No Shortage of Beans

Hi there, it's Farmer Jess here, and boy does my back hurt! My ear itches and I smell like sunscreen and citrus bug spray. Yep, you
guessed it: I've been in the garden for hours this week and I am feeling it all over!

This morning I pulled a tick out of the top fold of my ear. UGH! I can look forward to it itching for at least a week if the last one was any indicator. I just wonder if there are any others lurking about? "Call the exterminator! Spray the yard! Don't let the cats out! Don't go in the garden at all," my husband cries like a broken record.

Sorry, hon, but then it wouldn't be organic! The best part of growing your own, is that you know what goes in it, on it, where it comes from, who picked it and what exactly it is that you're eating! Yep, the only thing that goes in my garden is hard work, sweat, bees, birds and me. The only chemicals on my garden are on the leaves and those things include soap and water, sunshine, the occasional bird droppings and lately, Japanese Beetle procreation parties. (wink, wink).

So, revel in your gardens if you have one and make sure you butter up to me, because I love to share. Yesterday I pulled out my wings and flew around town in my favorite role: the garden fairy. Yesterday it was green beans. Seriously, Holy Green Bean Casserole, Batman! I filled three Culina colanders. They're perfect because they let the dirt and bugs fall through, are easy to clean and in the fun colors, it makes harvesting fun and you look good while doing it!

If someone could invent a baby sling for harvesting, that would be great because the overflow after I filled up my third colander went in my shirt! What a chocker when the neighbor saw me and thought I was expecting. Only thing I was expecting was to be eating beans for several days or weeks!

So don't tell my husband, but I'm heading back out there. I pulled out my broccoli plants yesterday and need to put some seeds in the ground. The first batch of cucumber seeds were unsuccessful thanks to all that early rain and I lost some squash to it, too, along with the squash beetles. I did pull my first straight-neck yellow squash yesterday and the potatoes are just about ready.

If I give you some beans or if we have some for sale at Culina, just remember to be nice to them. After all, they are special beans and wouldn't like to end up in a pot with fat or a hunk of pork and cooked all day with all the nutrients and goodness sucked out of them. Just a short bath in some boiling water or steamed or sauteed would be fine, thank you! These aren't beans meant for cafeteria food or a can, these beans were meant for a special dinner with your family, one that you can feel good about.

If I have to pull ticks off me, the least you can do is respect the vegetable!