July '23 Heirloom Bean & Grain Club

THE BEAN AND GRAIN BOX CONTAINS:

Organic Brown Tepary Beans, Organic Old Indian Woman Beans, Lakota Popcorn

THE BEAN ONLY CONTAINS:

Organic Brown Tepary Beans, Organic Old Indian Woman Beans, Jacob's Cattle Beans

ORGANIC TEPARY BEANS

The tepary bean has been handed down for countless generations amongst the Akimel O’Odham (River People, Pima) people and the Tohono O’Odham (Desert People). It is native to the Sonoran Desert and has been cultivated by the indigenous people of the region for 4,000 years.The bavi or tepary bean, is the most drought adapted species of bean in the world. 

Tepary beans are culturally very important to indigenous people of Southern and Central Arizona. It is said that the Tohono O’Odham, once referred to as Papago, were named after Papavi Kuadam which means ‘tepary eaters’. The tepary bean was once a large part of the indigenous diet in the Sonoran Desert, farmed in abundance along the Gila river. The reservation system caused a loss of traditional farming traditions and in the later 1800s the river was dammed and diverted with devastating effects. By the 1950s the tepary had all but disappeared. Due to the efforts of Ramona Farms the Akimel O'Odham people once again grow the tepary bean on their tribal land. 

WHAT TO DO WITH THEM

With their earthy flavor and creamy texutre, brown tepary beans make are an excellent choice for everything from salads to spreads. This simple recipe for Tepary Beans On Toast makes a fantastic lunch, snack or appetizer for those days when you don't want to spend much time in the kitchen. Brown Tepary make an excellent substitution for Arikara in this Hominy Bean Salad. Make a simple pot of beans to serve with some grilled Tri-Tip for the California experience. Of course your tepary bean experience would not be complete without an indigenous recipe by The Souix Chef, Shawn Sherman. We are head over heals for his tepary beans with chili agave glaze. 

ABOUT THE FARMER

We are honored that Ramona is sharing with us the food traditions of her tribe, the Akimel O'Odham (Gila River Pima) Community. Ramona's father, Francisco ‘Chiigo’ Smith, an O’dham farmer, grew many traditional crops on the Gila River Indian Reservation in Arizona. Her mother was an herbalist and traditional healer. Together they taught Ramona the value of their traditional foods  and way of life. She continued the traditions with her own family, farming on this ancestral land with her husband.

In the late 1970’s, some community elders asked Ramona and her husband us to grow the Bafv (tepary bean), which had nearly become extinct due to the lack of water that put many of the local subsistence farmers out of business. They discovered that her father had left a few seeds of the white and brown tepary beans in glass jars in a trunk in the old adobe house that she grew up in. They knew that it was to become their mission to ‘bring the bafv back’ to the community. 

The tepary bean is part of the Slow Food Ark of Taste and its roots go back thousands of years in our native foodways. The remains of the tepary have been found in archeological sites in Mexico that are 5,000 years old and it has been grown in what is now California and Arizona for thousands of years. This incredibly hearty bean was a staple food source for Native American tribes who cultivated it to survive in the incredibly arid conditions. 

It is through Ramona's tireless efforts that we can now enjoy this delicious part of our American cultural heritage and honor the traditions of the Akimel O'Odham people and their ancestors that have cared for the land for generations. 

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.

LAKOTA YELLOW POPCORN

Summer is the perfect time for popcorn and camp fires so we're featuring this delicious yellow popcorn grown and harvested by The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe in South Dakota.  

Popcorn has been an important part of Native American traditions from South America to the Great Lakes for thousands of years. The oldest popcorn known to date was found in New Mexico, carbon dated to be approximately over 5,000 years old. Some tribes threw popcorn directly in the fire and collected the popped kernels off the ground, others popped them in clay pots, some popped them on the cob over the fire.

Shawn Sherman, The Souix Chef, served popcorn sprinkled with sumac and smoked salt in his award winning indigenous cuisine food truck. Sherman is a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe, part of the great Souix nation or the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (meaning "Seven Council Fires").

ABOUT THE FARM

Nestled on the fertile banks of the Missouri River...there is a land as pure as the harvest it produces. Pure air, big blue skies, and an abundance of water has nourished the land and blessed the people of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe. Here the Lakota people invite you to experience a richly unique taste and flavor of popcorn. This delicacy is descended from the very corn grown and popped around Tribal campfires for generations.