Hi Remy, I have them but haven't grown them yet. Comments from Seeds of Diversity members state it has been used as a snap. Let me know what you think of it, maybe I'll plant some next year.

Annette

Here is a link that might be useful: Aunt Jean's Beans

Thank you Annette! That was way more info than I could find. I'll try some as a snap and let you know.
Remy

Aftermidnight,thanks for the link, I would like to to a member.

My husband and I did a taste test last night. We cooked them separate.
He liked the Jiminez beans (to the left) better.
I liked the Aunt Jean's (to the right) better, lol.
Both are stringless. So Aunt Jean's can be nice and plump without having to deal with strings. I'm not sure how plump Jiminez can get and stay stringless.
The Jiminez beans are really big. They make the plate look small, but that is a regular sized Corelle dinner plate.
Remy

Thanks for the update and the picture, so Aunt Jean's can be left until the beans start to fill the pod and they're still tender, good to know.
I'm growing Jiminez for the first time this year I only had a few seeds so will be leaving most of them for seed but hopefully there'll be enough for a wee taste.

Annette

Thank you Remy for the report and great photo. Many snaps make strings by the time they start to turn yellow and Aunt Jean's does not. Maybe I can use them to help my family to enjoy this type of bean.

I grow Fortex and several other snaps for my family to enjoy in August but am looking forward to the time when Tennessee Cutshort, Tobacco Worm and the greasy beans plump up. They all have to be de-stringed and they sometimes fall apart during cooking, unlike Aunt Jean's.

Two of the most active SSE members offer aunt Jean's. One of them says: "very pretty, half red and half white seed, 6 per pod, very productive, great flavor as a snap and also as a soup bean."

The other says says "seeds are white with large maroon eye, 6 seeds per pod, easy to shell, great soup bean, delicious bacon-like taste, originally from Ray & Betty Wade in Woodinville, WA."

Betty used to be an active bean grower and seed sharer here until she had to reduce her garden size. I am growing out one variety she sent me and I will have to see if Aunt Jean's was in the collection she sent. - Dick

You're welcome :)

Annette,
I hope you get lots of Jiminez beans so you can taste some. It is a very productive bean here. This is the second time I've grown it, and I'm quite please with it. I do know your conditions out there are way different than here though!

Dick,
"bacon-like taste" lol, I think that is stretching it a bit, but I did enjoy the flavor.
It is a pretty bean. This yea is that type of color combo bean here. I'm also growing Red and White Fall and Red Eye Greasy. Must of been the mood I was in this spring, lol.
Red Eye Greasy has lots of nice plump pods, but they will need to be destringed and yes, fall apart.
Remy

Perhaps he dries them in a smoke house!

Another SSE member who offers over 300 bean varieties made this comment about Jiminez/Jeminez/Jimenez: "I never saw a more food-giving plant, the thick meaty romano type pods are scrumptious, even when a bit overgrown (they have reddish streaks), the deluge continues all season & no way can you keep up with it, but not to worry, the gone-bys (or dare we say "has-beans") make terrific shell beans, or if you're still overwhelmed, leave them for dry beans, sort of like a fat pinto with a purplish blush, we grow them on a double-leaning trellis but equally well on sunflowers if the sunflowers have a two-week head start."

I grew them in the short and cool summer of 2008 and they did ok here but I was not able to save seed as they were not started in pots. They have a reputation of crossing easily. - Dick

Remy, where I have my Jiminez planted they should be safe from crossing they're out front growing on my neighbors carport, well ya just gotta do what ya gotta do :).
The 5 plants have quite a few beans on them so it looks like we will get a taste, they sure are a pretty bean lots of color on mine. I have to water these every day, they're in a pretty hot spot and the soil dries out quickly.
By the way I've seen this bean spelled several different ways, does anyone know which is the correct spelling?

Annette

Annette,
I have a habit of spelling it different on different days, lol. I think the correct spelling is actually Jeminez, but don't quote me!
I like how you have taken over the neighbor's carport.

Dick,
That is a nice description of Jeminez. I'm still partial to Jembo Polish though. It is also a strong grower, and great producer. The flavor is better for me. But of course everyone is different in that regard.
Remy

Aunt Jean's is the first bean on my 2013 list so far.

I have an update.
I forgot to write that I harvest dry beans from Aunt Jean's like 2 weeks ago. For me that is a record of a bean plant producing and making dry seed. I'm especially surprised because of the heat we had this summer which slowed down production of most all my beans. I wouldn't say though that it has been a heavy harvest from Aunt Jean's, but in a better year, it might be really good.
Oh, I planted my beans out from pots into the garden about a week into June.
Remy

Last night I got a call from Betty Wade who offered Aunt Jean's at SSE years ago. So I read her some of these posts. She was very intereted and said that she had never tried them as a snap but she would. She always used them dried. She commented on how early they are and she said something about them going from plump to dry rather quickly.

Then she mentioned that there is something interesing about the dried beans. She said that they taste a bit like bacon.....

Cool DrLoyd! Yes, they did dry fast, faster than any other bean I've seen so far.
Lol, about the bacon.
Remy

Just going through some of the beans I received in recent trades I came across a look a like "Aunt Jean's" with the name "Pea Bean", don't have many seeds so hoping to grow next year to compare with AJ's.
The information I've been able to ferret out on the "PB" so far, it's a bean best picked at about 3" for green beans stringless when young, can also be used as a shelly or dried. I gathered the info from a couple of different spots on the internet so whether they're referring to the same bean or something different I don't know. Other names I've come across are "Climbing Pea Bean", "Inca Pea Bean" and "Majorcan Pea Bean" these last two names I think refer to the same bean. Apparently the "Majorcan" is one of the earliest beans ever cultivated in Europe. Here's a picture of the "Pea Bean" and "Aunt Jean's" side by side. "Aunt Jean's" on the left. Could they be the same bean ?
Annette

Do you have enouogh to cook a few to see if they taste like bacon? ;-)

Nope, when I say a few I mean a few, what you see is all I have :).

They look slightly different to me. But the difference could possibly be accounted for by different growing conditions, different harvesting time or other factors.

Jim

Jim, you could be right there are so many "looks like's" around with minuscule differences but are definitely different varieties. What got me wondering is there is next to no information out there on "Aunt Jean's" and one can find quite a bit on "Pea Beans". I intend to grow both next year, whether I'll be able to see any differences is questionable. It might take a more experienced grower than I am to actually know for sure.
Looking at Remy's picture of "Aunt Jean's" I noticed some of them showed only three beans in them, searching the web I found a picture of "Pea Bean" pods open with only three beans in them, whether that's the norm for this bean we'll have to wait and see unless someone who has actually grown the "Pea Bean" can chime in here with more info.
It's amazing what I can find when it's pouring outside and I'm stuck in the house. I think my DH is very sorry he ever showed me how to use a computer LOL.

Annette

The bean pic of Aunt Jean's looks alot like Red Calypso. The description in Annette's link (of 1.5m vines) is what I've seen with Red Calypso, a half-runner, not a pole.

Gary

My source for "Aunt Jean's" (Prairie Garden Seeds) has them listed as pole beans it doesn't say how tall they grow, Remy if you're around how tall did your "Aunt Jean's" grow?

Annette

Tormato, There is no 2013 listing for Aunt Jean's in the SSE Yearbook yet. In the past is has been listed as a pole snap by a number of people and separately as a pole dry bean with just a couple entries. Out of the many who have offered it, only two ever commented on the vine length. One California member said it was 4-7 feet. The other in Illinois said 8+ feet.

There are mamy who have offered Red Calypso as a bush dry bean. A couple mentioned that it was a half runner and one said that it had long vines and he had no idea where the bush idea came from. None ever said anything about using them for snaps.

Then there is the bacon test. One illinois grower offers both Aunt Jean's as a pole snap with dry seeds that taste like bacon and he also offers Red Calypso as a bush dry beans with no mention of bacon. ;D

Annette,
They are a pole. They are not as tall and vigorous as say Jeminez, but I would not consider them half-runners. They went to the top of poles I had them on and over so 6-7'. I checked Victory Seed's description of Red Calypso "The plants reach fifteen inches with short runners but are strong. The pods contain four to five seeds which are maroonish-red and white with maroonish-red dots in the white part of the seed. Harvest young as a snap bean and after about ninety days for dry use. Similar in markings to 'Beautiful' beans but smaller." According to that I would say they are are not the same.
Your Pea beans and Aunt Jean's do look very similar. The coloration difference could be because of age. Beans grown at the same time would be the best way to judge the color really.
Remy

Remy, more than likely it's just a lookalike but I'll grow grow a sample side by side for comparison next year and post the results here.

Annette

Red Calypso grows 3 1/2 to about 4 1/2 feet in my garden. Sounds like Aunt Jean's (7 to 8+ feet) is a different variety.

Remy,

As for Jeminez, for me, it grows to a minimum of 12 feet every year. Some years I give up on attempting to measure it. My teepees are 10 feet tall, and Jeminez can climb to the top, and almost back down to the ground in a perfect growing year. :)

Gary

The Aunt' Jean's has turned out to be a very good snap bean. Vines are up to 10 feet long and some of the pods are yellow and fat with mature seeds. Those are the earliest mature pole beans here. Even at that stage the delicious snaps are tender and string free. With our cooler summers, the average pod contains about 5 seeds and they may be a bit longer than the ones in Remy's photo. We had a mess of the mature and maturing pods last night along with some mature Anellino Giallo and some less mature North Carolina Speckled Long Greasy Cutshort. I liked Aunt Jeans the best! - Dick

I picked and steamed the last of the yellow and rubbery Aunt Jean's last night. They had survived all the torrential rains. They still had fine texture and flavor. Shellies in the hull. DW commented on how much she liked them. There was perhaps a hint of bacon....

Aunt Jean's turned out to be a favorite snap and I plan to plant a very early row this week and another in July.

The first record of this bean that I can find is when local gardener Betty Wade shared it with SSE members. I asked her where she got it and she said it came from SSE. SSE people do not seem to have record of where they got it.

Anyone know any more about it? - Dick

All I've found so far is Seeds of Diversity have it listed as endangered, distribution poor.

Currently propagated by Seeds of Diversity's seed-savers.
Available from only a few mail-order seed companies. Very difficult to find.
Not maintained by the Canadian gene bank.
Not maintained by the U.S. gene bank.

Annette

Thank you Annette. I have not seen it for sale anywhere. Betty Wade told me she only eats snap beans raw so she has no idea how good this one is.

Prairie Garden Seeds in Canada has them listed, I don't know off hand if anyone else up my way sells them.

Annette

Here is a link that might be useful: Prairie Garden Seeds

Thank you.

I started a very early trellis of these the beginning of May, and a late trellis last weekend. There are small beans on the early vines. Very unusual for here.

I am still hoping someone will come up with some history. A bean bean this good must be from Appalachia! - Dick

I'm growing these for the first time thanks to drloyd. They were the first pole beans I picked this season, only a week or two later than the bush beans I put in for some early beans. I was surprised to find lots of pods at the bottom of the plants. Some were only 6 inches from the ground. Most of my pole beans do not get pods so low. The vines are not as filled out with leaves as other varieties I'm growing, but there are plenty of pods.

We have enjoyed several meals of young snap beans from the plants. I've stopped picking for now so I'll have seed to save and so we can try full beans....which we have never tried before. I'm at a loss to know when they are "full"? When the pods are really bumpy with large seeds? When the pods get rubbery and begin to change color? Mine are not that far along yet, but I'd like to try them at the best possible full stage....just don't know what that might be. Also, I am thinking that with full beans you eat the pod and the well developed bean seeds all together. Is that right? I feel so clueless :) Oh, and how long would I cook them?

I consider them full when the seeds are full size and start to develop color. They do show bumps. They are ideal when they start to turn yellow all the way up to starting to dry. They do not develop strings. Yes, pod and all like shellies in a wrapper.

We steam them on a steamer rack and I put them on to cook 40 minutes before planned meal time. They do require longer cooking time than Fortex type of beans.

They were our earliest full bean and we have had some meals from our high risk May 1 trellis. I also have a second batch planted early July for September and October use. - Dick

Here is a link that might be useful: Full Beans

Some of the Aunt Jeans are turning yellow along one edge and they were sooooo good! Interesting that Red Eye Fall also ripens the same way though they are way behind.

Guess I better leave mine alone for a few more days. The pods are bulging with large seeds, but I'm not seeing any yellow yet. Good thing there are other varieties to eat as snaps while waiting. And I gotta be sure to leave some for next year's seed, too.

Tobacco Worm is coming along nicely, too. I'm leaving them to get full, also. I noticed they also had pods near the ground. Now I'm wondering if that is something I didn't remember from past years, or if it is related to growing conditions this year, or if it is the varieties I'm growing this season. Mostly, I'm just glad all the beans are growing great this year. No Japanese beetles to speak of, unlike two years ago when they chewed up the pole beans. And no extremely hot weather like some years that shuts down pod set in mid summer. Eggplants and peppers are behind, but the beans love it!

We are enjoying fully mature yellow pods and those started in early July are loaded with blossoms.

I think I finally figured out why my Aunt Jean's are so much longer than Remy's. It is a fall bean that is best planted late for fall harvest in most parts of the country. Here in the PNW our summers are mild and fall beans do well planted early. - Dick

Didn't know they could be used as other than a dry bean. I made my first soup with them a couple days ago. Don't know if I would call the flavor baconlike, but they were really tasty. And the color survives cooking, so they're pretty too. Another thing I noticed was the beans produced almost no foam, so I didn't have to skim them. I'm not sure yet whether that makes them gasless or not (since I'd already had a bean soup the previous night) but I'm hopeful.

I seasoned them with beef bouillon, thyme, salt, pepper, and a little cider vinegar. Added leeks, carrots, celery, and kale. (The kale was a leftover, precooked in honey and cider vinegar.) I will use onions instead next time -- usually I treat leeks & onions as interchangeable, but this combination brought out a sweetness in them that didn't blend well with the flavor of the beans.

The one problem I had was that the beans took a variable amount of time to break dormancy when I soaked them -- anywhere from 12 to 36 hours. The littlest ones didn't respond at all. Not sure if this is typical of this variety, or if it has something to do with the growing conditions or age or ripeness at harvest. I've seen it before in navy and red beans, but not other varieties.

Aunt Jean's was the first snap to produce on 7/15 and a second planting in July produced our last edible snaps on 11/6. I have never tried them as a dry bean but the yellow rubbery snaps have a rich almost meaty flavor.