Cornfield Beans & Succatash

Grandpa Bill and Grandma Jo grew a magnificent garden. They grew vegetables for themselves and two of their son's families. That was a total of 16 people! There was always enough for friends to come by and help themselves as well.

My favortite food they grew was Cornfield Beans. I think that seed has been saved, within the family, for at least 75 years! I grew several rows for years, until we lost our seed in a moldering mess when the shop sprung a leak and drowned most of what we had stored in there.

A friend of mine was a market gardener and as I was describing the bean to her; she remarked, "That's Taylor's Horticultual Bean."

 I have found them at the local farmers co-op and many heirloom seed catalogs since then. They make an excellent green bean, green shelling bean (pick them when the pod is still green and the bean is large. Use pod and bean seed), and dry bean (it's very similar to pinto beans.)

 Cornfield Beans

These are Kentucky Wonder Beans, similar to Cornfield Beans

1 quart home canned Taylor's Horticultural Beans, or fresh green shell beans
2 slices bacon, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped

1. Start these beans before you start cooking anything else, the flavor only improves with simmering
2. In a sauce pan, cook the onion and bacon together until browned
3. Drain off the excess fat
4. Add the beans and boil 10 uncovered, simmer until dinner is finished cooking

Serves 4
I love to add potatoes and carrots to the beans for a lovely stew. I have also made the best Succatash in the world with them.

 Succatash

Succatash made with Kentucky Wonder Beans 

Can you see Jip's eye in the upper right corner?

1 quart home canned Taylor's Horticultural Beans or any other green shell bean
2 slices of bacon, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
Pepper, pinch
2 cups frozen corn kernals, or one can drained, or fresh if the beans are fresh, not canned

1.  Put the bacon in a cold sauce pan with the onion and cook until browned
2. Drain the excess fat
3. Add the beans, salt, pepper and boil for 10 minutes uncovered  It gets better with simmering
4. Add the corn and cook 5 minutes, I don't care for the flavor of overcooked corn, so I add it just 5 minutes befrore serving

Serves 6 as a side dish or 4 as a main dish