Just bought 160 of these from La Boîte à Graines for £20.79 which is not
so bad. No trouble with shipping, in fact, surprisingly quick.

Rather more than I wanted but could not find a UK supplier, but perhaps
these are more "authentic".

I thought as our summers seem to be getting more southern this might be
a good move, and my runner beans last year were a flop. I'll try them
again this year, but nice to have something in reserve, and the new
beans can be dried.

On 07/02/2023 08:17, Bill Davy wrote:
> Just bought 160 of these from La Boîte à Graines for £20.79 which is not
> so bad.  No trouble with shipping, in fact, surprisingly quick.
>
> Rather more than I wanted but could not find a UK supplier, but perhaps
> these are more "authentic".
>
> I thought as our summers seem to be getting more southern this might be
> a good move, and my runner beans last year were a flop.  I'll try them
> again this year, but nice to have something in reserve, and the new
> beans can be dried.

Can't think why any beans can't be dried. I always used to dry my
'missed' runners french beans &c which had hidden amongst the foliage
and grown too stringy to be palatable in pod. Most dried beans should be
well-cooked (eg, like red kidney beans, black beans) 'cos they're
slightly poisonous otherwise.

--
Rusty Hinge
To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

In article <k4efpaF5992U1@mid.individual.net>,
Bill@XchelSys.co.uk says...
>
> Just bought 160 of these from La Boîte à Graines for £20.79 which is not
> so bad. No trouble with shipping, in fact, surprisingly quick.
>
> Rather more than I wanted but could not find a UK supplier, but perhaps
> these are more "authentic".
>
> I thought as our summers seem to be getting more southern this might be
> a good move, and my runner beans last year were a flop. I'll try them
> again this year, but nice to have something in reserve, and the new
> beans can be dried.

My runner beans were poor last year too (a white
flowered variety that was slow to take off, late to
flower, and only a middling crop).

I just bought my seeds for this year and have
returned to Red Emperor, trusty old stalwart. We always
eat them as green beans.

My grandfather saved the seeds from year to year and as a
child, one of my evening tasks was to sort through the dry
seeds and pick out the best-looking ones for sowing.
Can't remember what happened to the dry bean rejects but I
don't think we ate them

Janet

In article <trtaua$3muki$1@dont-email.me>,
RustyHinge <rusty.hinge@foobar.girolle.co.uk> wrote:
>On 07/02/2023 08:17, Bill Davy wrote:
>> Just bought 160 of these from La Boîte à Graines for £20.79 which is not
>> so bad.  No trouble with shipping, in fact, surprisingly quick.
>>
>> Rather more than I wanted but could not find a UK supplier, but perhaps
>> these are more "authentic".
>>
>> I thought as our summers seem to be getting more southern this might be
>> a good move, and my runner beans last year were a flop.  I'll try them
>> again this year, but nice to have something in reserve, and the new
>> beans can be dried.

No, that's not the case (about our summers). Our weather is getting
less predictable and a slight increase in average temperature does
not necessarily mean fewer poor summers. People were talking about
of mild winters, but this one has been coldish (-10 here, on several
nights, and multiple days with the ground not thawing).

But go for the beans, by all means. Most Phaseolus vulgaris will
grow here in most summers, and all dry.

>Can't think why any beans can't be dried. I always used to dry my
>'missed' runners french beans &c which had hidden amongst the foliage
>and grown too stringy to be palatable in pod. Most dried beans should be
>well-cooked (eg, like red kidney beans, black beans) 'cos they're
>slightly poisonous otherwise.

I have dried broad beans, Borlotti beans, Trail of Tears, Shiny
Fardenlosa, Greek Gigantes and runner beans. All have cooked well.
Actually, red kidney are more than slightly poisonous, and they need
10 minutes at 100 Celsius to destroy the toxin. Much less than to
cook them, but they need boiling for that time before being put in a
slow cooker. Broad beans have very little toxin.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On Tue, 7 Feb 2023 11:53:04 Janet wrote:

>In article <k4efpaF5992U1@mid.individual.net>,
>Bill@XchelSys.co.uk says...
>>
>> Just bought 160 of these from La Boîte à Graines for £20.79 which is not
>> so bad. No trouble with shipping, in fact, surprisingly quick.
>>
>> Rather more than I wanted but could not find a UK supplier, but perhaps
>> these are more "authentic".
>>
>> I thought as our summers seem to be getting more southern this might be
>> a good move, and my runner beans last year were a flop. I'll try them
>> again this year, but nice to have something in reserve, and the new
>> beans can be dried.
>
> My runner beans were poor last year too (a white
>flowered variety that was slow to take off, late to
>flower, and only a middling crop).
>
> I just bought my seeds for this year and have
>returned to Red Emperor, trusty old stalwart. We always
>eat them as green beans.
>
>My grandfather saved the seeds from year to year and as a
>child, one of my evening tasks was to sort through the dry
>seeds and pick out the best-looking ones for sowing.
>Can't remember what happened to the dry bean rejects but I
>don't think we ate them

I eat mine. I treat them like broad beans, that is, I take the skins
off after having given them a quick soak in boiling water before cooking
them. It's worth the effort because they have a wonderful flavour.

David

--
David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK

On 07/02/2023 08:17, Bill Davy wrote:
> Just bought 160 of these from La Boîte à Graines for £20.79 which is not
> so bad.  No trouble with shipping, in fact, surprisingly quick.
>
> Rather more than I wanted but could not find a UK supplier, but perhaps
> these are more "authentic".
>
> I thought as our summers seem to be getting more southern this might be
> a good move, and my runner beans last year were a flop.  I'll try them
> again this year, but nice to have something in reserve, and the new
> beans can be dried.
>

One of the Madieran plot holders on our site (we have a few) grows
drying beans every year quite successfully.
--
Regards
Bob Hobden

In article <ts19uv$cc8d$2@dont-email.me>,
Bob Hobden <hobdens@btinternet.com> wrote:
>On 07/02/2023 08:17, Bill Davy wrote:
>> Just bought 160 of these from La Boîte à Graines for £20.79 which is not
>> so bad.  No trouble with shipping, in fact, surprisingly quick.
>>
>> Rather more than I wanted but could not find a UK supplier, but perhaps
>> these are more "authentic".
>>
>> I thought as our summers seem to be getting more southern this might be
>> a good move, and my runner beans last year were a flop.  I'll try them
>> again this year, but nice to have something in reserve, and the new
>> beans can be dried.
>
>One of the Madieran plot holders on our site (we have a few) grows
>drying beans every year quite successfully.

Until the last couple of years, I did. It's pretty easy. The most
difficult aspect is when they ripen late (e.g. borlotti or gigantes)
and need picking when ripe but not dry, and drying under cover to avoid
rotting. Some varieties ripen earlier and don't need that.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.