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Havesting beans
Nov. 17th, 2009 10:19 amWe're heading into what passes for winter here in Northern California, which means I've got my winter garden in and am starting to harvest lettuce, arugula, spinach, chard, and kale. Peas, kohlrabi, and beets are starting to form, broccoli should come soon.
I went out yesterday to harvest dried beans from the garden. They're fun to grow, although it's not really worth the time, water, and garden space if I calculate it out. So I try to grow only varieties that I can't buy or that are exorbitantly priced, like the Alaric Tarbais beans, reputed to be the best for cassoulet. They did make fine cassoulet, although I'm not sure they were that much better than similar white beans. The vines this year displayed an annoying predilection for lounging about on the ground instead of climbing the ladder I had thoughtfully provided them. I wearied of coaxing them up and abandoned them to their indolence. The Dutch White Runners on the ladder next door needed no coaxing. I'm trying not to read national character into this. The end result, though, is that I'm not getting great production from them. Either they or I will have to try harder next year.
I went out yesterday to harvest dried beans from the garden. They're fun to grow, although it's not really worth the time, water, and garden space if I calculate it out. So I try to grow only varieties that I can't buy or that are exorbitantly priced, like the Alaric Tarbais beans, reputed to be the best for cassoulet. They did make fine cassoulet, although I'm not sure they were that much better than similar white beans. The vines this year displayed an annoying predilection for lounging about on the ground instead of climbing the ladder I had thoughtfully provided them. I wearied of coaxing them up and abandoned them to their indolence. The Dutch White Runners on the ladder next door needed no coaxing. I'm trying not to read national character into this. The end result, though, is that I'm not getting great production from them. Either they or I will have to try harder next year.
