Seed for Saving and Swapping
Debbie Hebbard from the Southern Highlands seed bank writes:
“Hi all, I am trying to source the following bean seeds for our local seed bank in the Southern Highlands. I am looking for a dwarf to semi twinning soup bean called dutch brown. It has tan to golden roundish seeds. Its a great dried variety and used to be sold by Diggers and New Gippsland but they do not have any in stock. There is also a bean called frost.
If any members can help I would appreciate it . We have about 35 beans in our collection and we are willing to swap if I have anything you would like.
Looking forward to hearing from someone. Thanks.”
If you are able to help Debbie, reply to this blog and I will pass on Debbie’s contact details to you (Ed).
12 December, 2009 at 8:56 am
Yes i have about 30 seeds, which you are welcome to collect. I was given them from a farm I went wwoofing at near Bairnsdale in Victoria, but I’ve never actually planted them. They were picked in autumn 2005.
13 December, 2009 at 9:57 am
Hello Debbie
I’m part of the Bega Valley Seed Savers. We don’t have the bean you’re looking for but we do have a drying bean
( ‘Calabrian Express’ ) given to me by Italian growers as their favourite drying bean. We grow this regularly now and are thrilled with it – though being Dutch myself you may have an even better one.
Our special local one is a white runner we have christened
‘Bega Giant’ – the size of the Scarlet runner.
We have about 30 odd varieties too and would love to know your favourites – it’s valuable when beans come with recommendations and growing tips.
‘European Flat’ is our favourite green bean climber.
Wishes
Anneke
2 January, 2010 at 7:12 am
Hi Debbie,
I don’t have the Dutch brown bean but I do have about 10 seeds of the Frost bean if you’d like them. I am unlikely to grow all of them as I have too many varieties and plant several of each.
Cheers,
Ray
12 January, 2010 at 9:15 pm
Greetings Debbie et al,
I don’t know the dutch brown you are looking for but we have been propagating what i know as the continental or italian bean for a few years now. This is the large flat, very sweet bean that is sold in WW and some other places but for which I have not been able to source seed (haven’t tried for about the last 3 years as we now have our own source). It is a medium cropping but long yielding and resiliant bean that will climb to well over 2m. If this cultivar is still of interest, we have a small excess, of various vintages and provenances, that can be shared. Email me on [contact the editor for Jenny's email address], tho I willl be away for much of the next few weeks as my Mum needs assistance and i may not respond until March, so seed will be for next year’s sowing. Jenny
12 January, 2010 at 9:23 pm
Sorry, not reading all the information. I suspect Anneke’s “european flat” is the same cultivar that I described in the last mesage. A bean formidable!!! Jenny