September 2024 Heirloom Bean and Grain Club

Welcome to the September edition of the Bean and Grain Club, where we're diving into the rich history of ancient beans and grains that have stood the test of time. This month’s box is a treasure trove of organic goodness, starting with the legendary Mayflower Bean, believed to have journeyed across the Atlantic with the first colonists. Then, we take a step further back in time with Organic Black Garbanzo Beans, a variety that dates back to the dawn of agriculture in Mesopotamia. Finally, we round out the selection with the award-winning Organic Einka Lentils, featuring one of the earliest cultivated grains, einkorn. These heirloom gems are not just ingredients; they’re a healthy connection to the roots of our shared food heritage.

Organic Mayflower Beans, Organic Black Garbanzo Beans, Organic Einka Lentils

THE BEAN ONLY CONTAINS:

Organic Mayflower Beans, Organic Black Garbanzo Beans, Organic Old Indian Woman 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. 

Welcome To Beantopia

How To Cook A Perfect Pot of Beans

The Definitive Guide To Cooking Beans

Bean Recipes

ORGANIC 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 Heirloom Bean Pot Pie or Miso Brothy Beans And Cabbage. 

ORGANIC BLACK GARBANZO BEANS

You can substitute the black chickpeas for regular chickpeas in all of your recipes. They are black on the outside but the inside is tan colored so for our hummus noir (which we love to make every year for Halloween) we use black tahini to enhance the color for a more goth effect.  We also love this delicious moroccan stew recipe for fall nights. Black chickpeas are contrasted with tomatoes and wilted spinach for a dish that is striking to look at and positively addictive to eat. It's so easy to throw together and freezes well.  We're also obsessed over this recipe for this super easy Sweet Potato and Black Garbanzo Bean Hash for brunch. Make it with vegan chorizo for plant-based deliciousness that has everyone asking for more.

Have you tried our recipe for the crispy black garbanzo fritters? These crispy, spicy bean cakes make an amazing appetizer served with a drizzle of za'atar and lemon yogurt sauce. This recipe is an adaptation of a genius recipe by the incredibly talented  Yewande Komolafe and published in the New York Times. Her use of cornstarch to give these bean cakes their crispy texture is nothing short of brilliant.

ABOUT THE FARMER

Small Town Specialties is a family owned and operated business.  In the early days, kids played at the wearhouse while mom and dad packaged orders. Today, the younger kids are often on the farm and help with irrigation, while their older daughter works with packaging at the warehouse. Allen and Kendral are passionate about bringing you Non GMO, and Gluten-free products directly from their farm.  What started with just a handful of beans, years later has turned into a flourishing crop.

ORGANIC EINKA LENTILS

Wholesome ancient grains and delicate French Lentils come together for a Good Food Award Winning combination that elevates the weeknight side dish to gourmet.  A blend of sweet, nutty einkorn and rich peppery legumes, it will take you on a culinary journey of simple wholesome flavors commonplace centuries ago. 

Einkorn, a German word meaning ‘single grain’, is one of the oldest cereal grains to be cultivated by man for human consumption and is believed to have been domesticated around 7500 BC. Once the primary grain of in the UK it fell out of favor in the Bronze Age and almost disappeared until being rediscovered by small farms and artisanal bakers just a decade ago. 

ABOUT BLUEBIRD GRAIN FARMS

Bluebird Grain Farms’ mission is to cultivate and mill the most irresistible, nutrient-rich ancient grains they can while leaving this land healthier for the next generation. In 2004 Sam and Brook started Bluebird Grain Farms as a husband and wife team because they could not find locally grown organic grains in the Pacific Northwest. Bluebird’s founding principles in soil health, nutrition, and agroecology are being expanded as they partner with like-minded “tried and true” organic grain farmers who share their founding principals of growing food for soil health and optimal nutrition.