Phaseolus vulgaris 80 – 100 days
This heirloom pole bean has an interesting folk story behind it. Sometime during the 1800’s, a hunter, who was an African American slave, shot a turkey and found this bean in it’s craw. He planted it and it grew. He saved the seed, hence the name Turkey Craw. This bean is from the Southern states of Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. It was part of the Wanigan Associates Collection organized by John Withee. I chose this bean for its earliness and dual purpose. It is an excellent, fresh snap bean and works as a dry bean. Perfect for canning or freezing. Plant in spring after all danger of frost has passed. Plant 1″ deep and 2″-6″ apart in well-drained soil. They require full sun. They also work well in a three-sisters planting system, using the corn stalks for the trellis.
Seed Saving: Isolate from other Phaseolus vulgaris varieties 25′ for home use and 100′-150′ for pure seed.