Beautiful!

Nice garden, thanks for sharing.

Dcarch is referring to another thread where the RanchoGordo RoyalCorona 'heirloom' bean was discussed. It is an heirloom bean from Poland. (not sure if that is what he is actually growing.) Its is an heirloom not necessarily a gourmet bean. Like any heirloom, like an heirloom tomato, you get a lower yield but much better quality. Many of us growing heirlooms want to keep these species growing forward as standard grocery veg is rather tasteless.

I'm sure similar beans are found in international groceries. I also do not consider 50cents or even a buck a serving expensive. I do like that he is growing them though yet not much different that growing any variety of bean on our lists.

From the website...

This is our first venture outside of the New World (although this bean's origins are clearly in Mexico) and we are happy to offer you this giant legume, created in Mesoamerica, bred in Italy and grown in Poland.

Martha Rose Shulman praised them recently in the New York Times: Royal Coronas are large white European runner beans that are similar to Greek gigandes but bigger, richer and sturdier. They are about twice the size of a lima bean and, unlike many other large white beans, the skin doesn’t slip off when you soak them.

Are they fava beans?

No, they are not fava beans.

Royal Corona beans are "---Giant, fat, white runner beans similar to Greek and Spanish gigande.---"

dcarch

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Save some seeds for planting next year! These look like a fun thing to grow.

Archie, email coming at ya from a Yahoo account of "spe cial e m a i l 1 1 "

Sleevendog, please send me an email at the above yahoo address (removing the spaces). I have a surprise for you!

This is such a timely and helpful thread, love the photos and additional info!

Archie, that's a really expensive cost for those beans! If you have a Whole Foods or a Windmill Farms near you, you can ask them to order it because they get "bean deliveries" from Rancho Gordo and they could probably just as easily include the Royal Corona beans with their regular order.

Sooz, I love surprises, : )

Growing heirloom beans is all about not needing to purchase. Save seed. I have 3 dozen varieties growing but still belong to the RG bean club. I cannot grow as much as we consume all winter. And we do trades with co-workers and friends. Why I have a dozen fresh duck eggs and fresh caught stripe bass fillets in the freezer. We harvested 50 lbs of rhubarb for anyone at work and now have pie, crumble, and compote in return.

I just soaked some more beans last night to pre-plant for the garden in 4inch pots. Corona, scarlet runner, flageolet, alubiaBlanca. I'll get better germination starting seed close to the kitchen on the deck. Easy babysitting working full time. Direct seeding in the garden is a toss-up in this heat. 90 today. Lots of salad in pots I start every few weeks. Some goes in the garden but on the kitchen deck I can clip fresh direct from pots. (exciting new method this year). I can move the tray into shade if needed.

I just ordered a pound of Royal Corona from Rancho Gordo for $16.95 with shipping. Gigandes do well here. I will give these a try.

Something for you to look into:

Do large beans make you produce bigger stink bombs? I don't know. Some say the opposite is true, some say yes.

Lots of studies out there, lots of folk theories also. I don't want to make this a long winded discussion in trying to clear the air about legumes and flatulence.

But growing your own Corona beans can give you something to experiment with:

1. Fresh beans v.s. dried old beans.

2. Corona v.s. all the other beans in recipes.

3. Peeled beans .vs unpeeled beans. (large beans are much easier to peel. There are theories that the compound that causes gas is mostly in the skin.)

dcarch