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Farm Kitchen:  Beautiful Beans!  |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 16 2007 : 06:06:15 AM
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http://www.seedsavers.org/products.asp?dept=14
Going through a bit of the family holiday stress and blues, I am always looking for a bright spot and happened across these excellent and beautiful beans. How can anyone be down after looking at these many coloured pretties? Plus there is a nice recipe to try, so if you've been thinking it is bean soup weather, you're right =) I want to grow a bunch of these now
AND the new 2008 catalogue is out woohoo!
just thought I'd share. Only a farmgirl could wax poetic on the beauty of beans 
Wishing you joy in small things and peace in your heart
Annika
farmgirl sister#13
http://innermountainmudhens.wordpress.com/
http://panzymoon.wordpress.com/ |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Dec 16 2007 : 09:21:13 AM
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I totally understand Annika. My seed catalogues (and now MJ's book) are my port in the storm during the holidays. I have also admired all of the beautiful different beans available and have received my first order for next spring! One of the things I ordered was a heirloom bean mix from Saltspring Seeds which includes eleven different heritage varieties. I can't wait to start planting them. I love the names of some of them.
Di |
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lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - Dec 19 2007 : 10:13:00 AM
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Annika, Diane, I've tried growing pinto and kidney beans in my garden here and got pathetic results. I'd just love to grow a ton of beans but I can't seem to get much out of my efforts. Do you have any growing tips?
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Dec 19 2007 : 10:36:47 AM
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How long is your growing season Lisa? Some varieties can't be planted until after the soil really warms up well...plant them when you'd set out your tomatoes and plant your corn. I've found most drying type beans really need the heat to grow well and ripen them up, so plant them in the warmest and dryest part of your garden (think fall). That can pose a problem here on the wet coast come late September, so I will pull the plants, shake off the dirt and hang them to finish drying in a warm spot in the house.
Some seedhouses offer heirloom mixes of different varieties. One I ordered from Saltspring Seeds this year is a mix of eleven heritage types. My thought is, I will save seed from those that grow and ripen up well and eliminate the others from what I grow. That might be your best bet to figure out kinds that will grow for you.
Ones that I have had good luck with so far here are Kennebec, Jacob's Cattle, Ethiopian lentil and Black turtle.
Hope this helps! I can't wait til spring!
Di |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Dec 19 2007 : 10:40:17 AM
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I'm just thinking here...can we send seed across the border?? I would gladly put a few varieties in a parcel for you so that you could give them a try and not have to spend money on seeds that may not grow. Maybe I could hide them inside a towel or something...hmmm...scheming here...lol. Send me your address and I'll mail you some :)
Di |
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QueenofQuiteAlot
True Blue Farmgirl
865 Posts
Dalyn
Milk 'n Honey Ranch
Central, WA
USA
865 Posts |
Posted - Dec 19 2007 : 10:52:45 AM
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I'm in sunny Yakima an had good success with the Jacob's cattle beans. They are lovely, but not so flavourful. I'm going to try black bean next.
Dalyn
Muckboots 'N Aprons Chapter
~Hick Chicks Soap Barn~
www.hickchickssoapbarn.com
Homespun Raw Goat Milk Soaps 'n More
http://muckbootsnaprons.blogspot.com/ |
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lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - Dec 19 2007 : 4:24:27 PM
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Our growing season is fairly short. But I start everything inside in March, put it out in a make-shift greenhouse heated with lightbulbs in April and plant in mid to late May. I often have to cover at night well into June and then again by early September. I wonder if our night temps in the summer might be a problem because they are usually in the upper 40's to low 50's; seldom in the 60's. How are your summer nights up there in BC?
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
Posted - Dec 19 2007 : 4:45:05 PM
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I wonder about putting tomato waterwalls or some kind of insulator around them? like an old tire buried in the soil to help hold warmth. it gets pretty nippy here at night too, so I've have poor thriving of heat loving plants. where theres a will theres a way!
Wishing you joy in small things and peace in your heart
Annika
farmgirl sister#13
http://innermountainmudhens.wordpress.com/
http://panzymoon.wordpress.com/ |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Dec 19 2007 : 8:36:46 PM
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Our night temps during May to Sept. average between 50-60. (Had to look at a thermometer to convert from celsius!). At least that is the average where I am located, there are many many little micro-climates here on the island. I am not far from the ocean, so while our night temps are moderated, they are also very damp. Not a good thing for trying to dry fall crops! One thing I have to be sure and do is leave lots of room between plants so they don't mold or get a fungus which would concern me if putting tomato waterwalls around them. I'll have to put my thinking cap on to come up with a better insulator.
Di |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
Posted - Dec 19 2007 : 8:50:34 PM
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I live in rolling farmlands, so I have to do the opposite and keep my plants from parching, but we have had enough frost in August! to kill tomato plants before. Its learning to work your micro climate I'm sure. I'm from Seattle and not used to this deathly drying wind that we get and the frost at such odd times. I'll just have to experiment too
Wishing you joy in small things and peace in your heart
Annika
farmgirl sister#13
http://innermountainmudhens.wordpress.com/
http://panzymoon.wordpress.com/ |
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debinmtns
True Blue Farmgirl
925 Posts
Debi
Hope
Idaho
USA
925 Posts |
Posted - Dec 20 2007 : 8:19:01 PM
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I agree about bean soup but you gotta have cornbread or johnny cake with it. Raw onions or even chow chow are some of my favorites with white or navy bean soup.
Keep a themperature chart of your planting areas, I do all year around. I have at least 12 to 15 areas I keep charts on. and that many cheap therometers. Keep charts for wind blocks and where shade is needed. I also have soil, clay, and sand so I have chart fot that and what grows best in each area.
debinmtns farmgirl #63
Have a Thankfulness Gratitude Attitude.
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Mumof3
True Blue Farmgirl
3890 Posts
Karin
Ellenwood
GA
USA
3890 Posts |
Posted - Dec 21 2007 : 04:20:44 AM
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Well, I ventured over to the seed savers site and have been drooling ever since. I have been leaving hints on the computer for DH for Christmas presents for me all week. For the past three days it's been pitures of beans tiled over the monitor screen, a different one each day.
"Has it worked?", you may ask. No. No it hasn't. :( All I want is my garden tilled up and a few raised beds and some seeds to fill them with. Is that too much to ask for?
Can you hear me whining?
Karin
Farmgirl Sister
# 18 :)
Wherever you go, there you are.
www.madrekarin.blogspot.com |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Dec 21 2007 : 09:16:01 AM
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Can't hear any whining at all...hmm...I can hear a longing from your heart to play in the dirt though. It is so good for the soul. One of my best Mother's Day gifts ever was a big load of topsoil from my dh.
Di
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lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - Dec 21 2007 : 3:49:44 PM
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Karin, that isn't even close to being too much to ask for. After all, you'll be feeding him from those raised beds. If he gets you those things, he benefits, too. That reasoning seems to work with my dh when I want to spend more than I should.
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
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Farm Kitchen: Beautiful Beans! |
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Beautiful Beans!
