Esther Beans, free for seed

I had a good friend Esther. When I met her, she was already in her late 80’s. She had retired after 28 years of service in the disturbed ward of the State hospital. She never felt the need to marry and have a man “take care” of her. This in itself tells much about her constitution.

The year we moved in across the street from Esther, I plowed up an area for my garden. Esther came marching over with a handful of big speckled lima bean seeds for me to plant. She told the story of how she and her sister Marge, who also worked at the state hospital, used to vacation together. One year they drove a convertible across the country and down into Mexico. She showed me photos of the trip and they looked like the “Thelma and Louise” of the 60’s. They posed in front of the car with brightly colored kerchiefs on their heads and tight white pants that stopped just above the ankles. Their eyes were hidden behind huge dark sunglasses, but nothing could hide their smiles.

Over coffee, Esther told of how they visited Indian villages in New Mexico, danced with cowboys in Texas and cruised down Hollywood Boulevard in California. They drove their convertible across the border to Mexico and traveled dusty roads to a village where they were told a talented purse maker lived. She showed me the tooled leather purse, now with the pattern nearly worn smooth. They bought sandals and ate tomalleys in the street. They photographed children with goat carts. On their way back to the border, they stopped for fuel and the old man who pumped the gas was shelling dry beans between customers. Neither Marge nor Esther had ever seen beans like them before. The purchased a whole bushel and somehow got them across the border. They sat up long into the night shelling beans in their hotel room and brought them home in a paper sack.

Over the winter Esther ate most of the speckled beans, and when spring came she planted a few just to see if they would grow in our cold northern climate. Not only did they grow, but they flourished and she shared seed with her 6 brothers and sisters. For years, the family gardens produced the speckled Limas and they became a trademark of the family at church suppers and reunions. By the time she passed them onto me, only she and her sister still planted their gardens and grew the beans.

I was touched that she should share them with me and dutifully planted them. The handful of speckled beans produced two or three pounds of beans. We ate some and saved the best for seed every year. A few years ago, Esther had a stroke and was no longer able to live on her own. I watched her garden grow fallow and gradually disappear. Marge followed her into a nursing home soon after and her garden also turned to lawn. I was the last one still growing the Mexican Beans.

Last year, on a brilliant October day, Esther passed away. I thought of her today while I was standing in the sunshine picking the speckled beans. It was a bumper crop this year and with my reduced household, more than we will use. It seemed sad that I was the only one left growing the beans with such a precious history. I thought that perhaps, I would offer the extras for seed to keep her memory alive.

They probably have a proper name, as I have seen a similar variety in seed catalogues, but I prefer to call them Esther Beans. They are large and meaty and have deep red speckles. If they grow in my garden of neglect, then I am sure that they will grow in anyone else’s garden. They are pole limas and easily cover my 6-foot ti-pi poles. Just let me know if anyone is interested. I think Esther would be pleased.

please i would like some beans to plant and keep up the story going please let me know how i may get a hand full and i'll pay postage for them i love the story behind them. cooksterann

What a wonderful story, and how nice of you to keep Esthers seeds alive and growing. May I try a few? I'll keep the story alive with you name added. I can send a SABE.

~Lucy

I'll figure out how much postage will be and let everyone who wants then know. I'm so glad this is happening! jyl

Hi jyl,
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful story, I loved it and would also like to try these and keep the story alive. jlmk how much postage to send.

Connie

Please add my name to the list for some beans. I loved your story and would love to carry on with planting Ester's beans.

Let me know how much postage is.

Brenda

What a wonderful story. I would love some of Esther's speckled beans. I am further south than you and we always have a garden. Linda

i would be honored to plant them here on the farm!

bless her!

hi there
id love to try those beans
dmailing you
pamsue

jyl, I'm still waiting for cost. I D-mailed you.
Has she contacted any of you?
Anxiously waiting,
Linda

jyl............I too would be honored to plant some of her beans on my 200 acres......Let me know how much postage and I will send to you.

Deann

I would love to have some Easter beans. I hope you will let us know how much postage to send. Thank you.

Ok, I got it figured out. It will take three stamps to mail 20 beans. Send the stamps and the beans will be on thier way.

jyl, I just checked the address exchange but your address isn't in it, where do we send the postage to?

Connie

she sent me her addy-if anyone needs it