If you’ve ever cooked a pot of beans and thought, “Wow—these actually taste like something,” chances are they were heirloom beans.
Unlike the beans you’ll find in grocery store cans, heirloom beans are older varieties that have been passed down through generations. They’re grown for flavor, nutrition, and beauty—not for how well they fit into an industrial system.
At our farm, we grow heirloom beans because they taste better, nourish your body more fully, and help us care for the land. Each variety we plant has a story—some have roots in native farming traditions, while others were nearly lost to time.
So how do we choose what to grow? First and foremost: flavor. If it doesn’t make us excited to cook dinner, we don’t plant it. Then we look at what grows well in our soil and climate, and which varieties support our regenerative farming practices. We also seek out beans with cultural or historical roots—foods that deserve to be remembered and shared.
Sure, heirloom beans take more time and effort. They don’t yield as much as commercial varieties, and they need a little love in the kitchen. But the payoff is huge: creamier textures, richer flavors, and a deeper connection to the food on your plate.
Want to cook them right? Here are two tips to get you started:
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Soak overnight: This helps reduce cooking time and makes beans easier to digest. Just cover them with a few inches of water before bed.
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Simmer gently, don’t boil: Low and slow is the way to go. A gentle simmer preserves texture and brings out flavor.
If you’ve never tried cooking with heirloom beans, now’s a great time to start. They’re the kind of ingredient that can transform a simple meal into something memorable.
