Truchas Habas Bean is a frost-tolerant fava from the high mountain village of Truchas in northern New Mexico, traditionally grown at 8,000 feet elevation and irrigated from the Rio de Truchas. This heirloom cultivar produces green and tan seeds that transition beautifully between two harvest windows: pick them young and tender for fresh shelling, or let them mature fully for dry beans with deep, earthy character. Hardy in zones 6 through 9, it germinates in cool soil (45 to 70°F) and thrives in moderate moisture with slightly acidic to neutral soil (pH 6.0 to 7.5).
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Moderate
6-9
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High
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This New Mexican mountain variety carries the story of high-altitude agriculture in its bones, bred to thrive in cool conditions where other favas struggle. The dual-harvest potential sets it apart: eat it fresh as a young shell bean, or let it dry for robust soups and hummus that taste of tradition and high-country heritage. Its frost tolerance and preference for cool germination temperatures make it unusual among beans, a trait shaped by generations of Truchas farmers who relied on it through unpredictable springs.
Fresh young Truchas Habas beans are shelled and eaten like tender peas, their delicate flavor and soft texture ideal for simple preparations. At full maturity, the dried beans transform into a foundation ingredient for rustic soups and traditional hummus, delivering the earthy, satisfying depth that makes favas prized in Mediterranean and Spanish-influenced cooking. The dual-purpose nature of this bean makes it valuable for gardeners who want to harvest fresh through the season and then preserve the surplus for winter eating.
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Sow Truchas Habas beans directly into the garden in early spring, as soon as soil is workable. Their frost tolerance and preference for cool germination temperatures (45 to 70°F) make them ideal for early planting, weeks before tender beans like snaps or limas. The seeds can handle cool soil and will germinate reliably without waiting for warm conditions.
For fresh eating, pick beans when the pods are young and tender, before the seeds inside fully enlarge; the pods should still snap cleanly when bent. For dried beans, allow the pods to mature fully on the plant, darkening and drying down completely before harvest. When pods are dry and papery, pull the entire plant or open pods by hand to extract the mature seeds. Dry seeds can be stored for cooking later.
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“Truchas Habas Bean comes directly from the Spanish village of Truchas in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northern New Mexico, where it has been grown for generations at 8,000 feet elevation. The variety represents a living link to regional agricultural heritage, traditionally irrigated with water from the Rio de Truchas and adapted over centuries to cold nights, spring frosts, and the unique growing season of high mountain terrain. Now preserved through the Seed Bank Collection at Native Seeds/SEARCH, this cultivar serves as a bridge between New Mexican farming tradition and contemporary gardeners seeking cold-hardy, locally rooted varieties.”