It has been a long time since I posted an update on The Farm. I did this on a regular basis the first 2 years of the garden, but as we’ve expanded the size and reach of the garden, time has become premier…or more specifically, lacking…along with sleep!
Yesterday I could not keep my eyes open! And that, at 10:00 in the morning. We were working on getting Shares, orders, and Special Boxes ready to send over the mountain to Buffalo/Sheridan. The Subaru was loaded, with overflow to the passenger’s seat…just enough room for our driver, Kaleb. We got him on the road a little after 1:00 p.m.
I came into the office to get the invoices ready to email, print more labels, etc…when I fell asleep with my head on the desk…but it was short-lived–phone call from Liz asking questions about the order she was preparing to deliver to Bee Healthy.
Finally! Around 6:00 I shuffled to bed for a short nap…I was a goner! Did not hear the alarm…did not hear Kaleb get back from the trip over the mountain…awoke to someone banging around in the kitchen…AND it was 11:47 p.m.! The Farmer was cooking some macaroni for his dinner; He had just gotten in from cutting hay.
Needless to say, with almost a 6 hour nap, I stayed up updating records and laying out the harvest plans for the upcoming week–not interruptions at that hour of the day–making it to bed, again, around 3:30 a.m. I awoke at 8:30 this morning, realizing I forgot to eat ANYTHING (except a donut that Kaleb brought from town–not real food)–Three scrambled eggs (thanks Heron’s) with fresh parsley and an heirloom tomato chopped on top never tasted so good!
Then, it was out to the garden–close to 10:00 by now–to meet up with The Farmer. We labored in the Maxibell bed, getting them all picked, and then moved over to the Dragon’s Tongue line. We picked for 5 hours, 540 feet, and filled 6 tubs with beans! Only once did I get a leg cramp, back did not go stiff on me, and when we were done I could still walk–Hallelujah! (I credit catching up on my sleep, the great breakfast of egg protein and fresh herbs and tomato, and working with The Farmer–gotta keep moving to keep up!)
I am so excited about the Dragon’s Tongue beans! These are a type of flat bean with purple markings on a cream color, larger size. When I harvest beans I continually taste test…are they too ripe (tough)? Do they still have the tender flavor? Can they be a snack? How would I fix these for a meal? The answers are no, not too ripe, not even the biggest!…yes to tender, with lots of moisture and a butter texture!…yes, they are a great snack….hmmm…how would I fix them? Probably steamed or boiled, because that is all I’ve ever known to do…but these were so good raw, I can picture them chopped into pieces and put in a vinegar and oil type dressing with chopped onion, the small grape tomatoes cut in half, chunked cucumber, maybe chunky green bell pepper pieces, and fresh herbs! I’d let it marinade 15 minutes in the vinegar to break down the fiber a bit. (You do the same thing with Swiss chard–lemon or vinegar breaks the fiber so it is tender and easier to digest.) 🙂
Maybe snacking on the beans was the magic cure for muscle aches and back pain…hmmmm……..who knows? Dr. Bieler says “Food is Your Best Medicine”!
The Farmer’s Wife