“Modern US consumers now get to taste less than 1 percent of the vegetable varieties that were grown here a century ago. Those old-timers now lurk only in backyard gardens and on farms that specialize in direct sales--if they survive at all. Many heirlooms have been lost entirely.”

― Barbara Kingsolver, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

A few years ago I went to a seed exchange. A room full of like-minded gardeners sharing all types of seeds. Many varieties I had never heard of, many of them heirloom, collected and shared, passed down through generations. When planting time came around, I eagerly dug out my tiny packets of seeds and followed the information written on the bag (mostly in longhand) eager to see what would grow.

I scattered a few flowers in tiny pockets throughout the garden, some flourished and still bloom today, while others barely came up. I remember planting a type of cucumber I had never heard of, but of course googled, where I read rave reviews. Of my six seeds only one came up (I suspect the birds took off with the others) but the one plant set some beautiful cukes. This year I actually found what I think was the variety in a catalogue and planted it again, with limited success. Five seeds, one plant.

But these beans . . . I planted one pole of them that year, and they flourished. They were from Italy maybe France, but unfortunately their tiny little packet, with the info on it is long gone. But each year I save some seeds to plant. Their flavor is amazing , almost butter like, not at all like the wax bean you think of when you see a yellow bean. Their colors is lovely and I can make a meal of them. Boiled for a couple of minutes, drained, a generous pat of butter added, and a bit of salt.

Hello August . . .