Bolita Bean

From grower David Vigil:

Bolita (Spanish for “little ball”) is a small, round pink variety of dry bean that is productive and performs well in challenging conditions including heat and high altitude. Bolita has a sweet, creamy taste; it cooks quickly and is easier to digest than the pinto bean which has supplanted it in regional cuisine. This bean has been cultivated in Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico for centuries and is on the Slow Food Ark of Taste. We grow this variety to connect with the foodways of David’s ancestors from that region, for whom beans are a staple part of the diet.

Days to maturity: 90

Seeds per pack: 35-40

Germination rate: 98% on 12/10/2025

Planting / harvesting notes

Plant 4-6” apart after all danger of frost. These have a slight vining habit, but we tend to let them sprawl rather than planting on a trellis to facilitate harvest.  When the leaves start to yellow and some of the pods are starting to turn brown and crispy, cut off irrigation, pile sprawling vines into a windrow, and allow the rest of the pods to fully mature. Before the pods start to shatter and drop the seed, cut the vines at ground level and move to a tarp in a dry location. Thresh when the seed pods are brown and fully dry. 

Seed keeping notes

Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are self-fertile, but it is good practice to isolate them from other varieties by 25 feet or more to prevent unwanted cross-polination by insect pollinators.