And God said, " Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth:" and it was so. Gen.1:11
Beans (except fava beans from Egypt and soy beans from Asia) originated in the “New World”. Hundreds of the original varieties, with all of their special qualities of color, flavor and nutrition, have already disappeared. Saverine Creek Heirlooms at Hagley Farms is helping to keep several of the remaining varieties of organic seeds in production. Help us save those that remain. “Green gift” yourself or someone you love the unaltered beauty of natural organic heirloom dry beans and corn seeds displayed in our hand crafted designs.
Black
Good Mother Stallard beans have been maintained by
a single family through several generations. This bean is a
strain from the Red Good Mother Stallard, isolated by Saverine
Creek Heirlooms in 2004. Black-red ovals with small white patches and dots. Reminds one of dalmatian jasper.
Black
Nightfall is a beautiful bean, with it’s grays
shading to black. It is reminiscent of the waning light at evening.
Its origin, sadly, is lost in the past. Silver gray ovals with black swatches in varying locations and little islands of black throughout. Looks like an organic black and white nephrite.
Brockton horticultural beans were first introduced in 1885 and are now
used as a dry shelled bean. A vibrant red-brown oval with deep mahogany streaks. Like a red brown jasper.
Cherokee
Trail of Tears was carried by the Cherokee
Indians on their forced journey of relocation, which began in
Georgia in 1838 and during which over 4,000 Cherokees died. Glistening narrow black ovals. Looks like onyx or jet.
Green
Flageolet, which varies in color from cream to palest
green, is known from the early 1800's in France. It was once
treasured by the greatest chefs and is now an endangered variety. Elongaged ovals with the faintest touch of green. Like the palest of
spring green jadite.
Jacob’s
Cattle beans, named from the Biblical story, are
related to the Pueblo Anasazi beans of the American Southwest. Luscious deep brown patterns of endless variety splash and dance across a white oval. Like a delicate granite. Paint Dry *Paint Dry * An island of concentric circles of medium to dark brown float in a sea of creamy white, topped by a diamond-like teardrop of white.
New
World Corn(the “mother” of all
modern corn) once existed in hundreds of varieties, each with
its own special qualities of color, flavor and nutrition. Few
of the varieties remain today, and they are threatened by genetic
contamination. Old World Corn resembles teardrop gemstones. Oaxacan Green Dent is reminiscent of peridot , Mandan Red like garnet, Mandan Bride like amber. (top of page )
Paint
Dry beans are closely related to the famous Yellow
Eye. This variety is one of the historic open-pollinated varieties
(meaning you can plant the seeds you save).
Red
Calypso beans were grown every summer by the first
Midwest settlers. They are appreciated for their unusual roasted,
smoky flavor. A stunning, bold bright white with a burgandy so deeply red it sometimes appears black. Reminiscent of dark over light onyx.
Red
Good Mother Stallard An old-fashioned food staple, Good Mother Stallard beans have been maintained by the Drowns family over several generations. The Red
strain was isolated by Saverine Creek Heirlooms in 2004. Areas of white invade intense claret-red ovals. Similar to leopard jasper.
Scarlet
Emperor runner beans have been cultivated for many
centuries in the cool, misty highlands of Central America where
they grow as perennials. They were introduced to Europe as early
as the 1600s. The Scarlet Emperor was named in 1906. Large, regal and of distinct shape, this bean is of a consistent deep garnet red with small islands of a rich salmon pink color.
Spanish
Tolosana, also known as “the prince,” was
carried by early Spanish missionaries from the New World to
the Old. Today, this bean is rare in the New World, and is not
preserved in either Canadian or USA gene banks. A lively balance of dark and light, deep and pale red ovals. Somewhat like poppy jasper.
Tiger’s
Eye beans are believed to have originated
in either Chile or Argentina over 100 years ago. This variety
is one of the historic open-pollinated varieties (meaning you
can plant the seeds you save). A shimmering bright red-brown with graceful dark curves scattered along the compact oval. Looks like a warm, exotic wood or a dramatic red-orange jasper.
True
Red Cranberry beans originated in Maine, and
served as a staple of the Abenaki Indians and lumbermen in the
Northeastern United States. Compact, almost round spheres of deep, dark with a pearly eyelet of white. Looks like a garnet bead inset with a seed pearl — literally “seed bead jewelry” . (top of page )
at sales @ saverinecreek.com.