Laliberté Pea

Climbing green bean, American heritage. It can eaten fresh as a green bean, or dry in soups and stews. We use it to make 'em good ol' maple syrup beans. This bean is part of the Ark of Taste of SlowFood USA. As the story goes, the bean was retrieved from the, you guessed it, craw of a wild turkey. The said bird had been hunted down by an Afro-American slave in the 1800s. However, little additional information about the turkey remains. Rich taste, creamy texture. Package: 25 seeds

Very vigorous climbing green bean, grows deep purple flowers and long striped pods. These pods can be eaten fresh. Once dry, the beans are striped too, dark grey on a paler backdrop. Please note that the hilum is not located at the centre of the bean, as it is not symmetrical. This gives the impression that the bean has been crushed once dry. The Seeds of Diversity organization as listed this variety as very rare. It is believed to come from the Mennonite people from the Waterloo region in Ontario. Package: 35 seeds

Plant approximately 2 to 2,5 meters tall. Fruits weigh between 180 and 300 grams and have a diameter of approximately 10 cm. Smooth red-rose skin, sweet and juicy flesh. Performs well in cool climates and short seasons. Discovered in the 1930s in the Joliette area by a farmer named Dufresne. It was given to Armand Savignac of the Clerics of Saint Viator. Due to chronic digestive disorders and a rare malformation, Savignac became a vegetarian and began to grow vegetables. Among different varieties cultivated in his garden was the Savignac tomato.   Package: approx. 35 seeds

Shrubby dwarf variety that grows rosy-lilac flowers and light green pods. Can be eaten as green or dry beans. This variety was gifted to us by Mr. René Paquet. He received it from Gérard Parent, from Saint-Joseph-de Beauce, who himself got it from Gabrielle Roy, from Saint-Jules. It's at the turn of the century, more precisely in 1914, that the Boucher family started growing them. Where they got it from, we might never know! Package: 20 seeds

High-yielding bush bean producing shelling beans of a beautiful matte white color. They were given to us by an Iroquoian collector, but we were not able to retrieve its origin. The variety is mentioned in an old New York catalog, but it is described as a climbing variety. We do no have further informations. A rarity!

Heirloom variety introduced to the Saint Lawrence River Valley by French settlers in the 17th Century. It is still eaten today and makes delicious pea soup. High yielding plants. They will need trellising and can grow up to 1 meter tall. The Potager d'Antan reports this story : « According to an old European tradition dating back from the 15th Century, Hubertus, patron saint of hunters, was associated with the pea soup. To make a long story short, during his lifetime, in the 7th Century, Hubert went astray, hunted on Good Friday, and while pursuing a stag, he had a vision in which he saw the animal with a crucifix between its antlers and heard a voice enjoining him to lead a holy life. Hubertus later performed many miracles, evangelized pagans in distant countries, and erected temples dedicated to the Lord. He died on May 30, 727. His relics were translated on November 3, 743. His feast day is November 3 in Belgium and May 30 in France. In memory of Saint Hubert, European settlers in Quebec supposedly kept the name of this pea variety, used in the preparation of the « hunting soup ». For the complete story, visit the Potager d’Antan website. This variety is very rare and is considered endangered.   Package: 30 seeds