Bean Counters

by Nancy Krcek Allen

“I must be a gambler at heart. Growing beans is the biggest gamble in farming. We don’t need to go to Vegas, that’s for sure,” says Randy Hampshire of Hampshire Farms. Randy harvested 22 tons of Great Northerns last fall but had hoped to harvest double that amount. “You never know with beans—they don’t handle high temperatures well.”

Although the climate in their area (near Kingston, in Michgan’s “thumb”) is perfect for growing, dried bean production has slowed in recent years. “We lost out to China long ago,” says Shirley Hampshire. And even finding seed for Great Northerns has proved difficult: “The seed we acquired was two years old and came in by freight from Washington State. We didn’t even know for sure it would come up.”

But farming flows like an addiction in Randy’s and Shirley’s blood. Now farming is in their kids’ blood, too. Daughter Amalie, 22, son Brandon, 21, and Brandon’s girlfriend Heather help Randy and Shirley on Hampshire Farms’ 200 cultivated acres.

“We’ve grown organic split peas, pinto, black turtle, soy, adzuki, navy, garbanzo and dark red kidney beans,” says Randy. “I decided to focus on Great Northerns (shown at left) last year. I like to have a niche—no one else grows them here.”

Great Northerns with Leeks and Bacon

Mark Boughton Photography; styling by Teresa Blackburn

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Low in fat, and high in protein, dried beans are nearly a perfect food.

Ingredients

2 cups dried Great Northern beans
4 slices thick-sliced bacon, diced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 leeks, thinly sliced, white and tender green parts
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Place beans in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 1 hour. Drain beans and return to pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook until tender, but not mushy, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Drain beans, reserving some cooking water. Return beans to pan.
2. Place bacon in a large skillet; cook over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove and set aside, leaving bacon drippings in pan. Add olive oil to skillet. Add leeks and garlic; sauté 10 minutes. Add to beans. Crumble bacon and add to beans with salt and pepper. Add cooking water if beans seem dry. Serve hot. Serves 6.

Recipe by Nancy Krcek Allen, "Bean Counters," Feb. 2009.

Nutritional Information

Per serving: 350 calories, 10g fat, 5mg chol., 17g prot., 51g carbs., 14g fiber, 580mg sodium.

Warm Kidney Bean Salad

Mark Boughton Photography; styling by Teresa Blackburn

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In a hurry? Substitute 2 (15-ounce) cans red kidney beans (rinsed and drained) as a shortcut. This dish is also good made with Great Northern beans.

Ingredients

1/2 pound dry kidney beans
(about 1 3/4 cups)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups slivered onion
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup green pimento-stuffed olives, sliced in half

Instructions

1. Place beans in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 1 hour. Drain beans and return to pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook until tender, but not mushy, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Drain beans and discard cooking water. (At this point you may cool them and refrigerate up to two days.)
2. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add oregano, vinegar and beans. Cook over low heat until beans are warm.
3. Remove from heat and stir in salt, parsley and olives. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 6.

Recipe by Nancy Krcek Allen, "Bean Counters," Feb. 2009.

Nutritional Information

Per serving: 200 calories, 6g fat, 0mg chol., 10g prot., 29g carbs., 11g fiber, 440mg sodium.

Story and recipes by Nancy Krcek Allen, a food writer in Maple City, Mich.