Sept-Iles Beans

Climbing green beans, gives 6 to 7 very small beans per pod. They are a nice pink, and are delicious as dry beans. Just as delicious as green beans, and produces a lot. This bean was given during a Seedy Saturday to René Paquet, then volunteer representative at the Canada Seeds of Diversity booth, by Marie-Jeanne Disant, from Quebec City. René then shared a couple with me, and it didn't take long before charmed by their high-yields and color! Marie-Jeanne Disant: "I am so glad to find other enthusiasts for my grandma's bean. I have been saving them since the 70s, sharing them with whomever wants them, telling myself how important it is to save this heritage!" "I did indeed get those beans from my grandma. She was living in France and had never left her Ile-de-France community, unlike these beans which have crossed the ocean! She had received them from her Swiss neighbor, who made her this gift between the two wars. How did the bean initially get to Europe, and Switzerland, I have no idea! But when I moved to Quebec in the 90s, I brought some in my shoes. I thought I wasn't infringing on the law that much, since I was simply bringing them back to their original continent. [...] One more thing, they can eaten as green beans even when the small seeds are forming inside, since they are so tender." We later on learned that Mrs. Disant carried the beans in the shoes in her suitcase, not the ones she was wearing. Package: 30 seeds

Dwarf bean variety that produces a seed halfway between pea and fava bean. According to the Potager d'Antan : « It was still being cultivated in 1999 by a 80 year old man from Lotbinière, Monsieur Laliberté, who confirmed us the plant was unique in Canada. (...) Given by Laliberté's son to Antoine D'Avignon, Seeds of Diversity guardian angel. Antoine passed away in 2003. His sister, Mme. Gisèle D'Avignon, gave us the seeds. » Delicious in pea soup, a traditional meal in the province of Quebec in the past century. This variety is very rare and is considered endangered.   Package: 25 seeds

Old dwarf cultivar from Beauce, Quebec. Its green pods are covered with purple stripes. It can be eaten as green or dry beans. According to many, they're the best choice to make baked beans (fèves au lard). However, Boucher Family bean fans disagree. The solution? Mix 'em both! Beauce territory was originally occupied by the Iroquoian Nation of the Saint-Lawrence. It is therefore a possibility that this bean comes from a variety that they were growing. With the arrival of the first Colonizers many trades happened, among which beans were handed to the newcomers. With this gift, they then continued selection over many years to create different varieties. This variety, Thibodeau du comté Beauce, was found by Mr Marc Warsha. He was given the seeds by Mr Martin Roy from St-Zacharie, in Beauce. The cultivation of this bean had been carried for 4 generations, starting with the great-great-grandmother of Martin Roy, as far as we can trace back. The name, Thibodeau du comté Beauce, was first listed in the Seed of Diversity catalogue in 2003. Package: 30 seeds

Productive bush variety. Jade bean plants can handle the heat as well as cooler temperatures. Perfect variety for balconies. Tasty, crunchy and not fibrous. Highly resistant to diseases.   Package: 30 seeds Photo Credit: https://www.rarexoticseeds.com/

This yellow climbing bean is very vigorous and produces long yellow pods that are delicious eaten fresh, and are not fibrous. The man who shared them with us saved the seeds of his bush beans year after year until, to his surprise, he noticed they were turning into climbing beans! He then named them Daroi. We were impressed by their quality and so we decided to share them with you.

Rare, hardy and high-yielding variety. Once grown by Iroquoian people. The plant can reach up to 2 m in height, and has white and purple flowers. The pods can be eaten when still young as green beans. Its name, skunk, refers to the gorgeous black and white marks characteristic of the beans. They can also, although more rarely, be entirely black. Their flat-shape is reminiscent of lima beans. Once fully ripe, they are ideal for soups. We have tried them for baked beans (fèves au lard) and they are delicious mixed with some Kahnawake Mohawk beans. This bean was rediscovered by Chester in Vermont and saved by Gail Flagg from Fort Kent, Maine (U.S.). Ideal for the Three Sisters, to be grown with the Canada Crookneck squash. Package: 25 seeds