If you planted green beans this year, you're probably knee deep in them at this point. When my friend Bob told me he's all beaned out and isn't going to pick anymore from his crop, I offered to pick the rest. After a bit of hard bargaining, we had a deal. I'll give him some canned beans in exchange for the free produce.
Without going on and on about the virtues of gleaning, that's exactly what my little one and I did for about an hour yesterday. We picked through a row of Blue Lake (and a few rogue string bean plants) and came home with a plastic grocery bag bursting at the seams with our harvest of beans.
What will I do with all these beans? I'll pressure can most of them, but a few have already been blanched and frozen for quick preservation. They'll quickly get used when cooler weather hits and our own beans are no longer producing.
Tired of plain ol' beans? Blanch a handful, mix 'em up with chopped sweet onions and a sliced garden-fresh cucumber, then top with vinaigrette. Refrigerate and you have yourself a tasty green bean salad to snack on.
Growing beans yourself? Interested in getting your glean on? What in the world will you do with all your beans?
Renee Garner has a passion to make things grow, although her brownish thumb wants her to believe otherwise. When mud pies aren't on the menu, you can find her doodling the days away at Wolfie and the Sneak.
Yum! I get so excited when green bean season finally rolls around again. I was just basking in the abundance the other night. My favorite is also the green bean salad with just a simple Asian vinaigrette; my recipe found here! http://bit.ly/omaRoL
Posted by: Lindsey @ Yarnia | Aug 04, 2011 at 11:37 AM