Conover's Family Butterbean (Lima), Civil War Louisiana Heirloom

The story of Conover's Lima Mix is a cherished piece of American homestead history.

• **The Long Walk Home:** At the close of the Civil War, William Henry Conover was stationed in New Orleans. As he walked hundreds of miles back home to Adair County, Kentucky, he collected exceptional butterbeans along his journey.
• **Family Stewardship:** Planted upon his return home, this beautiful and multicolored butterbean has been lovingly preserved and passed down directly through the Conover family ever since, serving as a living testament to heritage seed saving and resilience.

Conover's Civil War Lima Mix is an absolute powerhouse of visual charm and gourmet culinary appeal, offering a stunning tapestry of traditional heirloom traits.

• **The Plant & Vines:** Vigorous, high-climbing pole vines that produce abundant clusters of lush foliage and delicate blossoms, requiring sturdy trellises, poles, or netting to support their upward journey.
• **The Beans:** Yields plump, rich, and flavorful butterbeans featuring a gorgeous mix of multicolored heritage seed patterns and shades—ranging from creamy whites and calicos to deep earthy tones.
• **Flavor & Texture:** Exceptionally creamy, nutty, and buttery with a rich, satisfying depth that modern bush limas simply cannot match.
• **Culinary Uses:** Wonderful harvested fresh as tender green shelling beans for summer succotash, or allowed to mature and dry on the vine for hearty, soul-warming winter soups and stews.

Conover's Civil War Lima Mix is a vigorous, warm-season annual pole bean tailored for high-yielding vertical garden production

"Conover's Civil War Lima Mix holds an extraordinary place in agricultural history. Knowing these multicolored butterbeans were gathered by William Henry Conover as he walked home from New Orleans to Kentucky at the end of the Civil War—and preserved by his family ever since—makes growing them an absolute honor. They climb vigorously and reward you with the most rich, buttery limas you'll ever taste."

• **Warm Soil Direct Sowing:** Direct sow seeds in late spring *after* all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed to at least 65°F (18°C). Lima beans are sensitive to cold, wet soils and will rot if planted too early.
• **Support the Vines:** Install strong trellises, bean towers, or tall poles (6 to 8 feet high) before planting to accommodate the vigorous climbing vines.
• **Spacing & Watering:** Plant seeds 1 inch deep and space 4 to 6 inches apart along your trellis. Provide consistent moisture during flowering and pod set, watering at the base to keep foliage healthy.