Hi, I've been lurking and learning on GW for quite a while now, and finally decided I'd better post something. Harry shared the wonderful Black Jungle beans with us and they are producing delicious beans here in Northern California. Typically, we don't get limas until August/September, and this year the BJ's were first. We've had a very cool summer. We are also starting to get Gigandes (the lima, not the runner bean), Speckled Calicos, Dreer's Improved, and Illinois Giants, but haven't yet eaten Dr. Martin's or any of the bush limas, which we got in later (German Red Bush, Fordhook, Dixie Butterpea and Jackson Wonder). Does anyone here grow the Gigandes lima? It is the largest seeded lima that we've grown, and yet it seems to cook more quickly than other limas. As soon as it hits the water, the seed coat splits, and the beans I cooked tonight (from yellowing pods) were done in 15 minutes! This is the first year here for both BJs and Gigandes. Also, I wanted to mention that the German Red Bush lima is different from Dixie Speckled Butterpea. I got the German Red Bush seed from a place in Pennsylvania (http://www.landisvalleymuseum.org/2011seeds.pdf). This is our second year growing the GRs. Hope we'll get some beans to harvest soon. Glad you got to enjoy some, Harry! Jana Here is a link that might be useful: Landis Valley

Dar, I hope your weather is warmer than it is here in SE Texas or you may have trouble with the black beans germinating. last yearI saved seed from one of my BJBB vines that had larger pods with four seed per pod and I have planted them twice with little luck. Only five have germinated out tht two plantings. I have lots of volunteers that I have transplanted On another row that are not growing very fast. On the other hand I have two rows of German Red bush limas that are loaded with flowers and pods This cool weather dosen't bother them. Beside our weather being cooler than normal, we have had 33.3" of rain sofar this year compared to 3.69" for the first four months last year. I have a short row of Tennessee cut shorts that are doing fine sofar, also our old standby bush bluelake snaps are looking great.I'm going to wait another four or five weeks before I replant the four seed pod BJBBs again. They grow like weeds in hot weather. I don't plan on growing the Mexican Black Limas again because with our late frosts in the fall the late blooming MBLs don't have time to mature their pods.

I grow heirloom pole limas across the river in New Jersey very successfully, and a friend in Bucks County also grows the beans. I've never been in love with the bush types, but that is simply personal taste. With pole limas most people start them in late May - I start mine earlier in peat pots -because they take so long to start producing, usually early August. Pole Limas are also very large vines, you only need maybe one vine every few feet. Starting in late June thru August they will grow up to 6 inches a day so they require a heavy trellis. You also need to grow at least 20 feet of vines in order to get a good harvest - I grow around 40 feet. What I do is plant 4X4s every 10 feet or so, run a wire between them at the top and bottom, and run strings between the wires. Once my pole beans start in August they continue to produce until frost ends the season. If you decide you want to grow limas you can email me. I am always willing to pass along the dried beans to anyone who wishes to grow them. They are a very rare local type who's history I can trace back at least 100 years and are also some of the tastiest limas I've even eaten.

I usually make those colored devilled eggs for Easter, I think Marilyn first posted the instructions here. I boil the eggs, peel and cut in half, remove the yolk. Make dye according to the instructions on the back of the food coloring box, and just put the egg white halves in until they're the color I want. Mash up the yolks, make your filling and fill the newly colored whites. I've made different colors for Easter, pink/blue/yellow/green/ lavender. Very colorful, LOL. These might also be good for your hubby's brunch, they're easy to eat, aren't too messy, recipe makes a lot and they have corned beef and rye. My family loves them, but I usually add sauerkraut to the filling mix to make them more like Reubens. I also use low fat mayo and cream cheese and sour cream but to make up for that the girls like shredded swiss cheese added to the mix. Can't make 'em low fat you know. (grin) Darned if I know where the recipe came from, I've been making them for years, since that era in time when I was dedicated to making a good cream puff. They aren't that hard but for some reason I had a block about how difficult it was to make that dough! Reuben/Rye Puffs Makes approximately 4 dozen 1 cup water 1/2 cup butter, cubed 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup rye flour 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 eggs Caraway seeds FILLING: 2 eight ounce packages cream cheese, softened 4 oz. thinly sliced leftover or deli corned beef, chopped 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use low fat) 1/4 cup sour cream (I use low fat) 2 tablespoons minced chives 2 tablespoons diced onion 1 teaspoon spicy brown or horseradish mustard (I like the horseradish best) In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flours, parsley, garlic powder and salt all at once; stir until a smooth balls forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat until smooth. Drop batter by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Sprinkle with caraway. Bake at 400° for 18-20 minutes or until golden. Remove to wire racks. Immediately cut a slit in each puff to allow steam to escape; cool. In a large bowl, combine filling ingredients. Split puffs and fill. Refrigerate or serve immediately. As for that bean salad, I just make a traditional three bean marinated salad, but Elery likes the addition of a can of quartered artichokes. If you left out the kidney beans it would be more "green" in color. Kind of. Or use canellini instead of red kidney beans... Three Bean Salad 1/3 cup cider vinegar 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/3 cup honey 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 can artichoke quarters, rinsed and drained 1 can (15 ounces) green beans, rinsed and drained 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained 1 can (15 ounces) yellow beans, rinsed and drained 1 medium onion, chopped 1 medium green pepper, chopped In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar, oil, honey, savory and salt until blended. Add the beans, onion and green pepper; stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Serve with a slotted spoon. Yield: 8 servings. have fun! Annie