Cool Beans

I believe in the power of heirloom seeds.  Although it may take a few growing seasons before some crops adapt to a new environment, if the gardener saves the best seed specimens for subsequent plantings, these smart plants will thrive in a variety of growing conditions, produce abundantly and develop resistance to pests.  At Heart & Sole Gardens, two bean varieties are excellent examples of how heirloom seeds acclimate to geographic areas.

Granny's Beans, Growing in 2015 from Pre-1985 Seed

For many years, my maternal grandmother, Lora Bolick Minton, grew a large vegetable garden and saved seeds from her plants.  Most of the seeds she planted were inherited from immigrant ancestors who brought them from Germany.  After my grandmother died, in 1986, my parents stored her seeds in their freezer and when I cultivated a large 2008 garden, they offered me the seeds.  I planted Granny's beans in 2009 and, even though these seeds were dormant for almost twenty-five years, the plants thrived and I harvested bushels of Mountaineer White Half Runner beans.  Despite the abundant yield, I made a terrible mistake.

Pickled Dilly Beans, A Favorite Family Treat

Because I love to grow a variety of plants and seed catalogs' colorful photographs and exotic descriptions entice me to order, my 2010 garden included several varieties of beans.  Unfortunately, I neglected to separate each type by a sufficient distance and hardworking pollinators carried pollen from blossom to blossom, resulting in seeds that, when planted in 2011, produced beans that were not true to type, but carried traits from many parents.  Although these "mutt" heirlooms were delicious, I resolved to maintain true seed for my grandmother's beans.

Good Friday Planting Restored Pure Seed Stock

Fortunately, I still had a few pre-1985 bean seeds stored in my freezer and I decided to plant them on Good Friday, a traditional planting day, for an extra measure of luck.  Though the seeds were at least thirty years old and April 3rd was early enough to flirt with killing frost danger, the seeds germinated well, produced strong vines and enough beans to replenish my true seed supply as well as plenty for pickling, canning and eating fresh.  

Ted's Butter Beans

Another heirloom bean I love is one that Cranberry, NC, resident and lifelong farmer, Ted Hoilman, shared with me and friend, Kim Barnhardt.  Generations of Ted's family grew these heirlooms and the colors are beautiful, the beans large and the flavor delicious.  Since these seeds are acclimated to a cooler growing environment, they thrive in Kim's mountain garden, but struggle in my Caldwell County climate.  After saving a small amount of seeds for the past few years, 2015's crop seems to be well adapted to a new growing region and, with good growing conditions, should produce well for 2016.  Learning from past mistakes, I now separate beans at Heart & Sole, with hope to pass true seed to the next generation of family gardeners.  

Beautiful Butter Bean Blossoms

When I was a child, my grandmother picked bushels of green beans every summer.  I remember the snap, snap of beans as my grandmother, mother and aunt, prepared them for canning and the distinctive fragrance of cooking beans wafting from the kitchen.  Our family ate canned green beans several times each week and I recall a trip to the coast when we made green bean sandwiches from the jars we packed for the trek.  Although I use my canned beans for many recipes, the following is one that is a traditional family preparation.  Now that I think about it, green bean sandwiches would be fun to try as an adult . . .

Southern Style Green Beans
*I remember beans from my childhood were cooked until almost mush, but for optimum flavor and texture, do not overcook.

3 slices smoked pork side meat (or thick bacon)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or olive oil)
1 medium onion, diced
2 quarts canned green beans or 3-4 pounds fresh snap beans, strings removed, washed and cut or broken to 2-3 inch pieces

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven and slowly cook meat until fat renders.  Remove meat or leave in pot.
Add onion and stir to coat with oil/fat.  Cook over low heat until tender, about 4 minutes.
Add beans and enough water to just cover.
Add 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, few grinds of black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon onion granules and 1/4 teaspoon garlic granules.  
For a spicy kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Place lid on pot and cook until beans are tender.

*Vegetarians may omit pork and increase oil to 2 tablespoons.

What Lies Beneath? Baby Carrots!

As a four-year-old child, I watched my father take the frilly green leaves in his hand and pull.  To my astonishment, a long, bright orange vegetable emerged from the soil.  Although that first experience with pulling carrots was many years ago, the tantalizing excitement of discovery still exists when I harvest those root vegetables.  

Colorful Baby Carrots

Carrots are a satisfying crop to grow.  With good germination and few pests, carrots thrive in cool weather and yield both spring and fall harvests.  Carrots grow best in loose soil and raised rows, created with a hiller tractor attachment, are ideal for root development.  Of course, it also works to use a rake or hoe to make a raised row, with the added benefit of an ab workout!  Sow carrot seeds along the row top and lightly cover with soil, brushing hands across the seeds or using a push broom for larger areas and keep soil lightly moist.  When seeds germinate, in about 2-3 weeks, allow carrots to grow to a height of approximately 2-3 inches before thinning.  Use scissors to snip tops or gently pull smaller plants to allow remaining roots to grow straight.  After plants reach a height of about 4-5 inches, thin a second time.  Thinning is a stressful job and requires one to channel an inner Morticia.  After all, it is not easy to decide who will live and who will die . . .
 

If carrots are not thinned, roots create interesting "dancers"

During a recent trip to Charleston, SC, we visited several popular restaurants and enjoyed delicious meals, including a to-die-for burger at Husk, but one simple dish captured the essence of one of my favorite vegetables.  FIG (Food is Good), located in Downtown Charleston, led by James Beard Foundation's 2014 Best Chef Southeast, James Stanhope, serves a simple salad with complex flavor and interesting texture. Listed on the menu as "Spiced and Roasted Carrot Salad: greek yogurt, pine nuts, mint," this delightful concoction of baby carrots, nuts and tiny fresh mint leaves lingered in my taste memory.  Since I happen to have a nice row of colorful baby carrots at Heart & Sole, I decided to try to recreate this salad.  Excellent as a side dish and hearty enough for a vegetarian entree, grab some baby carrots and try this recipe.  If you want to experience the joy of pulling surprises from the ground, make plans now to plant a row of heirlooms for spring harvest.  

Roasted Spiced Baby Carrots with Greek Yogurt Dressing

Lightly toast 1/3 cup pine nuts until fragrant, set aside to cool

For the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon white vinegar (I used homemade, flavored with Thai herbs), 1/4 cup good quality olive oil, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon fresh minced dill, few grinds black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Cover bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.


1/2 pound baby carrots, scrubbed and greens trimmed (reserve tops for another use)
1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt (I used French Grey Sea Salt)
Several grinds black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (for best results, grind from whole)

Place carrots in a ziplock bag and add oil and spices.  Toss to combine and refrigerate for about an hour or so.

Roast carrots until fork tender

Place carrots in a small roasting pan and roast in a preheated 450 degree oven until fork tender, stirring every five minutes, until carrots are fork tender, about 20-30 minutes.  Do not overcook carrots; they should retain a bit of crunch.

In a large bowl, combine carrots with nuts.
Serve with dressing and scatter fresh mint leaves over top.

Five Growing Trends for 2016

Here we go again.  The New Year's Eve confetti is scarcely swept away before it seems every marketing expert is primed to direct our attention to what is new and different for 2016 lives.  The "it" colors for this year?  Pink and blue. . . sorry, but the 1980s combo will not reappear in my home.  That 1986 mauve dining room, a shade too close to Pepto-Bismol for comfort, is best left to the young and impressionable.  

Colorful  Blossoms Make Beautiful Salad

It's time to make plans for what to plant, where to plant and how to plant in the 2016 garden and, even for die-hard growers who stick to a strict annual plan, there are enticing possibilities available.  While I am certainly no expert and my trendy selections are based entirely on unscientific sources like farmer's markets, my own experiments and chef/restaurant order requests, the following list includes plants I think will prove to be popular in 2016 gardens.  So, visit your local hardware and gardening store and purchase seeds or plants.  Even if you find something you grow to be unappealing, at least you can eat it.  Unlike that queasy dining room. . .
 

Okra Blossoms and Pods, Tasty Edibles

*Edible Flowers
Most fruits and vegetables produce blossoms that are both beautiful and delicious.  Violas and nasturtiums are popular salad ingredients, but vegetable blooms like beans, okra and squash are also tasty.  In the herb bed, grow borage for deep blue star-like blossoms that taste like cucumber or garlic and chives for pink, onion flavor.  Perhaps pink and blue can be garden trendy for 2016?

*Watermelon 
Forget those mealy, almost tasteless orbs offered by supermarkets from early fall until late spring.  Sure, it's convenient to buy a melon without seeds, but for juicy, sweet flesh that slathers the face, grow an heirloom variety. Recent rumors that the Bradford watermelon, a popular 1800s heirloom, may reappear, spur me to search for seeds, but the Moon and Stars melon, with beautiful dark green skin spotted with yellow orbs and deep red flesh, is an excellent choice for backyard gardens. 

Moon & Stars Watermelons are Distinctive and Delicious

*Herbs
Any supermarket shopper who purchases fresh herbs, tiny snippets encased in small plastic packages, has doubtless suffered sticker shock at the price.  One of the easiest plants to grow, most herb varieties grow in poor soil and require little water.  As long as full sun is available, herb plants produce more than adequate amounts of leaves and blossoms and the excess can be easily dried or frozen for later use.  In addition to annuals like basil, plant rosemary, sage, oregano and thyme for year-round harvest.  For our area, rosemary is a particularly satisfying plant since it blooms during cold weather and the dainty blue flowers are a welcome sight in mostly-dormant gardens.  

Borage is a perfect container plant

*Greens
Yes, King Kale has enjoyed a long reign as the most popular green, with good reason, but other greens, with delightful flavor and nutritional punch, deserve space in the 2016 garden.  Bok Choy, Malabar Spinach and Mache are good choices and Arugula, or Rocket, as the Brits know it, is a hardy salad green that produces abundant leaves, creamy blossoms and seeds that are also delicious.  The flavor of home-grown arugula is far superior to supermarket wares, as are all fresh greens.

Move over, Kale, and make room for Bok Choy

*Popcorn
Industrially processed popcorn receives a great deal of negative press, but for those who crave a salty crunch and rich flavor, try growing an heirloom variety.  Cherokee Long Ear boasts beautifully colored kernels and was an abundant producer in my 2015 garden.  Strawberry, Dakota Black and Dynamite are other good choices.  Note:  Popcorn will "cross" with other corn varieties, so plant popcorn after sweet corn ears form or separate plantings for best results. 

Allow popcorn ears to dry before harvest

For 2016 and beyond, Happy Gardening!