Verna Shirk

Bush lima. A 2023 favorite! In fact, the evaluation team named their farm truck 'Verna' after this stellar performer. Attractive, large seeds with a red background and dark red mottling. Slightly curved pods measure 4.3-5.1" and average 0.8" wide. 2-4 seeds per pod. White flowers. Fresh limas are earthy and smooth with a hint of sweetness. Highly productive when grown at Heritage Farm. Matures early and continues producing late into the season. Pods hold well on the plants. In 1990, John and Verna Shirk of Leola, Pennsylvania shared seeds of this variety with the Landis Vallley Museum in Lancaster, PA. Verna had originally received the seeds from a friend whose mother grew it. The museum began to grow and maintain this variety within its Heirloom Seed Project. Joanne Ranck-Dirks, coordinator of the project, says this variety is commonly used in a Pennsylvania type of pickle vegetable relish called ‘Chow-chow.” The relish is made with small chopped vegetables like carrots, beans, and corn, which is then made into a sweet pickle and canned. The lima beans entered the SSE seed bank collection in the mid 2000s. SSE Accession # 112814