Bean Count Contest #3

How many beans in this jar?

The Rules

• The jar of beans is at the plant-based booth at the Davis Farmers’ Market every Saturday (weather permitting) from 8:00-1:00 in the non-profit/community area.
• It is free to guess (estimate) the number of beans in the jar. You can update your guess by submitting another one.
• The contest will end at 2:00 pm on May 18th. It will then take a few days to carefully count the beans.
• The 4 guesses that are closest to the actual count will win the prizes. The winners will be notified and the results will be posted on this web site.
• In June-July 2024 there will be another contest (with different beans).

The Prizes

1. $50 gift certificate at the Davis Food Co-op at 620 G Street.
2. $30 gift certificate at Trader Joe’s at 885 Russell Blvd.
3. Cool Beans - bean cookbook by Joe Yonan, published by Ten Speed Press in 2020.
4. The Great Vegan Bean Book - bean cookbook by Kathy Hester, published by Fair Winds Press in 2013.

The Guesses (aka Estimates)

Several people carefully analyzed, counted, measured, and calculated. Many just made a 'wild ass guess' by gut instinct and intuition. Estimation is a difficult art.

Bar Graph of Guesses

<125: *
<175: *
<225: **
<250: **
<350: **
<450: **
<475: ***
<500: **
<525: **
<550: **
<625: *
<650: **
<675: ***
<700: *
<725: **
<775: ***
<800: **
<850: *
<875: ***
<900: *
<1025: ****
<1075: *
<1100: *
<1125: *
<1150: *
<1175: *
<1225: *
<1275: **
<1350: **
<1525: **
<1600: *
<1625: *
<1700: *
<1725: *
<1775: *
<1800: *
<1825: *
<2025: ***
<2125: **
<2175: *
<2225: *
<2375: *
<3050: *
<3525: **
<3825: *
<4025: *
<4325: *
<8425: *

Here are all the guesses - with people's names abbreviated to the first 3 characters of their first and last names.

In guess numerical order

In alphabetical order by name

The Final Count

Cannellini	345
Christmas Lima	353
Small Fava	646
Total	1344

The Winners

The next bean count contest in June-July 2024 will have different beans and a different jar. Come visit the booth, check it out, and make a guess.

The Beans and Recipes

A versatile, large kidney-shaped bean used throughout Italy. Its creamy-but-firm texture makes it a no-brainer in salads, where its thin skin helps it soak up flavor, but like most beans it is beautiful in soups and when pureed, too. Recipe from Cool Beans: Cannellini Cannelloni

Christmas Lima

Named for its Lima, Peru, birthplace, this big, flat bean tastes a little sweet and has a creamy texture. Varieties: large white (buttery, a little mealy), baby white (creamier, a little fruity), Christmas/chestnut (large, with chestnut flavor and gorgeous markings that, unlike most beans, survive cooking). Recipe from Cool Beans: Christmas Lima, Kale, and Cherry Tomato Salad

Small Fava

One of the oldest beans in Europe, where it is especially popular in Middle Eastern cooking. Varieties: large brown, split/skinned, and mini-brown - traditional in Middle Eastern ful. Recipe from Cool Beans: Lebanese-Style Ful Moudammas

Questions?