Phaseolus vulgaris. Black and White. 90 days.
 
Orca / Calypso / Yin Yang beans are so eye-catching people seem to fall in love at first sight. After growing them for a few years, we’re still enamored with these beans. Fat pods and large, round beans are meatier than most dry beans we grow. This strain has been passed on to us through a series of seed stewards, and can be traced back to Secwepemc elder Wolverine William Ignace, who began growing it in the 1990s. In addition to being a dedicated seed saver, Wolverine was a lifelong crusader for indigenous land rights and sovereignty, both internationally and in his native British Columbia, Canada. Into his 80s, Wolverine tended 8 acres of land and through his project, Nourish the Nation, gave away almost the entirety of his harvest to elders in autonomous communities, families, and people defending their traditional territories against devastating extraction projects. Wolverine passed away in 2016. A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this bean will go to support ongoing Secwepemc sovereignty efforts via Tiny House Warriors.
 
Packs of 24 seeds
 
Direct sow 1″ deep May through June in rows that are 1′ apart. Thin seedlings to 3-6″ spacing. Protect early sowings from frost. Stop irrigating in early August. Harvest beans from pods that are fully dry. Shell by hand, by dancing, or by driving on beans spread on a tarp. Winnow to clean. Test for dryness with a hammer – dry beans shatter.
 
Seed Saving
Some cross-pollination may occur, but beans mostly self-pollinate. For more info on growing dry beans, check out our blog post We Love Growing Dry Beans, You Might Too!