Here, my Fabes del la Granja Asturiana are starting to swell up - you can see how many beans there will be to the pod. These pods are early ones and are quite low on the plant. The flowers are white.
A little higher up and they look like a flat podded french bean. I really must try cooking one so I can report back on how they taste as a cooked green bean.
However, looking at the size of bean you get when you leave them to dry, it seems a real shame to use them as a green bean when there are so many more you could eat green. The big white beans are useful in stews, hotpots and tapas dishes. All but my guardian seeds for next year will go back to the Heritage Seed Library in a couple of months when they are all dry and sorted. I can't wait till there are enough seeds to slide off 10 for my own use!
Meanwhile, I have been making bags to sell for our Village in Bloom funds. We have 10 newly planted half barrels around the village which are looking great just now. We'd like to get some spring bulbs, miniature daffs, species tulips, squills, chionodoxa, ornithgallum etc. to add to these in September. We also have funding from our Parish Council to buy 3 new barrels so the extra money I can make will help to fill these with winter and spring flowering plants. I started taking the bags to village events on Monday. By today (Cake Club) I have handed over £97 with £10 still to come. I'm really please as this is something of a stash-busting exercise for me. There are left-overs from previous projects and the inevitable fabrics that people have given me that aren't suitable for small scale patchwork. I shall keep on until everyone in the village (and all their relations) have as many bags as they need!
8 comments:
Wow, over £100 from selling a few bags, you must have been slaving to the wee hours! Well done you, I think we need someone with your get-up-and-go in our village :o).
You're right -- those are terrifically impressive dry beans. You do so very very much.
What adorable bags! The beans are nice too!
Well done you - almost £100 in less than a week is fantastic.
The rate of purchase will go down soon! I will take them to the August Village Meal in a couple of weeks time. Then I think I'll leave it till December!
Shelled and dried beans are fascinating crops. The variety of sizes and colors - as well as taste and texture - is amazing to me. Makes me wish I had unlimited space so I could grow lots of them - and lots of varieties.
Your beans look great.
Did I tell you I went to Ryton last week? Was able to peep into the rooms where HSL sort all the seeds.
Your fund raising is impressive as are the bags you are making to sell. I've just been reading through the posts I have missed whilst I've been on holiday. Your decorations for the wedding were fantastic, I'm sure the bride and groom will have been highly delighted.
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