Steeves Caseknife bean
$4.00
(Phaseolus vulgaris)
Pole, 8’ tall. This bean comes from the Steeves family, who grew it in Edgett’s Landing, Albert County, New Brunswick. I found this bean at Heritage Harvest Seeds in Manitoba, while searching for a Canadian bean to use for leather britches. Leather britches, or green beans dried at the shelly stage, are a traditional food in Appalachia, but I live far north of most of the people who make leather britches. I was, therefore, very excited to find Heritage Harvest’s description of how this bean was used by the Steeves – to date the only example of a Canadian leather britches bean I have found. 60 days to harvest, 85 days to maturity. 30 seeds/packet.
Out of stock
Plant after last frost; soil must be warm or seed will rot. Sow 1” deep. Space pole beans in pairs 8” apart, with 8” between pairs if climbing twine, or in groups of 3-4 around single poles 1’ apart. Pick beans for leather britches at about the same stage as shelly beans: when seeds are full size but while pods are still green. String pods and thread them with a needle and string; being careful not to stab through the seeds. Hang to dry in a shady, dry, breezy place. Harvest dry beans when pods are fully dry; seed must be dry enough to not dent with a fingernail for storage. Dry beans can be further dried on a tarp, then threshed by dancing on them and winnowing away the chaff.