BEANS!!!

For the last few years my SIL and I, have planted corn in a garden
together. Then when the corn is ready to be harvested we make a morning
of it ...picking, husking and cutting.
This year we didn't need as much corn in our freezers so I planted a row
of potatoes (for the potato bugs to eat) and my SIL planted a row and a
half of green beans.
She alerted me that the beans should be picked on Mon.
So this morning at 6:40 AM I routed my dear children out of bed
and gave them 20 minutes to eat and dress.
We had one hour to pick beans before we needed to get to a dentist appt.
I could soon see we were going to be neck deep in beans.
Zeke was still sitting in one spot and had half of an ice cream bucket
filled.
We picked as fast as possible and we had LOTS of beans.

I have noted over the years, that some years God gives us corn, some
years we have lots of beans, some years it is tomatoes. Some years He
blesses all the crops and we can barely store all the food. But somehow
it seems to me He is reminding us to be thankful for what He
provides....This year our sweet corn is sort of pitiful, it's not even
shoulder high and it is going into tassel, maybe we will just need to
bend to pick it.
The poor potatoes- we don't live close to the garden and we did not
notice the potato beetles busy chomping on the stalks.
The girls got to help me pick potato bugs one day, but they didn't think
it was all that great of a job. So the potatoes might not produce either.

Really, we live in an area that we can buy fresh produce from the "truck
farms". If I put out the word that I need beans, or tomatoes mom will
call in a day or two and ask how many baskets I want. "The neighbors
have extra". But I really want the children to understand how food
grows, and learn to "eat by the sweat of their brow".
They don't think I'm funny, but someday they will understand---I hope.

I will freeze most of the beans and pressure can some. I love having
canned beans, canned potates (the little ones) and canned chicken,
sitting on my shelves. Open about 5 quarts and brown some butter and you
have something D*nty Moore could never produce.