The Central Tree Crops Research Trust is seeking donations towards the importation of rare and unusual seeds from the United States. In a two-year project, the Trust is working with a seed saving organisation in the U.S., who will grow the beans and have them inspected during the growing season to ensure that they are pest and disease free. The varieties selected include ancient and beautiful North American Indian varieties, some traditional Mexican varieties, as well as some early American Settler varieties.

Many of these varieties have been grown and saved for hundreds and sometimes thousands of years, and have maintained their pure genetic blueprint over that time. These are the varieties that have stood the test of time and sustained generations through climate extremes. These are the nutrient dense varieties that are important for our future health and wellbeing.

Each variety will cost about $250 to grow and have inspected, and the Trust is looking for people or businesses who may like to donate towards the importation of a specific variety, or towards the project in general. Donations are tax-deductible in New Zealand (or a GST tax invoice can be provided for sponsorship, if you prefer). A list of some of the varieties being considered for importation can be found below.

The total project cost is estimated to be $10,000, and the level of funding will determine the exact number of varieties that can be imported.

The Trust wishes to thank Perth Concrete Ltd. of Wanganui for being the first business to offer their support.

Beans originated in Central and South America and began to be cultivated in Mexico over 2,000 years ago. In North America today, there are over 4,000 different kinds of beans. All beans appear to originally have been climbing beans, but over the centuries, low growing plants were selected that have become our modern day dwarf varieties. Today almost all commercially grown beans are dwarf because of the ease of mechanical harvesting. The Trust's focus, however, is on the higher producing climbing varieties with only a few dwarf varieties selected for importation. Several of the varieties selected are shade-tolerant and have been traditionally grown amongst corn crops, where they could use the corn stalks to climb up. Beans grown in this way have been a wonderful protein source; rich in minerals and a superb complement to corn in the diet.

Beans belong to the legume family, and as such can fix nitrogen in the soil, which is one of the most important ingredients for plant growth; they also contain soluble fibre which is beneficial in controlling cholesterol and diabetes. Beans are what nutritionists call a "slow release food", which is one that is slowly digested and absorbed in ways that improve insulin sensitivity.

The Trust's experience with researching other foods indicates that traditional varieties of beans will contain higher levels of beneficial health compounds than modern, commercially bred cultivars. Ultimately what we eat is inextricably connected with our health and knowing this means that our prime focus will be on attempting to find the very best varieties that we can, for the present and future health of New Zealanders. Secondly the changing climate conditions globally are being felt with unpredictable and extreme weather occurrences here. For our own food security we need to be self-reliant with food and have available varieties that we know grow well in different climatic conditions. The Hopi Indian varieties selected are one example of beans that can tolerate scant rainfall, semi-desert conditions, and thrive under their Indian stewardship.

Much of what we seek to enable us to sustain future generations has been known and practiced by traditional cultures for millennia. Our task is to rediscover that knowledge from the past to give us the foundation that we need to move forward into our future.

Press Release January 2011

List updated December 2011. New photos appearing shortly!

Bean Import Project: Climbing Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)

Apache Red Bean

High yield of red seeds, similar to kidney beans. The pods turn bright red to signal the green shellout stage for succotash. The dry beans can be used for soup or chilli. There is an initiative underway to reintroduce this variety to Native American farmers.

Blue Shackamaxon

Climbing dry bean, but also an excellent green bean. From Lenape tribe in Delaware, USA, and preserved among Quaker farmers. Vines will grow 6-7 feet with rose-pink flowers, pods turning purple when ripe, seeds blue, blue-black when dried. Also known as the "Treaty Bean". Very attractive plant and beans. Pods are small but are an excellent green bean that is also very cold tolerant in Spring.

Cherokee Cornfield Bean

A traditional variety, with various attractive earthtone shades and markings. Very good yields especially when grown up corn stalks. The story goes that the various colours must be grown together or else there will be few flowers. Much like a family they are stronger when kept together. Excellent as a green snap or dry bean. A drought-tolerant variety.

Cornplanter Purple Bean

An heirloom from the Seneca Indians (also known as Black Snake). Black seeds. The pods turn purple as they mature. A very versatile bean. Young beans can be used as snap beans as well as becoming a very good shellout and dry bean.

Fat Goose Bean

Shocking pink pods at green shellout stage. A dry bean with long brown seeds.

Flagg

Flat and shaped like a lima bean, with black and white streaks. Very productive and cooks quickly for soups and stews. A very good dry climbing bean. Extremely rare. Originated with the Iroquois Indians.

Genuine Cornfield Bean

Also known as Scotia, or Striped Creaseback, or Rattlesnake. A traditional variety cultivated by the Iroquois Indians who used it as a corn soup bean and bread bean. A shade-tolerant variety that is good for growing up corn stalks. A valuable variety for keeping nitrogen in your corn crop. The pods are tender, meaty and keep well. The seed is buff with brown mottles and stripes. Good as a snap or green shellout bean. Produces very well under conditions of high heat.

Gold of Bakau

4-inch pods with 3-4 large grey seeds. Heavy production.

Good Mother Stallard

An heirloom climbing bean from the Midwestern United States. A large oval seed with purple and white colourings. A very productive, drought-resistant variety.

Hidatsa Shield Figure Climbing Bean

An ancient variety that originated with the Hidatsa Indians of the Missouri River Valley of North Dakota. This is one of the most productive dry beans and has an excellent flavour. This is the beautiful bean that inspired our project.

Hopi Beige

Climbing dry bean that yields well. A folkrace variety that was collected from Hotevilla in Hopiland.

Hopi Black Pinto

Heavy yielding climbing beans with black streaks on off-white background.

Hopi Light Yellow

Large, light yellow-beige beans from Hopi Indian collections at Hotevilla. Also called "grease beans", plants are somewhat early-maturing pole beans. High-yielding, with good green beans.

Hopi String Bean

Ancient climbing bean that was used by the Anasazi cliff dwellers at Mesa Verde. Can be used as a green bean, shell-out or as a dry bean. According to Mary Ami (a Hopi lady who runs a produce stand in Hopiland), she said that Hopis always have her send seed of this variety to them, wherever they go.

Indian Hannah Bean

A very rare cutshort bean from the Lenape/Delaware Indian Nation (also known as Lenape Cutshort or Delaware Cutshort). Small tan seed with brown markings, packed tightly into the pods, good yield.

Mayflower Bean

Also known as Amish Knuttle, Colorado River Bean, Flor de Mayo, or Red Nightfall. Beautiful off-white seeds, splashed with maroon colour that looks like it has been spraypainted on. The original seed is said to have arrived in America via the pilgrims on the Mayflower ship in 1620. Used predominantly as a dry bean.

Ohio Pole Bean

An Ohio bean of Native American origin, possibly connected to the Native American Kickapoo tribe around Fort Wayne, in the 1790's. Large pods on disease-resistant, hardy, vigorous vines. The seed is purple with white speckles. Used as a dry bean.

Persian Lima

Small then red seed, very pretty. This is a climbing variety.

Peruvian Goose Bean

A rare heirloom variety. Smooth texture, mild flavour and thin skin. Good for soups, baked beans, and hot dishes. A wax bean with brown and white patterned seeds.

Price's Cherokee

Price Family Cherokee heirloom dating back to the 1830's. Vines, flowers and pods are royal purple. Light cream coloured seeds when dried. Better as a dry bean than a snap bean.

San Luis Potosi Flor de Mayo

Faded purple specks over cream-beige background. Climbing bean from Central Mexico.

Seneka Speckled Bird Egg

Prolific producer of green beans. The dry seed is round and speckled tan. This is a climbing bean.

Snowcap Bean

Seeds are extra large kidney shaped with white bottoms and a top that is rose-beige streaked with brick red. The pattern is retained when cooked. 6” flat green pods, white blossoms. A good soup bean.

Tarahumara Purple

High-yielding climbing bean with gorgeous large, shiny, deep-purple seeds. Sweet taste, smooth texture. This variety produces both white and lilac flowers. From the high arid Mesa de Agostadero, Chihuahua.

Tarahumara Dark Purple

A very unusual deep purple bean, with a few grey and dark red types mixed in. A Climbing bean with dark lilac flowers and colourful pods, from near Panalachi, Chihuahua, Mexico.

Tarahumara Ojo de Cabra

"Goat's Eye". High yielding climbing bean producing large seeds with dark stripes over a speckled light background. A diversely coloured bean with stripes ranging from brown and tan to blue-grey and black.

Tarahumara Purple Star

Large purple and white beans from central and southern Tarahumara country in Chihuahua, Mexico. Purple pattern radiating outward from the seed "eye" across a white background.

Turkey Craw

Vigorous growing climbing bean. Pods are 3.5-4 inches long with 4 to 7 beans. Good for bottling or drying. Beans are frosted buff with brown on one end. The name comes from a story that a hunter shot a turkey and found the seed in its craw. The seed was planted and saved. A green bean that can also be used as a dry bean. Heirloom from Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee.

Yoeme Purple String

A prolific climbing bean from Mexico that can be eaten green or as shelled. Seeds are purple on beige. Plants are heat tolerant.

Zuni Shalako Bean

An unusual heirloom variety from Mexico. Also called the Prairie Appaloosa or Raquel bean. A dry bean.