Hello from the Sunshine Coast, BC

Let's get to know each other a little better.
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Petitgris
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Joined: Wed 19-Jan-2022, 09:50

Hi Everyone,

I live on a 1/4 acre home site in suburbia edged with backyard forest, so deer, black bear and coyotes pass through.

I started growing food about 20 years ago, implementing a Permaculture design about 10 years ago. There is a small food forest/apple orchard and lots of annual beds.

I'm also an avid seed saver, belong to a seed saving collective and coordinate a seed saving library at the local public library. I like to encourage my seed saving community to save really old bean varieties our Collective was gifted from the Dutch Seed Bank. "Petit Gris" is one bean variety from France that I grew last year.
Danoost
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Welcome!

I'm assuming that's a dry bean?... Can you tell us what makes it special.

Dry beans is something that more of us need to start growing. Great storage food.
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Andrew
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Welcome to the course! Seed saving is a fantastic practice and I'm glad to hear its a live and well on the Coast!
Petitgris
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed 19-Jan-2022, 09:50

Hi Dan and Andrew,

Thanks for the welcome.

Dan, yes, the Petit Gris is a dry bean. But can be eaten as a "mange-tout" as well early on. Why special? It is an old rare variety from 19th century in Normandy, France that almost disappeared for half a century and was revived by amateur gardeners. The seeds look unusual - small, round, and coloured grey with a brown ringed hilum.The pods are different looking too - plump. Excellent culinary quality and significantly productive. They have twinning stems and grow up to 12' on the Coast.

Also, the first harvest here produced a variant bean plant with brown seeds. Dan Jason from Salt Spring Seeds who gave us the seeds, called it "a sport". He encouraged us to grow it out. The result was a whole lot of different bean plants and different coloured beans. The variants will be grown out this year and we are excited to see what will happen again. It's an adventure!
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