I grew them as string beans & when they dried on the vine, because I had eaten & frozen my fill, I eat them as shelly beans. Did not know what shelly was in those days, just called them dry beans.

We've raised them just like warm-season bush beans. Plant them after the frost-free date, keep them watered and watch them grow. The only difference is that you may want to let some of the pods dry on the bush. We always pick some in the green stage when the beans are mature enough to shell but not yet hard and dry to cook immediately and leave some to dry on the bush. When fully dry, pick, shell and place in the freezer for a couple days in case any bugs have gotten in. Unless you're going to store in the freezer--you can--make sure the beans are completely dry before you store them in glass jars at room temp so they don't mold.

There are a number of ways to prepare beans and the slow-cooker method you like to use in your favorite recipe is just one perfectly good method. All soaking methods (whether it's the quick or long method) essentially help them to cook faster and help to remove the indigestible complex sugars (oligosaccharides) from the outer coating of the beans. A better way to increase nutrition, digestibility and to speed cooking time is to sprout them first, which is a method I use. So it's not a one-size-fits-all choice. In fact, I'll sprout them first and then "cook" them in a Thermos or a Thermal Cooker (depending on how many I'm making). The Thermos only requires hot water (and no cooking) and the Thermal Cooker requires bringing them to a boil for a few minutes. So yet one more option if you want to improve the nutrition and save on the cooking energy needed. It's not about what's right or wrong, but about choices. -Grainlady Here is a link that might be useful: The Nourishing Gourmet

Hi Elizabeth Since we are having warmer winters than usual, you probably can plant now in your zone and be able to get a harvest. The problem with planting dried beans from the store would be that you don't know the growing habits, like in the case of lima beans the bush varieties are not as prolific as the pole and you also have to be prepared with a trellis for them. If you are going to eat them as shellies, then is a good idea otherwise as a dried beans, the commercial ones are cheaper where there is a lot of turnaround are also fresh. If you want to experiment coming the cooler weather are chickpeas, they are delicious when fresh, they are small plants that don't need a trellis, taste better than fresh peas... Silvia