Rockwell Bean

ginger2778 · March 5, 2016

Has anyone here grown this? It is the Whidbey Island bean, local and specific to whidbey Island, WA. Supposed to be a bush type drying bean that you cook with bacon and brown sugar and onion, sort of baked bean style. I only saw one place to buy them, $14/lb, and they were out. They are in the Slow Foids Ark of Taste registry as a rare bean. My friend gave me a package of them. Opinions?

AlittleSalt · March 5, 2016

Marsha, sometimes you see a word and it rings a bell. You don't know why, but it just does: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YvAYIJSSZY

I have never heard of the Rockwell bean. Sounds interesting though.

coldframer · March 18, 2016

Ha! That video was a HOOT! Haven't heard that one for a long time. Thx! Hee-hee...

Zeedman · March 6, 2016

In spite of living on Whidbey Island in the 70's, I never heard of it either... but then, I lived in Oak Harbor, on the opposite end of the island. Supposedly, it was originally brought to Whidbey Island from Maine in the late 1800's. It is listed by two members of the Seed Savers Exchange, though, and also sold commercially by this source: http://uprisingorganics.com/vegetabl...kwell-397.html
It sounds like a bean that is well adapted to cool weather, not sure how well it would do in the warmer, more humid conditions of the sunshine state. If you grow it, Marsha, keep us posted.

PhilaGardener · March 6, 2016

Yes, sounds like an interesting experiment!

henry · March 6, 2016

This site seems to have them.
http://chefshop.com/Willowood-Farm-R...ied-P7985.aspx

ginger2778 · March 6, 2016

They are already up. Seeds were sown about 5 weeks ago, they have a bush habit, are about 6 inches tall, and really loaded with blossoms. So far, they are liking our cool not so humid winter.

ginger2778 · March 6, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by henry

This site seems to have them.
http://chefshop.com/Willowood-Farm-R...ied-P7985.aspx

Yes, I found them too. $14 for a pound, plus shipping! I wonder if my friend knew she was sending me such a rare thing?

March 5, 2016	#1
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	Rockwell Bean Has anyone here grown this? It is the Whidbey Island bean, local and specific to whidbey Island, WA. Supposed to be a bush type drying bean that you cook with bacon and brown sugar and onion, sort of baked bean style. I only saw one place to buy them, $14/lb, and they were out. They are in the Slow Foids Ark of Taste registry as a rare bean. My friend gave me a package of them. Opinions?

March 6, 2016	#6
henry Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Midway B.C. Canada Posts: 311	This site seems to have them. http://chefshop.com/Willowood-Farm-R...ied-P7985.aspx __________________ Henry

March 5, 2016	#2
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	Marsha, sometimes you see a word and it rings a bell. You don't know why, but it just does: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YvAYIJSSZY I have never heard of the Rockwell bean. Sounds interesting though.

March 18, 2016	#3
coldframer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Montana Posts: 38	Ha! That video was a HOOT! Haven't heard that one for a long time. Thx! Hee-hee...

March 6, 2016	#4
Zeedman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 313	In spite of living on Whidbey Island in the 70's, I never heard of it either... but then, I lived in Oak Harbor, on the opposite end of the island. Supposedly, it was originally brought to Whidbey Island from Maine in the late 1800's. It is listed by two members of the Seed Savers Exchange, though, and also sold commercially by this source: http://uprisingorganics.com/vegetabl...kwell-397.html It sounds like a bean that is well adapted to cool weather, not sure how well it would do in the warmer, more humid conditions of the sunshine state. If you grow it, Marsha, keep us posted.

March 6, 2016	#5
PhilaGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Near Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,940	Yes, sounds like an interesting experiment!