Not All Beans are Green

Here are green beans, plus purple and yellow beans in the green bowl.  Peas in the yellow bowl.

Green beans. But not all beans are green. We enjoy growing the yellow and purple beans too. Purple? Yes! They are tender and tasty. When they are cooked, they turn green. The kids love to see this. Try them next year if you haven't already. 

Bean plants picked clean

This year we have not had the normal bean production. It may be due to the long, wet cool spring we experienced. But I'm happy we have a mess today. 

Easy Recipe: We cook up a pot of beans with bacon end pieces, onions, and potatoes (new potatoes if you have some). Sometimes we use ham or sausage instead of bacon. Mighty good summer eatin'. 

Preserving Green Beans

How do you preserve all the green beans, string beans, snap beans that are waiting on the vine for you to harvest? The fruits of the gardener's labors have come to fruition. Some years are better than others, but if you are lucky enough, you will have oodles of beans to eat and preserve. I found an article in Dave's Garden weekly newsletter on Preserving Beans: Canning versus Freezing by Angela Carson. It lays out clearly the equipment, the process, and storage for canned beans and frozen beans.

An individual's preference in taste and texture determines which method to use. The frozen beans remain a bit crispy even after cooking and they keep a brighter green color. The canned beans are cooked more thoroughly and lose their color. Try both methods and see what you think.

Dave's Garden Article on preserving beans.

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