We’ve Bean Harvesting

The last of the scarlet runner beans are in, with a large amount destined for the seed bank. I consider this year’s growing season a success. Easy to grow, healthy and vigorous plants that looked stunning against the house – dense lush green climbers with beautiful scarlet flowers.

As this was my first year growing these beauties, I’m completely new to cooking them. I planned to simply dry them and use in casseroles over the coming months. But being a tapas kind of girl this recipe over at LifestyleBlock.co.nz courtesy of Andrea has intrigued me:

I cook them, cool them, then toss with minced raw garlic, olive oil, a little sea salt and some chopped fresh parsley or coriander. Then, eat like popcorn!

If they prove to be too tasty, seed stocks may be down next year ;)

Scarlet runner beans

Despite ridiculous winds, our scarlet runner beans and the sunflowers planted within the cage the beans are climbing, have almost reached the roof. The beautiful orange flowers look sensational against the slate colour of the house. Oh how it fills my heart with joy!

Growing magic beans

To me, seeds are mini miracles. When I hold them in my hand I get terribly excited by all that potential inside them. And eating something that grew from a little seed I planted and nurtured is simply incredible.

Some seeds themselves taste delicious and some just look beautiful – some are both. I have twenty varieties of different beans at home and no two look the same – spotted, speckled, stripey and squiggly in a range of colours, shapes and sizes.

If you’ve never dabbled in the wonders of seeds, beans are a great place to start. They’re keen beans, they grow fast. Satisfyingly so. They’re easy – soak them overnight in some warm water, then direct sow them into your garden keeping them moist. In seven days you should see them coming up. Be vigilant for slugs though!

Magic beans

Our modern beans are derived from plants that once grew wild in Central and South America. But we’ve been cultivating beans for ages and archaeologists have found traces of domesticated types that date back more than 7000 years. Heirloom gardeners have hundreds of varieties of bean to choose from. So I’m just going to focus on a few of my favourite shelled beans, all available in New Zealand, some of which have been available through Seedy Sunday.