Fall Beans/October Beans

Christa B. · January 2, 2019

Recently I ordered some Fall/October beans. What exactly makes a bean an October bean? From what I have read, some can be harvested as green beans, others are best harvested at maturity. I also read that at one time they were grown more frequently than they are now. I can't really find a clear answer. Is October/Fall when they are usually harvested or something?

January 2, 2019

I’ve never heard of beans called that. Is there any other identification on the package? A scientific name?

Christa B. · January 2, 2019

I ordered them from The Sample Seed Shop, the variety is Red Eye Fall, here is a link to the description http://www.sampleseeds.com/?page_id=3725

I also found this, there are at least several varieties that are considered fall beans.
https://growappalachia.berea.edu/201...l-beans-seeds/

and then I found these for sale.
http://www.heirlooms.org/store/c18/F...ber_Beans.html

Hensaplenty · January 2, 2019

I'm not sure why they are called Fall/October beans. I do know they were grown in the southern Appalachian region. I grew up in western NC and my father grew them. We ate them shelled and cooked like a pinto bean. Delicious! The ones he grew were cream colored with red specks, but turned brown when cooked. Perhaps they are called fall beans because by the time the pods dried on the vines, and it was time to shell them, it was nearing autumn.

PhilaGardener · January 2, 2019

They tend to take off late in the season and bear a really heavy crop that matures in a pretty narrow time window. I've been impressed by their productivity!

Here's a pretty one called Clay Bank Fall that I grew out in 2017:

January 2, 2019

I know these as “shelly” beans as we usually harvested and ate them before the bean turned hard and dry. This year I grew Flambo; really good flavor.

Christa B. · January 3, 2019

Thank you all for your input. So the consensus so far seems to be that they are later maturing varieties. PhilaGardener those are some gorgeous beans!

b54red · January 3, 2019

I usually plant some fall beans but they are only for green beans not for shelling. I grow a French filet type bean because of their flavor.

Bill

January 2, 2019	#1
Christa B. Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Southwest Ohio Posts: 75	Fall Beans/October Beans Recently I ordered some Fall/October beans. What exactly makes a bean an October bean? From what I have read, some can be harvested as green beans, others are best harvested at maturity. I also read that at one time they were grown more frequently than they are now. I can't really find a clear answer. Is October/Fall when they are usually harvested or something?

January 2, 2019	#5
PhilaGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Near Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,940	They tend to take off late in the season and bear a really heavy crop that matures in a pretty narrow time window. I've been impressed by their productivity! Here's a pretty one called Clay Bank Fall that I grew out in 2017: Last edited by PhilaGardener; January 2, 2019 at 07:43 PM. Reason: Added picture

January 2, 2019	#2
PlainJane Guest Posts: n/a	I’ve never heard of beans called that. Is there any other identification on the package? A scientific name?

January 2, 2019	#4
Hensaplenty Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 122	I'm not sure why they are called Fall/October beans. I do know they were grown in the southern Appalachian region. I grew up in western NC and my father grew them. We ate them shelled and cooked like a pinto bean. Delicious! The ones he grew were cream colored with red specks, but turned brown when cooked. Perhaps they are called fall beans because by the time the pods dried on the vines, and it was time to shell them, it was nearing autumn.

January 3, 2019	#7
Christa B. Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Southwest Ohio Posts: 75	Thank you all for your input. So the consensus so far seems to be that they are later maturing varieties. PhilaGardener those are some gorgeous beans!

January 3, 2019	#8
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I usually plant some fall beans but they are only for green beans not for shelling. I grow a French filet type bean because of their flavor. Bill