Cornfield, Black

This is a pole bean best eaten dry. The dry beans are closer to a deep purple, rather than black. They are small, round, and plump. They have a strong earthy flavor and are very smooth. The pods are 5-6" long and are green with significant constriction between the seeds. The flowers are pink, though there is no pigment on the stem. This is a late maturing variety. This is one of six bean varieties that Effie (Howard) Neeley (1908-2000) brought to Michigan from Magoffin County, Kentucky in the 1920s shortly after she married. Effie's mother, Suzanne (Wireman) Howard, told her that if she kept them alive, Effie would always be able to feed her family. Effie later shared seeds of this variety in 1985 with her neighbor and SSE member, Richard Bott (MI BO R), while living in Jackson County, Michigan. SSE Accession # 104455