Richard J. Hebda and Tina Davies of Emmerdale Eden Farm
There are so many bean varieties available from around the world, how does one choose what to grow? One criterion has to be the dry seed yield of the variety. Emmerdale Eden Farm of Summerside, Prince Edward Island grows many bean varieties (see ‘Beka’ article https://heritagepotato.ca/heritage-beans/beka-golden-brown-bean/) among them a pretty white and maroon variety called ‘Annie Jackson Pole Bean’ (shortened to Annie Jackson). We have grown this remarkable bean now for several years on opposite sides of the Canada in two different sites and declare that it is a top pick for a dry bean. On the west coast its yields are nothing short of spectacular compared to most other dry beans.
According to many sources, Annie Jackson of southern Manitoba discovered this bean in Russia and brought it to Canada. Her son Stephen continued preserving them near Roseisle, south of Winnipeg and passed the seed on to Heritage Harvest Seeds (https://heritageharvestseed.com/) from whom it was acquired by Emmerdale Eden Farm.
Annie Jackson grows as a pole bean but is a determinate variety. Determinate beans, unlike indeterminate types such as scarlet runners, grow to a set height and then focus on producing pods. Once most of the pods are ripe, the plants naturally begin to yellow and die back, completing their life cycle. Annie Jackson plants typically grow to 1.8–2.2 m (6–7 ft) tall and need support from poles or a fence.
Pods are straight to slightly curved, about 10 cm (4”) long. They are mostly round in cross section about 1.2 cm (1/2 ”) in diameter. When they dry, pods turn pale beige, shrivel and become pinched between the seeds. Pods are leathery to firm and split with some resistance often breaking across the pod rather than along it. The sutures of the pods are strongly sunken compared to most other bean pods. The point is short (mostly 0.7-0.9 cm, about ½ “) and hard, straight to slightly curved. We suggest wearing gloves if you intend to split the dry pods by hand. Expect 4-6 seeds in each pod.
Seeds are nearly spherical to slightly flattened with a very attractive colour pattern. They are shiny, wine and white with the maroon colouring mainly around the scar. The coloured portion has a wavy boundary with outlier spots appearing in the white area. Each seed is slightly pointed or extended at one end where the markings spread further along the seed. The white scar is surrounded by ring of a darker maroon, slightly raised zone and has two bumps at one end. Seed cross section is oval, and the length about 1 cm (3/8 ”), height 0.7-0.8 cm (1/4 ”) and thickness slightly less of 0.6-0.7 cm (1/4 ”).
In 2023, on the Saanich Peninsula (Vancouver Island) seeds sown on May 13 took about three weeks to emerge completely. The plants were provided with a 2 m (80 ”) tall fence to climb. By June 24 plants were growing strongly and vining up to 60 cm (30 ”) tall. Vines reached up to 1.5 m (60 ”) by July 2 and showed their first blooms July 13 with full flowering July 23. The first pods had also appeared at this time with many fat pods on August 12. Yellowing of pods and leaves was underway by August 20th and the first pods dried by August 25. Pod picking took place at two times, September 1 and September 15, about half the yield each time.
The days-to-harvest interval was 111 – 126 days and the yield and an outstanding 0.41 kg/m (0.27 lbs/foot) of row. The typical interval reported by others is 95-100 days, the extra time required on the west coast is perhaps because of the generally cooler summers than elsewhere in southern Canada. The year 2024 was a strange one having a prolonged cool spring on Vancouver Island, and with a slowing effect on the development of some bean varieties (see ‘Mayocoba’ at https://heritagepotato.ca/heritage-beans/marvellous-mayocoba-many-names-many-uses/). Seeds were sown May 21 and all harvested dry on September 26 for a total of 128 days to complete harvest. The yield was an astounding 0.62 kg/m (0.41 lbs/foot) much better than the year before and far above typical yields for other bean varieties.
Tina Davies reports that Annie Jackson is her favourite pole bean at Emmerdale Eden Farm near Summerside P.E.I. There are approximately 110 frost free days in Hardiness Zone 5b. Some years Emmerdale gets a frost in early June, but over the past few years there has been no frost in September, as was the case previously. In mid November 2024 there has yet to be a frost, just continuous rain for weeks, which is odd for the month. Annie Jackson and another Emmerdale favourite pole bean, ‘Joseph Dugas’ scarlet runner (Phaseolus coccineus), are both grown outside and dry down easily. You can read about Emmerdale’s beans at the Prince Edward Island Seed Alliance (https://peiseedalliance.ca/our-seed-2016/beans/).
Annie Jackson’s young pods can be eaten as snap beans, however the variety excels as a baking bean. Tina Davies uses a slow cooker and the recipe at This Healthy Kitchen website (https://thishealthykitchen.com/slow-cooker-baked-beans/). Emmerdale Eden Farm grow loads of garlic & onions, and many organic herbs & spices used in the recipe. For Tina’s most recent baked bean meal she combined pre-soaked Annie Jackson and the Canadian heritage variety ‘Thibodeau de Beauce’. The Thibodeau beans were ready first, understandably as they are 2024 beans. After 5 hours cooking, Annie Jackson beans from 2022 were not all quite as soft. The dish was delicious, maybe a little spicy. Tina suggests reducing the maple syrup to 1/4 of cup.
Considering the exceptional yields, reliable maturing of dry beans even in Canada’s Maritime Provinces, Annie Jackson pole bean may suit many Canadian gardens, even those with not a lot of space.