April 2025 Heirloom Bean and Grain Club
April’s Heirloom Bean and Grain Club highlights three exceptional ingredients with deep historical roots: Organic Mayflower Beans from Blue House Farm, Old Indian Woman Beans from Fifth Crow Farm, and Sea Island Blue Cornmeal from Marsh Hen Mill. Despite its name, the Mayflower Bean didn’t arrive with the Pilgrims but was returned to its ancestral lands, tracing back to ancient Peruvian crops. With its small, square shape and red-speckled pattern, it became a staple among early American colonists. We’re also thrilled to offer one of my favorites, Old Indian Woman Beans, prized for its rich flavor and nearly impossible to find organically grown. Rounding out this month’s selection, Sea Island Blue Cornmeal, milled on Edisto Island, bakes into striking indigo cornbread, preserving the legacy of the Chicora Tribe and Southern food traditions.
Organic Mayflower Beans, Organic Old Indian Woman Beans, Sea Island Blue Cornmeal
THE BEAN ONLY CONTAINS:
Organic Mayflower Beans, Organic Old Indian Woman Beans, Black Garbanzo Beans
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NEW TO THE CLUB? Check out our blogposts with everything you need to know to get the most out of your membership in the heirloom bean and grain club.
How To Cook A Perfect Pot of Beans
The Definitive Guide To Cooking Beans
MAYFLOWER BEANS
It is said that the Mayflower arrived in the US in the 1620s, bringing with it the Mayflower bean. More accurately though, the Mayflower bean was returned to its ancestral lands by the pilgrims. Like all Phaseolus vulgaris,the Mayflower would have originated in the new world, descended from beans cultivated thousands of years ago in Peru. After colonists re-introduced the Mayflower to the Americas, the bean was widely circulated among the colonists of the Carolina region of the country. The Mayflower plant has short pods that hold the small, square shaped beans. The beans are a beautiful creamy color with dark-red speckles.
ABOUT THE FARM
Blue House Farm grows drop dead gorgeous beans from the gorgeous, fertile land in Pescadero and San Gregorio, California. Ryan Casey became interested in farming in college while taking agriculture courses. After completing an apprenticeship at the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems and working on several farms, he decided to start an organic farm. The farm started in 2005 on 2 acres and has steadily grown to over 75 acres in production. Farming in two different microclimates allows Blue House Farm to grow over 50 types of certified organic farm products. Among the lettuce, tomatoes, herbs and peppers Blue House Farm grows excellent organic beans.
WHAT TO DO WITH THEM
These creamy, somewhat earthy beans have a silky texture and a delicious bean broth. They are so divine that they need little more than some garlic, herbs and perhaps a bayleaf to produce a delicious pot of beans. All I need is a loaf of good bread to soak up the mouthwatering pot liquor. That broth makes them perfect for our Mayflower Bean 3 Sisters Stoup or try a vegan twist on my childhood favorite food, Heirloom Bean Pot Pie .
ORGANIC OLD INDIAN WOMAN BEANS
We're so excited to have Old Indian Woman back in the club, also known as Yellow Indian Woman beans. These are some of the most silky, delicious beans you'll find. The flavor is amazing but it's that texture that brings everyone back. My favorite thing to do with these beans is to simply cook them with salt and pepper and a thick slice of lemon peel, then finish with some olive oil (it's even better with this Enzo Lemon Olive Oil). These are maybe the best beans ever for a simple pot of beans or a soup.
LEMONY OLD INDIAN WOMAN BEANS WITH GOAT CHEESE
Silky smooth beans cooked with lemon peel are combined with parsley and lemon olive oil before being topped with bits of goat cheese for this summer favorite. We love it with a crusty bread to sop of all of the lemony goodness. Serve this chilled bean salad as a side dish or a vegetarian main dish with some crusty bread. It's amazing with a chilled glass of Sancerre or Sauvignon Blanc.
ABOUT THE FARMER
Fifth Crow Farms is an organic family owned farm in Pescadero, California. Grounded in a values-based approach to land stewardship, Fifth Crow Farm is a dynamic and diversified organic farm in Pescadero, CA. Founded in 2008 with a shoestring budget, a supportive local community, and ambitious dreams, they strive to bring eaters the highest quality, best tasting, and most nutritious food possible.
Fifth Crow Farm wants their farm to be more than a business: they strive to make it an engine for positive change in the food system. They are stewarding the land in a way that not only respects but improves habitat for wildlife and builds better soil for future farmers. They also believe in creating a healthy, fulfilling, and fair work environment, and providing their customers with the best tasting, most nutritious, highest quality food possible.
SEA ISLAND BLUE CORNMEAL
Varieties of blue corn have been revered by many different peoples for their taste as well as for ceremonial corn. Some believe that Sea Island Blue Corn was used as a ceremonial crop by the Chicora Tribe that inhabited the Sea Islands of South Carolina. Luckily this heritage grain has found new life thanks to the family owned farm, Marsh Hen Mill. This beautiful cornmeal is a fine grind close to flour and bakes into an indigo cornbread. Greg Johnsman mills each batch on Edisto Island keeping in mind the history and connection with the land. Their Sea Island Blue Grits won the Good Food Award in 2022. This finer grind of the same corn is a delight to cook with and we know you'll love it as much as we do.
WHAT TO DO WITH IT
Who doesn't want cornbread and chili in the fall? The Sea Island Blue Cornmeal makes arguably one the finest blue cornmeal ever. Of course this delicious cornmeal is also fantastic for blue corn pancakes, cornbread muffins and it makes a great batter for seafood. We're excited to try Bobby Flay's recipe for Blue Corn Fried Chicken with Ancho Honey!
ABOUT THE FARMER
Greg Johnsman is passionate about preserving traditional Southern foodways on the South Carolina Sea Islands. He and his wife Betsy farm and mill heirloom ingredients at Marsh Hen Mill on Edisto Island, where Betsy's family has farmed for generations. In addition to Sea Island Red Peas, Greg grows Carolina Gold Rice and Jimmy Red Corn on their Sea Island farm and mills the finest cornmeal and grits around on his ancient milling equipment from the 1940s.
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