photo from EdiblePortland

Anthony said: Look at this bean. We need several things from this bean. We need this bean to stand up straight, to be interested in climbing the pole like it’s supposed to. Not, I’ll climb the pole some years, and other years, it’s too much work. We need this bean to be able to be picked by hand. We don’t need this bean to be strong enough to be thrown into a huge truck, transported, and put through some heavy machinery. We need it to be soft enough to be edible—you want it to taste great. We need a short season, because this is where we live. We need this bean to be comfortable in our zip code. And I never thought you could ask all of these things from one plant.
An interview by Lolo Milholland in The Lucky Peach goes in depth to a remarkable seed savers strategy. Her interview with Anthony shows innovation and precession in the fine world of plants. Read the full feature article Going To Seed!