Wednesday, October 31, 2012

beans



Our garden will never feed us all the fruit and vegetables we need. It's just too small. But I really want my children to learn about growing food and how even with just a little space you can grow quite a lot!

They both enjoy tending to our small patch and I try not to be too precious about it all - after all we don't rely on it to feed us. I like them to have a go and if they end up planting all the bean seeds in one spot and not evenly spaced - well so be it. For me it's all about "planting the seeds" for the future.

The both enjoy eating beans, one of them more than the other, see this post, or this one. We saved some seeds from last years harvest to plant for this season. I planted some a few weeks ago and they are now making good progress. I'm really looking forward to "bean season".

The variety that we are planting are "King of the blues" runner beans. A purple bean that turns green once cooked. I've got a few seeds left over to send to one blog reader, would you like to grow some this year? Just leave a comment in this post and I'll draw a name by the weekend. Open to NZ residents only please, bio security and all!

Is there something that your children like to grow? If so let me know, I'm always on the look out for things for them to try.

4 comments :

  1. Oooh, yes please - I'd love to enter! I'm pretty excited to be growing peas this season. A favourite all round...

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  2. I love the idea of purple beans which turn green... how awesome! I would love to enter. We have been planting fruit trees over the last few weekends, but it is unlikely we will get any fruit from them this year, but looking forward to when we do! Your little ones seem to be really engaged with their planting....xx

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  3. Love the pics of the children getting their hands into the soil Louana - also love the bamboo teepee frames for the beans to climb onto. Please enter me as I must confess I have never grown beans before - other veges, yes but not beans. Julie :-)

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  4. There's always the good old classic strawberries but you usually need to plant 10 plant per child to end up with any to use. I'm too pregnant and sore for a garden this year and even though last year was my first I do miss it. It's sad hearing stories about kids not knowing what an apple is or whre foods come from.

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