ode to the Broad Bean

if you've been following me for long, you will know that i have a secret and unabashed love of broad beans (to see that post go here.)  and it is with that same adoration that i return to one of my favorite foods ...

i was desperately sad when i realised that in our move i would not get to harvest the broad beans that i had planted.  i had taken the time to plant three crops, ensuring that we would have a generous supply of these yummy protein rich legumes from the end of october throughout the summer.  and for us to move just as the first crop was starting to seriously  throw beans that looked to be developing beautifully .... <sigh>  just made my heart sink.

there are many people who think that the effort you have to go to in order to eat them just isn't worth it.  to these i say tsk!  tsk!  the taste IS worth the effort!  from mixing this joyous bounty through mash or having them in a wilted spinach salad they are divine!  or my favourite way to enjoy this food gift .... cooked and mashed, slathered on a slice of crusty toasted bread with a poached egg and a few lashings of Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil!  yummo!

so imagine my absolute delight when i went to do my fruit and veg shopping on saturday (new habit:  going to the kyogle farmers market .... what a treat!  small but wonderful!).  there was a gentlemen there selling MOUNTAINS of broad beans!  woohoo!  the past two weeks i have purchased a kilo and loved every minute of it!  i love the imperfections, the time it takes to peal the beans .... and then after they have been steamed popping them out of their casings is just another amazing way to taste them with your eyes and senses before eating.  yup!  i was a happy camper.

and i had a loverly conversation with this farmer about when the season is for them up here and he said you plant them in march!  yippee!  so rather than july .... i get to start enjoying them earlier in the year!  how cool!

.... and yes .... i have taken about 20 of the plumpest, fattest beans and put them aside to dry out and plant them next season.  <g>

happy sigh

the mindset is starting to shift.  not so grumpy anymore and starting to think about the possibilities (more on that later) and being ever so grateful for what we have learned here.  

lots of bloggers do "wordless" days .... where they let a picture speak a thousand words.  i love those.  simple on words, heavy on content ... and of course, GREAT photography.  now, i'm not the worlds greatest photographer.  but just wanted to share a few things that i smile and reflect on and how happy i am with where they have come, and what i have learned from the process.

do you remember my mammoth snow pea experiment ... ala "river cottage" with the pea tree?  well, here is the tree when it went in.  the idea and the concept seemed great.  i was really happy.  but would it work?

and here is what they look like today.

and they are gonna give me some great snow pea's to munch on!   we'll be able to harvest heaps of these before we move.

and of course, the front bed has lovely crimson broad beans coming up too.

between this batch and those coming up in the back yard, i am hopeful that we will be harvesting at least some before we move.

and my artichokes.  oh how i love artichokes!  and here i have moved the babies i grew from seeds to the front yard, after a massive trim to ensure work went into the root system to get them settled.  i have to say ... i was concerned i had "over" trimmed them .....

but, i should not have worried.  they have come back a treat.  and while i won't be the beneficiary of the fruits of my labour (gonna get dug up yet again and given to a friend) .... i can say with great certainty that yes!  i can grow artichokes!  (and yes, that is spinach growing in front of the artichoke plants .... yummo!)

all-in-all we have been pretty happy with what we've learned from our planting in the front yard.  oh, and i forgot to mention the pea's .... greenfeast and golden rod ..... both coming up gloriously!

so it's time to be thankful for what we've learned and get excited about what the next step of our lives holds.  thank you for your patience and putting up with my grumpy doldrums.  plants are being given away to folks who will lovingly care for and grow them .... i am even giving some just sprouting plants to a young girl who wants to learn more about gardening .... <g>  see, even i can inspire the next generation.

a sprouting hope!

i was taking a wander around the front veggie patch yesterday .... wondering how long until the fruits of our labour would start to show.  see ... i love this time of year .... with the anticipation of what might be coming up. 

... and there it was .... i wasn't even looking and the first green tendrils of my winter patch are starting to come through the good earth.  only one problem .... WHAT are you?

what are you?

is this a left over from my summer garden?  hmmm ...  it looks like a bean .... but that's the wrong spot for you ... i planted those at the other end of the bed.  and then i raise my eyes slightly and glance down the far end of the bed and see ... more green!  just little hints .... but you .... i know you!  you are my mamoth snow peas!  I can't wait to see how you turn out!  <g>

so fall has arrived and winter is coming quicker than we know.  the beds are settling in for a good production i think.  these are from my front bed ... where i also have greenfeast peas, comfrey, parsnips, garlic and my ever favorite broad beans.  i love the anticipation .... i know what i planted (well, most of the time at least!).... and the joys of seeing it come up are just so encouraging to my green thumb nature. 

for me, so much of what i do in the garden mimics how i engage with my life.  the success of  my labors and the failures as well.  the surprises and those stalwart things that are relied upon.  i have my broad beans down to a fine art now ... they are a reliable source of food for our family each spring. depend on that.  in the same way that i rely on my family and friends for support.  of knowing that friend who i almost religiously have a text skype with each morning over a cup of coffee .... just to get the day going.  and of course the immutible and never changing presence of my Father God and being able to dump it all at his feet, knowing that He can handle it. 

and what about those unexpected things?  i wonder how many of those precious little treasures i miss because i'm not looking or engaging with those around me enough.  there was a real grin on my face when i saw what was in the garden .... wondering what it was ....an unexpected pleasure and gift in the middle of it all!  whoohooy ! so it should be with my friends and those i am in relationship with each day.  to take the time to see the little things that make a day more than it would have been ... and to appreciate each little bend in the road as a surprise and joy to be embraced.