Beans to Market

Monday we did the first picking of the provider bush beans and picked about a third of a bushel, which isn't too bad for a first picking. Since the beans grow so quickly we had to get them picked because if they are left on the plant too long they will get tough and inedible.

 I wasn't sure on the procedure for picking and keeping beans any amount of time because the usual procedure is to eat them or can them. So I had to consult the resources. I followed the USDA's book, The Commercial Storage of Fruits, Vegetables, and Florist and Nursery Stocks, recommendations on harvesting, post harvest treatment, and storage.

We scaled it all down to 2 Acre Farm size. This meant picking into buckets of water, straining through a window screen and storing them in wet bags in the fridge. Pretty simple stuff but it’s the difference between snap beans and green noodles at the market. We will get another picking before market day for sure, maybe two if the weather cooperates.