See Kathy Zeman's Profile here, and her favorite Cucumber Buttermilk Soup recipe here.

And learn all Paula Foreman and her top bean recipe after the jump!

Paula Foreman sure knows “beans” about beans.  She owns and is the solo operator at Encore Farm in St. Paul, a peri-urban farmer specializing in heirloom dried beans which she sells to chefs in the Twin Cities. 

What inspired the “Encore” in her farm name?  After careers as diverse as bread baker, legal advocate, daycare mom, and construction carpenter, Foreman launched her mid-life “second act” as a farmer in 2007 with Encore Farm, a name that can serve as a rallying mantra for mid- life women launching farming careers. “I named this venture Encore Farm as it’s a tribute that fresh starts and new beginnings can happen at any age,” explains Paula.

Paula shares her favorite bean recipe:  Mess O’Beans.  “It’s so simple it might might be a stretch to call it a recipe,” Paula laughs.  Simple is good – and tasty!

Mess o' Beans

Ingredients:
- 1 pound of dry beans; heirlooms if you can get them
- Smoked ham hock or a ham bone

Directions:
•  Rinse the beans and soak them in cool water overnight. In the morning drain them.
•   Place the ham hock or bone in a crockpot, add the drained beans, and cover with 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of fresh water.
•  Cover, and cook on low for up to 8 hours. Could be ready to go in 6.
•  Ladle into bowls, add salt to taste and as much freshly ground black pepper as you can stand.