I harvested the first of my yellow wax beans and green beans yesterday. Who knew there were so many of them silently hiding in and among their heavy, lush bushes?
I like to mix the yellow and green beans together because I think it makes a more interesting and colorful veggie on the plate.
Two of five trays in freezer.
(Oh, dear. When am I going to defrost this freezer?)
I blanch the prepped beans for 3 minutes, cool in cold, cold well water, drain in a colander, wrap them burrito style in a big bath towel to remove as much moisture as possible, then spread them on cookie sheets to freeze (more or less) individually, then package them in gallon freezer bags. They stay "unclumped" that way and I can easily take any amount I want out of the bags.
The most time consuming task involved with the beans isn't the planting or picking, but rather sitting and snipping off the ends and cutting each bean into bite-sized pieces. By no means hard work (and I get a lot of time listening to audio books) for the dividends received.
Haven't frozen any beans yet, but will be doing so. The funny part is, I looked at your freezer picture and thought, "Oh ya, I need to defrost my freezer!!" I personally don't like doing it until winter when I can just set stuff outside on the porch while I defrost. Trust me, I think mine needs it more than yours! -Jenn
ReplyDeleteJenn - I've been going to defrost my freezer for . . . oh, the past several months. Now it becomes a red alert necessity as I'm starting to fill it up with this year's veggies. When I (foolishly) do it in warm weather, I put the contents in big totes and cover them with quilts. Seems to work but I really should do it in cold weather as you so sensibly do!
ReplyDeleteAhhhh yes! Defrosting a freezer! Ugh... >,-)
ReplyDeleteAnd you have a _huge_ one, I remember! Better get "on your horse." >,-)
There is some fancy French name for beans. I now know, because I looked at the menu, of the place, we were being taken out to eat at. Didn't know what the veggie was. ?????? Fancy French word for string beans! Who knew???!!!???
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ReplyDeleteThey look lovely! My favorite part of snipping is the audio books as well! I'm devouring anything from Stuart Maclean and the Vinyl Cafe right now, laughing out loud into my bowl of beans!
Your beans look so good. I just got my big freezer defrosted last week! Believe me it took some time to do. Most of the day. Heating big pans of boiling water on the stove out to the freezer in the garage. I tell you it was lots of fun! yuk!!
ReplyDeletewisps of words - Is that "haricots verts" that you're thinking of? I've seen that in seed catalogs, too. Confused the heck out of me.
ReplyDeleteTracy H - Birds of a feather flock together? That's you and me snipping beans! I'm going to have to look into Stuart Maclean and the Vinyl Cafe!
Lynne - When I get what frost that I can out of the freezer, I have to call on my husband for help because I can't reach the very bottom without fear of fall head first into our big freezer!
My bean bushes this year never got lush, and now they seem to be dying! I don't know if something is eating their leaves or what; I've NEVER had such a bad year for beans!!!
ReplyDeleteMichelle - Just shows to go ya (!), you never know what's going to happen in a garden on a given year. :o( My shell pea vines seem to be dying an early death and they have yet to start bearing in the usual prolific manner. (And why is it that we keep gardening?)
ReplyDeleteOur beans are going crazy as well!! And every time I go out after picking I find a handful or more of beans I missed on my first go round lol.
ReplyDeleteLeah - Yep, I find that with beans all the time. Peas, too. I finish picking, look back and see bunches I've missed!
ReplyDeleteI thought most of my garden was ruined...and it was being gone but lo and behold I watched a podcast that talked about Fall gardening and I have been reborn! I had no idea how much I could plant in the Fall and down here we have a long one before the first frost.
ReplyDeleteYour beans are gorgeous and although I can't plant the regular beans evidently bush beans are great for Fall gardening...YES! I will be digging into my seeds again and then I heard that you can grow small tomatoes and green peppers indoors as certain ones don't need pollinators...what? I have a sun room so let the horticulture experimenting begin. Enjoy your beans and say a little prayer for mine!
Look at the fruit of your labors! Very nice! I love to have individually frozen veggies like you've done, so they don't stick together, but I don't always have the patience!
ReplyDeleteOh, and I must add, we must be kindred spirits! I also adore listening to audiobooks when I work in the kitchen (when I can). I love how fast it helps the work go by!
ReplyDeleteSam I Am - Sounds like a whole new aspect of gardening is opening up for you! See? Living where you currently are does have its perks and advantages! It will be interesting to read and see what you do with your "fall" garden. :o)
ReplyDeleteDianna - I almost always listen to an audio book when I'm doing the dishes (no dishwasher and I really dislike the task) because it really does make the time go by when doing something not very interesting or stimulating! ;o) Thanks very much for you comment, Dianna.
Beans are so easy to grow and abundant producers. I succession planted a pound of Provider last year. I canned 104 pints of green beans, we had enough green beans for fresh eating every other day during summer and early fall, and a pound of seed for this year. I was still finding beans when I finally pulled them up.
ReplyDeleteCockeyed Jo
J.L. Murphey - Holy moley! You planted a whole pound of beans last year? I keep cutting down the footage of both the green beans and yellow wax beans I plant, but always have more than I can use or give away. Next year I'm cutting the amount in half again. But isn't it wonderful to have something that produces so abundantly? That's what we all want!
ReplyDeleteMama, Don't we wish everything planted do so well. I did succession planting every two weeks until July. Cockeyed Jo
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