Half-Runner Beans

About

Half-runner beans hold a long tradition in Appalachian gardens, where they are prized for both flavor and practicality. These plants produce modest vines that benefit from light support, falling between bush and pole types in growth habit. Often harvested young as snap beans or left to mature as shelly beans, many traditional half-runners retain the old-fashioned strings that Appalachian cooks consider well worth the effort. Valued for their productivity and heritage character, half-runner beans remain a staple of mountain seed saving and kitchen tables.