Although we have been harvesting for a couple months now, including our asparagus and rhubarb, not to mention lettuce, radishes, pigweed, and lamb’s quarter, our main harvesting started yesterday. I’d been watching the first planting of Provider bush beans for a few days and decided to go down and pick what was there, figuring maybe I’d be able to can up two quarts to start the season. I took my basket down and started picking and was amazed at how many fat, tender, long beans were actually in those bushes. After picking the row, I was surprised to find I’d filled my basket. So I sat on the front porch and cut them up, enjoying the nice breeze while I watched the birds and butterflies. It’s been really hot for northern Minnesota, so a breeze is really appreciated.

Instead of just getting a few green beans, I got a whole basket full.

Then I went inside and instead of two quarts, I ended up with four! Now I know four quarts isn’t much. But if you don’t pick those first beans, the plants slow way down in production. In just a few days, I’ll be picking twice as many with many more coming on. I love those Providers! Best of all, it only took an hour’s time from when I sat down to cut them up to when I took them out of the canner.

Those Providers are so meaty and straight too.

While I was working on that project, Will brought the haybine up into the yard to ready it for haying today. He figured he had about an hour’s work to do, but like always when starting a project like that, he found this and that that also needed repair. But about supper time, he had it all greased and lubricated, fixed, and ready to go today. As always, we had been watching the weather forecast and we are supposed to be having a week of dry weather. Since it’s been raining so much, we’re way behind in our haying, so it needs to get underway.

Today, Will’s off haying for the first time this summer.

Today while I went to the mill for chicken feed, he drove off to the first hay field and started cutting. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate, and he’ll be able to get it baled up on Wednesday. I’m sure he’ll be cutting hay again tomorrow too. Like I said, we’re really behind and need to play catch-up. — Jackie

18 COMMENTS

  1. Just wanted you to know that we planted your Provider and Strike green beans and one row of a commercial variety. The commercial variety was the first to be ready to pick, but when the Provider and Strike came on; oh boy did they produce. I canned over 100 quart of beans and some pints as well. We are in northern Indiana at zone 5. They have slowed now and I was ready for them to slow. On to those great tomatoes we got from you also Jackie. The Italian tomatoes are wonderful and I canned 12 pint of sauce last night. Thanks for those seeds, great producers.

    • You’re very welcome. We choose our varieties in our catalog very carefully for taste, productivity and beauty too. I’m so glad you’re getting a great harvest!

    • We raise our seed along with most of the varieties we sell in our seed business, Seed Treasures. I used my All American; you don’t need to fill up a canner. You can do as little as one pint. But it’s more economical energy wise, to fill it up when you can.

      • Thank you. I would like to get some for next spring when it’s time to plant. Please advise when to get them and how. Thanks again.

    • Oh God not. We have too many other projects and we do have 2 wells and that nice irrigation pond to draw from. Now if we only had another son here to help us weed!!! lol

  2. What do you use the pigweed and lambs quarter for and how do you prepare it? I’ve heard of using lambs quarter in salads and such but not pigweed. Do you can it like mustard greens?

  3. We really enjoy your Provider beans as well! Have been harvesting them pretty much throughout July here in Virginia. I try to pick every two or three days to be sure they continue to produce. They just keep on giving!

    • That’s one reason they top our green bean list! And they taste great too. Yea!!!

  4. Hello!! I have heard so much about you from a close friend of mine Don Heck!! I would love and come visit you all sometime!! ?❤️

  5. Jackie, I planted your Provider beans this year and Wow! Been picking them for about 3 weeks now and I have canned, frozen and given away bushels! You can bet I will be saving those seeds and these will be my go-to green beans from now on. Thank you!

  6. I love the Provider bush beans. They just keep on going and going! They taste good too.

    The hay is so nice to look at and smell. We have a lot of haying going on here too in Central WI.

    Yes it is hot this summer! Too hot! How are your gardens?

    • Other than the cows helping themselves that time, they actually look great. Now we are getting some rain, we have had a break from all that watering. Holy cow were we running for awhile.

  7. Hello from Texas!
    Are the Provider beans only bush type, no pole type? I don’t have much garden space and would really love to grow these.

    • Yes, Providers are only bush beans. But you will be surprised to see how many beans you harvest from a couple very short rows!

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