Are these sayings related? Could be, though the origin of either phrase is not clear.

You don't have to be a bean counter and use your bean to count all the uses of this pulse's name. For instance, there's recently been a politician in the news who is full of beans, and, using the 1895 quote, proving that “politics ain't beanbag,” though a beanball might have been taken when playing volleyball to explain why he won't amount to a hill of beans!

We don't know a lot about all that; what we do know is how many beans make five, and we know that gourmet beans with fancy names are super popular now.

Here, west of the Cascade range and north of Seattle, the native people of the Northwest have been growing beans for a long, long time. Not because they are cool beans, but because they taste good.

We just received a new batch of beans from the fall harvest from Mark, and as always they are gorgeous to look at! And in this case beauty is more than skin deep! They taste great, each with their own personality of flavor and feel.

Did you know that beans have a super long shelf life? They can last 2 years easily (according to the USDA) and only start to lose their nutritional value at 5 years. Some claim they last forever with the correct storage.

We try not to test this theory. And that is why we love our beans from Mark. To us fresh beans are everything. Eating beans in the same year of the harvest really shows off the beans flavor personality best.

This newsletter is full of beans. Cooked beans are so versatile! Add them to salads, soups, pasta, and serve with with tofu, on toast and of course over rice. Rice and beans together are a complete protein.

Even though our weather is comparatively mild compared to the rest of the world, we've still had our moments of both drier than normal and wetter, too. This affected the planting and thus the size of the crop. We've are limited to what we have on hand now, as we've acquired all that Mark grew.

Don't hesitate if you need beans!

Click Here To See Everything Featured in This Newsletter!

Adding curry to beans is a great way to mix it up.

See the Curry Bean Recipe here!

From Shauna Ahern, the gluten free maven!

See the Curried Carrot Soup Recipe here!

A full-flavored black-and-white dried bean that holds its shape, even under long cooking times, and stands up well to seasoning and has a rich aroma. It is a little tannic and tastes almost like a green bean with a slightly fruity aftertaste.

Shop Now For Organic Jacobs Cattle Beans!

These heirloom dry beans are excellent for soups and retain their markings when cooked. A close cousin to the Jacobs Cattle bean, this brown and white bean is a favorite.

Shop now for Garden Treasures Organic Painted Pony Beans!

This is Raspberry! Snap a piece, bite and chew and it is raspberry. Twang and twinge as the raspberry dances through your mouth. The edges of your tongue tell you what's going on. Raspberry.

This is one of SOMA's "fruit bars" that are very intensely fruity and colorful, and made with all natural ingredients. Although it looks like a white chocolate bar, technically it is not - as there is no dairy added. So, perfect for the vegan looking for a white chocolate-like experience. It's also the perfect bar for berry-lovers and its fresh-fruity flavor will make it hard not to eat the entire bar in one sitting.

Shop now for SOMA Raspberry Bar!

If I had a Valentine's Day person who loves baking or a pure chocolate lover, this would be the gift to give!

These little discs of rare Cru Sauvage bittersweet baking chocolate are excellent for eating out of hand or for incorporating into a host of chocolate desserts.

If I could only have one chocolate for the rest of my life, on a desert island, on a trip to anywhere, or just camping, this is the chocolate I would choose.

The substantial and harmonious cocoa flavors of the Cru Sauvage bittersweet baking chocolates are complemented by the freshness of lemon and the fruitiness of grapefruit.

The traditional gentle processing method (60 hours conching) unfolds the intense dried prune bouquet and vanilla in a most exquisite way. The exceptionally pleasant fruit acidity and the long-lasting ending make the Cru Sauvage, with its cocoa content of 68%, a unique culinary experience.

Shop now for Grand Cru Dark Chocolate!

This award-winning bar is beautiful to look at. Don't wait for a holiday to give some chocolate to the ones you love! (Which by the way should include yourself!)

The Romeo & Juliet bar pairs sweet cream cheese white chocolate with candied guava pieces and features a beautiful candied guava heart on the back.

This luscious cream-cheese chocolate will win your heart - literally. It's inspired by the local flavors of guava paste and cheese, a typical combination in Brazil. Where Spain has their classic quince paste and cheese, Brazil has guava paste and cheese.

The pieces of sweet guava are spread artfully on the back of each bar ensuring you get a guava piece with every bite of cream cheese chocolate. Arcelia places a beautiful heart-shaped piece of guava on the back of each bar - perfect for that special chocolate-loving someone in your life.

Shop now for MISSION Chocolate Romeu and Julieta Cream Cheese White Bar with Guava!