Drying Beans

We planted 'Jacobs Cattle', a soup bean with a long and storied history.  They say this bean came across the Prairies in settlers' wagons as this country (and the United States) was being discovered and settled.  It's a plump red bean with white speckles, it is excellent for soups, stews and, of course, baked beans!  As we're interested in supplying ourselves more fully during the winter months, we figured we needed some dried beans.

'Jacobs Cattle' grew well over the summer, as did most of our beans.  We left them on the bushes until everything was crispy, brown and rattling.  Once picked, they spent a couple of days in crates, drying outside in the garage.  I'd go out and shake the crates every so often, to keep them aerated.  Then, because we're desperate for crates as we continue to harvest our twenty eight varieties of potatoes, and as we continue do to Farmers Markets, I turned the bean pods out onto newspaper in the sun room.  The sun room is dry and warm right now, and I can keep the dogs out with a gate.  They've sat there for a few more days and now it's time for shelling.  A little disappointing: each pod should contain five plump beans and most of ours had three beans and a couple of undeveloped ones.  Working with 'fresh' shelled beans in the winter will be a pleasure:  they don't require the long soaking or parboiling that older beans would need.  We'll shell them and then leave them to dry a few more days out on newspaper, then we'll clean them and store them in, probably, canning jars - 'cause that's what's on hand!  Baked beans with Manitoba Maple Syrup! Oh, yeah!

CSA for August 10, 2010

Whew! A hot, muggy day for working. Fortunately, not only did we have our little crew, but we have company who we immediately put to work today! Sister Keltie and nephew Jack were a huge help today, making us ahead of schedule, calm, cool and collected. Not only that, but CSA member Cathy showed up to help - so we had lots of coverage today!

Our fellow growers have come through big time today! Linda has supplied beautiful broccoli, cabbage, beans, peas and snow peas. Ed and Amanda came through with cukes, some of the onions and some of the carrots. Menno and Evelyn are bringing some of their gorgeous, organically grown hothouse tomatoes (!!!!). And, for a tasty treat for all our members, our Farmers' Markets friends Tom and Tracy Stephenson of Arizona Edibles picked apples for us!

We are, once again, bean happy!! Now is the time to freeze some for the winter! It's very easy. Just blanche (partially cook) by boiling or steaming for just a couple of minutes, then cool down as fast as possible but dunking in ice water. Dry and put into freezer bags or freezer containers and into the freezer. Voila! Awesome beans for fall or winter eating. Really, it is that easy! If you're reading this, then you're online and there are excellent recipes for quick dill beans for the fridge and other tasty treats.

The first of the winter squash are here, only for the full shares this week. We've got a great pick of some Long Green English Marrow, which are in the picture here. Marrow is not a widely known vegetable. It is a tradition with my family - I don't think Farmer Man had heard of it before he met me! It is, on its own, a very mild, ok, almost boring vegetable. But, stuffed - ohhhh, it takes on flavors beautiful! Cut in half, scoop out the seeds and stuff with anything you might stuff a pepper or tomato with. Our family tradition is stuffing with a pork sausage and bread stuffing (sister Keltie 'cheats' and uses Stove Top stuffing). Bake until the outside skin is easily pierced with a fork. For those monster marrows, you can cut them in halves or quarters and use each piece separately. A cut marrow is good in the fridge for over a week!

So, for the FULL SHARES: 5 lbs. Aladdin potatoes, 2 lbs. apples (probably Parkland), green pepper, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, beets, green beans, yellow beans, romano beans, peas, snow peas, head of lettuce, radish, onions, marrow, patty pan squash and crook neck squash.

For the PART SHARES: 2 lbs, Aladdin potatoes, 2 lbs, apples, cabbage, green pepper, cucumbers, carrots, beets, green beans, yellow wax beans, peas, snow peas, head of lettuce, onions, crook neck squash, patty pan or scallopini summer squash, tomatoes, basil.

Enjoy!!