The Food Gardener

Little White Ice Beans - Phaseolus vulgaris

A New World bean selectively bred by horticulturists in Holland and introduced into North America around 1740. It has been popular with gardeners in the Appalachian states and is a dependable productive bean in our more arid climate and alkaline soil. It makes a fine green bean, produces two crops a year and the tough dry pods hold on to the seeds until you are ready to harvest. Its a vigorous although not drought tolerant pole bean with a smooth creamy texture and excellent flavor.

till next time,

Darrol - The Food Gardener
Las Cruces, New Mexico

Source of seed - Baker Creek Heirloom Seed

Posted by at 9:54 PM | Permalink

Tarahumara Purple Beans - Phaseolus vulgaris

This may qualify as my ideal bean. I'll know with a couple more years of growing. It seems well adapted to dry alkaline sandy soil and produces well even at the colder end of the season. I am still getting an abundant harvest of green beans in mid November from vines that continue to produce new growth and blossoms. Looks like it will keep on going right up to freeze. It produces abundantly while holding dry pods along with new vine growth and blossoms.

The green beans have a rich complex flavor and are easy to string.

Source for Seed - Native Seed SEARCH

High-yielding bean with gorgeous, large, shiny, deep-purple seeds. Sweet taste, smooth texture. Pole bean producing both white and lilac flowers. A collection from the high arid Mesa de Agostadero, Chihuahua - NS/S.

till next time,

Darrol - The Food Gardener
Las Cruces, New Mexico

Posted by at 9:45 PM | Permalink

A Market Approach to Creating Local Food Systems

Edible Communities, Inc. is a publishing and information services company that creates local food newsletters and web sites for distinct culinary regions throughout the country. Through our publications and events, we connect consumers with family farmers, growers, chefs, and food artisans of all kinds. We believe that every person has the right to affordable, fresh, healthful food on a daily basis and that knowing where our food comes from is a powerful thing.

till next time,

Darrol - The Food Gardener
Las Cruces, New Mexico

Posted by at 8:12 PM | Permalink

Nature's Order - Man's Order

Self-propagation tends to be messy and unorganized – go figure, but it doesn’t require a lot of effort on my part. It will yield a crop of unequal sized leeks since the plant just doesn’t space its seeds well, as seen on the left. Planting in beds not rows works well for me since I sow seeds thickly and eat the thinnings. If you want uniform and optimum sized mature plants follow the commercial spacing instructions, as seen on the right.

If you are transplanting – trim off 1/3 of the roots and 1/3 of the tops to reduce transplant shock and stimulate root growth. I use a pencil to make a hole deep enough to take the transplant up to the first leaf – do not transplant them deeper than that.

To make transplanting fast and easy seed them in cell packs – four seed to a cell and transplanting each cluster of four as one plant – just increase the spacing between clusters to allow more root room. You can also handle them 2-up or 3-up if preferred and adjust spacing accordingly.

More about Leeks

till next time,

Darrol - The Food Gardener
Las Cruces, NM

Posted by at 10:08 PM | Permalink

Gastronomie! Food Museums and Heritage Sites of France

For those kitchen gardeners interested in food museums and French heritage food sites check out the Food Museum Blog and their new book.

till next time,

Darrol - The Food Gardener
Las Cruces, NM

Posted by at 2:23 PM | Permalink