Haying has been difficult. We’ve been having significant rain every three days or so. Not half an inch or less, it’s been 2 inches, 3½ inches (and more) at a time. The hayfields never dry out well. But just lately we have had four days with no rain so Will is out raking hay today. We’re praying the standing water in the field has gone away and that it doesn’t rain before he can get the hay dried and baled.

Maingarden_0604

But all this rain has made our garden boom. This year I only planted one double row of Provider green beans, our standby canning bean. Yesterday I picked a five-gallon bucket full from one side of that fifteen-foot row! And the same today. So yesterday I canned up green beans and today it’ll be mustard bean pickles, our favorite pickle of all.

Providers_0652

For our seed business, we planted 26 different rows of beans. Some are pole beans; some bush. Wow, are they producing too!

Three of our favorites this year are a yellow pole bean, Monte Gusto; a yellow Romano-type pole bean, Gold Marie Vining; and a green multi-purpose bush bean, Magpie.

Monte Gusto is covered with ten-inch-plus long, narrow, round beans. I can’t wait to try some tonight for supper.

Montegusto_0614

Gold Marie Vining is so beautiful. It’s also very productive and the long, flat beans are super pretty and tender; I ate a few raw. Very sweet and crisp.

Goldmarie_0615

Magpie simply blows us out of the water with its productivity! It is covered with refined green beans and blossoms, and I do mean covered. We’ll also eat a few to try out the fresh eating potential, which I think will be wonderful. But Magpie also makes a beautiful, tasty dry bean. It’s refined and has gorgeously marked black and white beans.

The first tomatoes are ripe so I’m thinking bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches tonight. Mmm, can’t wait. — Jackie

8 COMMENTS

  1. Anna,

    So don’t be embarrassed! You should see the weeds in our north garden where it’s chiefly white clay and so wet we can’t hardly walk in it, let alone till or weed!

  2. Carol,

    The term “refined” means slender and dainty looking. We’re simply loving Magpie! As well as some of our other new beans.

  3. Wow… what a lovely, huge, productive garden. I’m saved from embarrassment in comparison, however, by remembering what you always say about how it takes time for gardens to become productive.

  4. Jackie you read my mind for dinner menu… BLT are delicious but definitely more so with garden fresh tomato and lettuce! Garden been dong great especially the berries.. if only those nasty Japanese beetles would go away! Enjoy the remaining summer!
    Lisa

  5. The garden looks awesome! Envious of your rain; not much here in our Michigan area this summer and everything not watered by us is quite crispy. Hope you’re able to get the hay in as you plan. Thanks for the update and the photos Jackie!

  6. Jackie, your new bean varieties sound great. I’m especially looking for a good yellow pole bean so I’ll be ordering some of yours later. You said “refined” green bean. That’s a new term to me. What does it mean? Our Providers are our staple, too and this year is no exception. I love trying new crops from your suggestions. They’ve all done very well.

  7. Your garden looks amazing, e specially your corn. It has been hot and dry here in Utah, and some of the farmers had their irrigation water reduced. I got corn for freezing from a farmer and it is tasty, but not as large or full as last yea.

    Glad you are having such succe sss this year, as I told a lot of the young mothers in my area, who are starting to can, when you have a great year, you can a little extra in case the next year is not so good.

    Thanks for sharing your life and garden with us.

Comments are closed.