Do beans get too old? I recently made navy bean soup and it took forever for the beans to cook.
Yes, they can get so old they literalky won't ever cook soft. If you can store them with oxygen absorbers in a cool room, they last much longer. But thry do dry out as thry age.
There is a trick, though. If they just won't get soft after you've cooked them a reasonable amount of time (at least 6 hours, although it used to be common to cook them overnight), cool them down and freeze them. This will break down the cell walls. Then thaw them out and simmer them a bit longer... it *does* make a difference!
Summerthyme