Green Beans November

A String of Green Bean History

• The common bean was cultivated in ancient Mesoamerica as early as 8,000 years ago?

• Beans were even found in a “mummy covering” of a woman in a Peruvian cemetery dating back to pre-Inca civilization.

The Three Sisters• Native Americans figured out that if they

planted beans, corn and squash together, the plants did better than growing alone.

• Corn is the oldest sister. She stands tall in the center.

• Squash is the next sister. She grows over the mound. With her leaves, she protects her sisters from weeds and shades the soil from the sun keeping it cool and moist.

• Beans are the third sister. She climbs through squash and then up corn to bind all together as she reaches for the sun.

Home Grown Facts

• California is third in production of green beans in the United States.

• Tulare, Orange and San Luis Obispo Counties are a few of the largest bean producing counties in California.

www.anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/7240.pdf

Beans are Special

• Plants need nitrogen to grow. Nitrogen is found in the air we breath but very little can be found in soil. http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/Crops

• Beans are nitrogen fixers. This means they can take nitrogen from the air and return it to the soil to be used by plants.

• Because of this, farmers often plant beans in the their crop rotations to replenish the soil.

How beans or legumes give plants nitrogen

What is a Legume?

• A type of plant, like a pea or bean plant, with seeds that grow in long pods or cases.

• The seeds can be eaten as food.

What’s in a Name ?

• There are two main categories of fresh beans-edible pod beans and shell beans.

• The colors and shapes vary tremendously. There are more than 200 species of beans.

• The pod color of green beans can be green, golden, purple, red or streaked, but the beans inside the pod are always green.

It’s a Snap!

• Green beans are called edible pod beans. • Edible means you can eat the pod. • Have you ever heard them called ‘string

beans’? Originally, a tough string ran along the seam of the bean pod. You could see the string when snapping off the end of the pod.

• The snapping noise is the reason for its other common nickname, ‘snap beans’.

Some beans grow on a bush and are called bush beans. Some grow on a pole and are called pole beans.

Reasons to Eat Green Beans

• Compared to dry or shell beans, green beans provide less starch and protein and more vitamin A, vitamin C and calcium.

Besides eating some green beans this month…..

• Don’t forget to get plenty of exercise.

• Play tag, learn yoga, take a hike.

Test Your Knowledge1. The common bean was cultivated in Mesoamerica

how many years ago?

8,000 years ago

2. What are the Three Sisters?

Corn, beans and squash

3. What are the two main categories of fresh

beans?

Edible pod and shell• Beans put nitrogen back into the soil. T or F

True

For CalFresh information, call 1-877-847-3663. Funded by USDA SNAP, an equal opportunity provider and employer. Visit www.cachampionsforchange.net for healthy tips. •California Department of Public Health