has a well-deserved reputation as a heavy producer of tender, green pods that can be used fresh or dry shelled.

(Pole; 80 days) 1810 How could I resist this name? Brought to America by German immigrants, these beans were so-named because they were the first beans to not require destringing! Can be used as a shell bean as well, and has a superb flavour. Plants bear continuously until frost. One of the oldest documented beans.