Monday, August 9, 2010

Beans

Beans, beans, the magic fruit.
The more you eat...
Oh wait, wrong kind of bean. Hehe...


This weekend, Blaine and I went to Burley to pick beans from his dad's farm. His dad is growing Blue Lake green beans for seed. These beans are grown as you would any garden green bean, then let go to seed and harvested for the seeds.


At the crack of dawn on Saturday morning, Blaine's mom, Evelyn, and his sisters Shareese and Rachelle were kind enough to get up with us and go pick the beans. Shareese stayed home with my kids, got them dressed, fed them breakfast and even made breakfast for us! Thanks guys!!


We picked around 5 1/2 bushels of beans in 2 hrs. Speedy!! There were lots of mosquitos and dragonflies in the field. I have more than my fair share of mosquito bites around my ankles! I have never seen so many dragonflies as were in this field. Swarms of them!!

After picking the beans and eating some breakfast, we were on our way home. We had a full day of canning ahead of us!


My Grandma Purcell came over to help snip and cut beans, along with my sister, Beckie. You can see by this picture that its early in the day. There are still smiles.


Hannah and Garrett were good helpers as well. Hannah washed bottles and Garrett snipped and cut beans. While Garrett does a great job, I don't trust my (almost) 4 year old with sharp knives just yet.

Hannah improvised a stool so she could reach the sink. She is standing on her little bathroom stool atop our overnight bag that we took to Burley.

Doug and Kara came by later to continue to help snip and cut beans. Thanks guys!

Later as the night wore on, Doug became the babysitter for tired kiddos.

18+ hours and just under 200 pints of beans later, we're done! Whew! Thanks to everyone who helped get this huge process finished. Its a lot like the corn we did last year but I'm glad we'll have it to eat this winter, although I don't think I can look at another bean for a while.

7 comments:

Beckie said...

OOh and I don't even like beans-- but you know-- if I was starving-- I'd eat them-- and Porter and Chet eat them! Horay for Beans!

Natalie said...

WOW. Holy canning! I know who to go to if I ever get ambitious enough to can something :)

BTW - I love your family pic! Is that new?

Jodi said...

Natalie- Thanks! The picture is new. We had it taken in July by an awesome photographer (who has since moved)! I'm sad she's gone. I need to find a new one. :)

Cindy said...

just the other day i was telling my neighbors that one of my biggest memories about summer as a kid was snipping beans for HOURS. i don't even eat them! but everyone had to help out and get them bottled up. it's definitely not a one person job. good job having so much help and getting so much done.

Purcellville said...

Thank you Jodi! We can't wait to eat em!

Joanne said...

That is a LOT of beans! I bet they would be great pickled...

I love how the kids are helping out - they are SUCH cuties!

Hailey Jones said...

What the what???? We just did 35 quarts of beans this last week and I was feeling good about that and then you guys had to totally crush us!!!;) Wow, wait to go guys, you're amazing! I have to say that doesn't look or sound fun at all. But great to have done I'm sure.