Turkey Craw beans are a flavorful, old-fashioned heirloom pole bean, known for their rich, buttery taste when mature as a dry bean, or delicious snap when picked young and green; named for a story of seeds found in a turkey’s craw, they’re a culturally significant, endangered variety grown in the American South and appreciated for both fresh eating and as a robust dry bean, offering sweetness and meaty texture.
Key Characteristics
- Type: Vigorous heirloom pole bean (needs support).
- Flavor: Sweet, rich, buttery, and meaty when dry; good snap when young.
- Appearance: Frosted brown and tan seeds; produces sturdy pods.
- Uses: Can be harvested as green snap beans or left to mature for dry beans.
- Origin: Culturally important heirloom from Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, listed in the Slow Food Ark of Taste.
Growing Tips (as a Pole Bean)
- Sun: Needs at least 6 hours of warm, sunny location.
- Soil: Warm soil (above 60°F) is essential; avoid planting until all frost danger has passed.
- Support: Tall vines need sturdy support.
- Harvest (Snap): Pick when young (3-4 inches) and flat for best texture.
- Harvest (Dry): Allow pods to dry and mature on the vine.
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