where are my butter beans?

September 11, 2012 2:02 PM

I am in Northern New Jersey (Boonton) and am trying to take advantage of the fresh produce but there are not as many options as I wish. Is there any way to get fresh Lima Beans or similar beans without driving down to Southern New Jersey?

I have tried to grow some beans but I only have a small garden so last year I only had enough Lima Beans for a small dish of succotash but it was very delicious. I assume most of the reason it was so good is that the beans were fresh. This year I grew Butter Peas but they were really too few to do anything with. I am planning on planting Fava Beans this week but I would rather be able to buy them fresh.

I was just looking up what is fresh in New Jersey at this time of year and I saw Lima Beans on the list. I never see any kind of beans at my best produce store in the area or at any of the farmer's markets except for the snap peas or sometimes snow peas.

I just spend a bit of time searching on the internet and all I could find was some farms in Southern NJ and the Lima Bean Festival in Cape May. I would love to make the trip but it does seem more than a little wasteful to drive several hours to buy beans, right?

posted by JayNolan to Food & Drink (5 answers total)

There just aren't that many farmers who grow fresh Lima's in the tristate area. Even at the NYC Union Square Greenmarket there are at most two - three farmers with limas. Other fresh shell beans are easier to come by, but Limas, not so much. I feel your pain.

I would note that the Limas I saw on Saturday were immature and not worth the hassle of shelling.
posted by JPD at 2:06 PM on September 11, 2012 [2 favorites]

Also the Farmers I think I've seen with them are located in South Jersey. You could maybe email them and see if they have a solution.

Bodhitree Farms
Lani's Farms

Might have them:
Berried Treasures
Mountain Sweet
posted by JPD at 2:11 PM on September 11, 2012 [1 favorite]

This may sound trite, but I don't think Lima beans are cool this year. By which I mean they aren't all that popular to begin with and they aren't trendy at the moment like brussel sprouts were a couple years ago (and suddenly you find fresh brussel sprouts everywhere).

I think this is the year of the pickling cuke.
posted by maryr at 3:09 PM on September 11, 2012 [2 favorites]

There are def. cycles of kewlness. If I see another new eggplant variety I'm just gonna laugh.
posted by JPD at 3:12 PM on September 11, 2012

For what it's worth I've lived in Morris County all my life, love lima beans (I know, that's weird) and have never seen them fresh around here. if you find them let us know. My father and grandfather had big gardens and grew sting beans and peas but I do not remember them growing lima beans. Maybe the soils isn't right for them?

Boonton looks like it has become a very cool town, by the way. My aunt worked at Drew Chemical when it was not very cool at all.
posted by mermayd at 3:47 PM on September 11, 2012 [2 favorites]