Garden To Table Restaurants

With land a premium here on the Peninsula and the Salinas Valley at the back door, much of the produce in our local restaurants is purchased.

The Construction Of The Living Wall At The LALLAgrill

Many of those items come from smaller family farms that grow first and then go offer Chef's their pick of specialty items.

Pat Ottone at the LALLAgrill overcomes the limited space issue by growning his own herbs on a living wall.

Zapotec Pleated Tomato

Chef Luis Osario harvests fresh herbs for LALLAgrill and LALLApalooza right on the patio outside the door.

Jon Kaskey partner at Paradise Catering in Carmel Valley already has acres and gives the "Garden Update."

Yellow Ruffled

As of last call Jon and Nancy had just returned from a food tour in Italy. Currently they have 150 tomatoes in the ground with burried soaker hoses and organic compost from their catering. They have 150 more tomatoes in planters ready to go in the ground, and 200 more seedlings in growing boxes getting ready for transplant. Varieties include:
Yellow ruffled, a stuffer that has 2 to 3-inch fruit, deeply pleated like an accordion, with a hollow seed cavity perfect for stuffing. Pleasing, mild flavor.

Black Cherry

Pleated Zapotec a highly pleated pink fruit that is very unique. Good flavor and great presentation when sliced.

Black Cherry Plants produce a good quantity of purple/black cherry tomatoes that have a flavor that resembles Black Krim.

They are also growing peppers, cucumbers, and many of their fresh herbs.

This article in the SF Gate explores other Bay Area Garden to Kitchen restaurants.
This time of year, many Bay Area chefs have a split personality: They are behind the stove at night and nursing young plants in their garden during the day.

Jon Kaskey And Nancy Rohan of Paradise Cater Are Happy About Their Garden

The California style of cooking is ingredient-driven, which means that cooking starts in the garden. Take that a step further, and it's only natural chefs would want to cultivate their own.

Dozens of chefs have carved out plots either adjacent to their restaurants or nearby so they can control what comes in to the kitchen; many other chefs have special relationships with farmers who grow special crops for them.

It makes for some fresh, exciting eating. A little dirt on the fingers seasons the pot nicely.

Read the full story here.

Saturday in the Garden

On Saturday I took advantage of the beautiful weather and finished up one of my planter boxes. along with my tomatoes;
Brandywine-A pink, potato-leaf, Amish variety from the 1880’s. Produces in about 80 days, Big and Beefy with sweet flavor, very juicy.



Alicante-Produces early, usually in 68 days or so. A good round slicing tomato without many blemishes.
Sasha Altai-Hearty plant produces good yields of 4-6 oz. bright-red, round tomatoes in about 60 days. This was a high altitude Russian variety tomato that sets well in coastal climates.
Isis Candy Cherry-Sweet as candy round cherry tomatoes that produce 1½" fruits. Not a terrific producer last year in my garden. So I've moved it to my labor intensive planter box along a warm fence.
San Marzano-Compared to the Roma Tomatoes, Marzano tomatoes are thinner and pointier in shape. This is a mid to late producer that will begin fruiting in about 80 days. this was a fantastic producer up on the sandy hillside in stark contrast to the Candy's.

I filled in with some transplanted seedlings including the Tatsoi shown above. This is alot like Bok Choy and can be used in braises as a substitute, but is also fantastic in tossed green salads.

Another fun one I picked up from Valley Hills Nursery was the Bright Lights Colorful Chard. 'Bright Lights' swiss chard was chosen as an All-America Selection Winner in 1998 and is also the recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

I finished off with some basil, parsley, mixed lettuces, and a six pack of cabbage to complete this garden area. All before the fog rolled in around 3ish.

Edible Gardening Spring 2009

I've been trying to fit in time here and there to get the garden ready for production. In early February I got the tomatoes planted in cell packs on the kitchen window. Right after that I prepared 4 raised planters to grow some root crops. I have carrots, 2 candy and golden beets, and some green onions going already in those planters out doors. I've discovered that the birds favorite is carrot seedlings from a raised bed planter in Brian's Backyard, right after that is candy stripe beets, and then goldens. They do not, however like bunching green onions. Next round I'm planting green onions in every planter as a deterent. Or if that doesn't help I'll have to string fabric over them.


Some of my gardens from the past are helping out and are returning on their own like my thyme (which really goes year round), oregano,tarragon, and lavender. The 4 in 1 apple tree is starting to bud in all directions too.

I did some work on the tomato beds turning and amending, and finally made some irrigation changes that needed to be done.

This year I'm sticking to 3 tomato varieties that will cover immediate use as well as canned sauces, pastes, and juices.

Brandywine heirloom tomato is Probably the first heirloom to achieve "cult status" within the growing popularity of heirloom tomatoes. A pink, potato-leaf, Amish variety from the 1880’s. Years ago, seed saving was done by individuals who understood that the greatest thing they could pass on to the next generation was some of the treasured food plants that had sustained life and had proven their value. One such pioneer was a man named Ben Quinsenbury, who lived in Vermont. He died at the age of 95, passing on his legacy. The Brandywine was Ben’s favorite tomato.

Gary Ibsen, founder of the TomatoFest and the Tomato Seed Store says "In years of my holding tomato tastings for chefs and tomato lovers, the Brandywine has always placed as one of the top three favorites." It is legendary for it’s exceptionally rich, succulent tomato flavor. Fruits are reddish-pink, with light, creamy flesh that average 12 ounces but can grow to 2 pounds.

By far the best producing tomato from last year that is back in the garden this year is the San Marzano. From Italy. Compact and prolicic producer of bright-red, slim, 2-3 inch, plum-type, fruit over a long season. A paste tomato with pointy end, heavy walls and little juice, so it's great for tomato sauce. Crack resistant. Better tasting than Roma. Canned tomatoes and sauce from this one lasted for months.

Sasha Altai is an excellent variety from Russia. Hearty plant produces good yields of 4-6 oz. bright-red, round tomatoes. Tomatoes are very flavorful. Excellent for canning, salads and making tomato juice. Fruit sets well in cooler coastal climates.

Last year I picked up some peppers, sweet peas, and snap peas for late in the season and I will probably do that again this year, however Park Seeds has my email address and are sending weekly blasts on different items. Out of their latest email I think I'm going to pick up a pepper and a pea because they sound fun and different.

Pepper Topepo Rosso Hybrid (Capsicum annuum Topepo Rosso Hybrid)Thick walled (1/2-inch!), juicy, and peppery-sweet, this update of a classic northern Italian variety is one of the most versatile and delicious sweet peppers around.
The fruit is 3 1/2 to 5 ounces, red on the outside (if you allow it to ripen fully; it can also be picked green) and green within. Perfect for stuffing or slicing into rings for a salad or garnish, it holds its shape nicely, and has a nice blend of juices and solids. This is a meaty pepper, giving you an extra bite of rich flavor in every fruit.

The plant is robust and very heavy bearing as well. With large foliage providing good scald coverage for the ripening fruit, it sets big crops of tasty peppers. Use Topepo Rosso for fresh eating, cooking, or canning.

Pea Blondie(Pisum sativum Blondie) This cream-colored beauty tastes as good as it looks, and it's certain to be the pea of choice for gardeners this season. Every bit as sweet, succulent, and delicious as its plain old green cousins, it defines "plate appeal," and gives parents and grandparents a sneaky new strategy for getting kids who hate green vegetables to eat their peas!

Blondie sets creamy pods, blunt ended and about 3 1/2 inches long, in large clusters on very vigorous vining plants. Each pod contains 8 to 9 fat, tender peas. Eat them fresh or lightly steam them -- the flavor is so rich and full, you won't want to tamper with it by too much cooking!

Legumes

Archaeologists have found peas in ancient tombs, at Troy (1450 BC) and at Thebes, but no one knows for a fact exactly when people began cultivating them. It may have been as early as the Stone Age. Records indicate that by the Bronze Age (3000 BC), some variety of peas was part of the diet. According to legend, the Chinese believe that emperor Shen Nung (called the Chinese Father of Agriculture) discovered the pea nearly 5000 years ago. By the Middle Ages, peas were stored, dried, used, for Lenten eating and as a hedge against food shortage and famine. Because the dried pea kept indefinitely, it accompanied the English colonists on their way to America. It was one of the first crops planted by the colonists. Late in the 17th century, colonists began to regularly eat peas fresh.

Vigorous breeding programs in Europe and the United States led to peas with improved vigor, disease resistance, flavor, keeping qualities, and higher yields. The biggest advance, however, occurred in 1970, when Calvin Lamborn, a Ph.D. plant scientist working on breeding new shell peas for commercial food processors, discovered an unusual pea plant in his field, what would come to be called an a snap pea. Lamborn saved some of the seeds and continued to select from the subsequent plants. After undergoing rigorous testing in All-America Selections trials, ‘Sugar Snap’ won a Gold Medal in 1979 for its introducers. This plant type is named edible - podded peas or snap peas.

Peas grow well in almost any kind of soil but they do best in a fertile, somewhat sandy soil with good drainage. Peas, like beans, are legumes. Legumes have the ability to fix nitrogen in the soil, which makes that important nutrient readily available to other plants. With the help of a bacterium that lives in a symbiotic relationship in nodules formed on the roots of the plants, the plants “fix” the nitrogen. The nodules store any excess nitrogen and, as the roots decay, release it into the soil, benefiting plants growing nearby. Pea plants also produce long root systems, which help to loosen the soil as they reach out for moisture. Spent plants decompose into organic matter to further enrich the soil. At the end of the season, simply dig the plants into the soil -- no need to add them to a separate compost pile.

My Snap Peas and Blue Lake Beans are mostly running along the fence line. They start from behind my tomatoes on the first level, then they run up the hill along the fence on the second level. I may stick a couple in along a walkway next to the lawn. They create a really nice texture in the landscape, and its nice to be able to walk along and pick fresh young pods to munch on in the garden.

California Seckel Pear

The seckel pear is a tiny pear with a chubby, round body, small neck and short stem. The skin is usually green but frequently exhibits a dark maroon blush that sometimes
covers the entire surface of the pear. Seckel pears are the smallest of all commercially grown pears. Sometimes called “sugar pears,” they are also the sweetest. Seckel pears are a great snack-sized fruit to be added to children’s lunch boxes or bags. They are also small enough to be canned whole. A small half seckel pear also makes an attractive plate garnish.

Seckel, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1817

Seckel is an American pear distinct in type from any European variety. Living in Philadelphia, toward the close of the eighteenth century, Dutch Jacob was a well-known sportsman and cattle dealer. Every autumn, upon returning from his hunting excursions, he would give gifts of pears to his neighbors of exceedingly delicious flavor. The tree they were harvested from he kept secret. Dutch Jacob eventually purchased the land that this tree grew on near the Delaware River. He eventually sold the land to Mr. Seckel, who gave the pear his name and introduced it to the public. The Seckel ripens in October, it’s size is small. The skin is smooth, dull; color yellowish-brown, lightly marked with pale russet and often with a lively russet-red cheek; dots numerous, very small, russet or grayish; flesh white, with a faint tinge of yellow, slightly granular, melting, buttery, very juicy; sweet, with an exceedingly, rich, aromatic, spicy flavor; quality very good to best.

At the Slowfoodusa website they have a great article on Heirloom pears called Ark Of Taste

California Pomegranates

Origin: California
Pack Size: 2 Layer
Availability: 5 months

Origin: The pomegranate is native from Iran to the Himalayas in northern India and was cultivated and naturalized over the whole Mediterranean region since ancient times. It is widely cultivated throughout India and the drier parts of southeast Asia, Malaya, the East Indies and tropicl Africa. The tree was introduced into California by Spanish settlers in 1769. In this country it is grown for its fruits mainly in the drier parts of California and Arizona.

Adaptation: Pomegranates prefer a semi-arid mild-temperate to subtropical climate and are naturally adapted to regions with cool winters and hot summers. A humid climate adversely affects the formation of fruit. The tree can be severely injured by temperatures below 12° F. In the U. S. pomegranates can be grown outside as far north as southern Utah and Washington, D.C. but seldom set fruit in these areas. The tree adapts well to container culture and will sometimes fruit in a greenhouse.

DESCRIPTION A pomegranate ranges in size from an orange to a large
grapefruit. It has a rich red, tough, leathery rind that must be
peeled to reveal the hundreds of tiny seeds. The layer of
seeds is separated by paper-thin white membranes. Each
seed is enclosed in a translucent brilliant red pulp that’s
sweet & juicy. The seeds are entirely edible, crunchy, sweet
and berry-like in flavor. The seeds can be eaten as is or
used to make juices, syrups and sauces. This wonderful fruit
is rich in potassium, full of nutrients and high in antioxidants.

Fresh Pomegranates are available in September through January. Pomegranate concentrate is also available throughout the year.

California JuJubes Fruit

Origin: California
Pack Size: per lb
Availability: 2 months

This elongated fruit is about 1-1/2” in length. Also known as a Chinese apple or date, jujubes are known to be used in Chinese traditional medicine to treat sore throats, relieve chest pains, and

Dried JuJubes

alleviate stress. In many Asian cultures, jujubes can be used to make wine and tea as well. They are most often enjoyed as a candied fruit, but are also great
eaten fresh. The flavor is more of an apple than a date. Add jujubes to sautéed vegetables for an unusual and delightful taste experience - very popular in Chinese cuisines.

The jujube originated in China where they have been cultivated for more than 4,000 years and where there are over 400 cultivars. The plants traveled beyond Asia centuries ago and today are grown to some extent in Russia, northern Africa, southern Europe, the Middle East and the southwestern United States. Jujube seedlings, inferior to the Chinese cultivars, were introduced into Europe at the beginning of the Christian era and carried to the U. S. in 1837. It wasn't until 1908 that improved Chinese selections were introduced by the USDA.

The jujube can withstand a wide range of temperatures; virtually no temperature seems to be too high in summertime. Winter dormancy allows it to withstand temperatures to about -28° F, yet it requires only a small amount of winter chill in order for it to set fruit. The plant revels in summer sun and heat, with the lack of either limiting fruit production more than winter cold. Yet jujubes have fruited in the Puget Sound and low Cascade regions of Washington State as well as in Pennsylvania. Fruiting of some cultivars has also been reported in northern Florida.The Indian jujube, which is more sensitive to frost, is grown in Florida, but the fruit is considered inferior. Jujube trees are not particularly suitable for container culture, but can be grown in this manner in a large container.

Peas

The modern-day garden pea, from which dried peas are made, is thought to have originated from the field pea that was native to central Asia and Europe. Dried peas have been consumed since prehistoric times with fossilized remains being found at archaeological sites in Swiss lake villages. Peas are mentioned in the Bible and were prized by the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece and Rome.

For millennia, dried peas were the main way that people consumed this legume. It was not until the 16th century when cultivation techniques created more tender varieties of garden peas that people began to consume peas in their fresh state as opposed to just eating dried peas. It seems that the Chinese, a culture that had consumed this legume as far back as 2,000 BC, were the first ones to consume both the seeds and the pods as a vegetable. Peas were introduced into United States soon after the colonists first settled in this country.

In the 19th century during the early developments of the study of genetics, peas played an important role. The monk and botanist, Gregor Mendel used peas in his plant breeding experiments.

Today the largest commercial producers of dried peas are Russia, France, China and Denmark. (source World's Healthiest Foods )

4 slices diced Patuxent Brand West Coast Style Bacon
1 Cross Valley Diced Yellow Onion
1 Medium Leeks Sliced
1 Large Carrot Diced
2 Garlic Cloves Minced
2 quarts Chicken Broth
1 ¼ Cup split peas Rinsed
2 Bay Leaf
1 tspn dried Rosemary crumbled
1 tspn Curry powder



Brown bacon, add leeks, onions, and carrots until softened.

Add garlic until it becomes fragrant.

Add broth, split peas, bay leaf, rosemary and curry.

Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer, covered for about an hour. Stirring occasionally until tender, puree if desired


This weekend I pulled the last of my summer garden up and reworked the soil for some winter garden peas and sweet peas that I am going to plant.



The only plant left in this flat is my parsley, that was almost completely covered by my zucchini squash until yesterday.

Happy Boy Farms

Greg and Toku Beccio started farming organically in 1988 on two acres under the name of Riverside Farms.

Owner Greg Stands Beside His Products

They experienced rapid growth in the spring mix (baby salad greens) business. "When we first started producing this product, it was virtually unknown and there were few buyers. Most produce distributors and retailers had either never used it or weren't interested in handling it. In the beginning, Toku and I would go to the local health food stores, specialty markets and restaurants in the Santa Cruz area and talk with the produce managers and chefs. We told them that this product would become very popular in the future and they should carry it. They regarded us with suspicion; however they reluctantly tried it. Little by little we won over the local stores and restaurants. They were surprised to see the public's favorable

Fresh Harvest Gold Beets

response. Over time, the wholesale business began demanding more and more of the product and we found we couldn't keep up with the demand. Our company grew to over 1,000 acres and 350 full-time employees. In December 1995 we sold our business to a large Salinas corporation. We then began a smaller farming operation with an
emphasis on high quality service, freshness, diversity, and unique specialty items centered around farmers' markets, direct delivery and selected wholesale commodities."

Pre-Washing Station for Mixed Lettuce

Scaling down from the large farm to a new smaller operation made Greg a "happy boy." "Today we farm 125 acres on six separate farms in four separate geographical areas. By being in different microclimates, we are able to grow a large product mix, maintaining a wide range of diversity over an extended period of time. Having a background in business finance has helped with the challenges of operating such a multifaceted operation; however has done little if anything to help us in raising produce. Much of what we learn is through trial and error, usually relying on the expertise of our employees who often have a rich background in agricultural experiences." Happy Boy Farm employs over 50 employees during peak season. Adrian Albor and Renato Campos are two valued employees who are instrumental in the day-to-day operation. "They have an instinct -- they know what we are asking for before we ask for it. I ask them for advice. Any employee that takes an active interest in what we are doing, I let them take the reins." Greg states he pays his employees well and offers free housing on the farm. "Four of my employees have been able to purchase their own homes."

Greg states the most difficult problems are the ever-changing demands placed upon a diversified and complex operation.

Finished Product On Display at Monterey Farmer's Market

"It has the characteristics of a very large business from a logistical and management perspective, coupled with the constraints of a small company such as budgetary and competitive issues. The amount of stress involved is further exacerbated by working with perishable products. Still the many positive aspects outweigh the negatives. Walking through the fields at sunrise or sunset, harvesting your own fresh gourmet produce, and sharing it with friends, chefs or customers at market is an experience unlike any other. It's hard to imagine the grass could be greener anywhere else."


Primary Product-Year-round crops include gourmet baby greens, beets, broccoli, cauliflower

Rows of Cipollini Onion Flats

and carrots. Summer crops include over 40 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, ten varieties of specialty melons, Cipollini onions and specialty potatoes.

"In tomatoes, look for the degree of ripeness which best suits your needs. We harvest vine ripe so shelf life is about a week at best. Check to see that the calyx (the green star at the top) is green and fresh. That's always a good indicator. Avoid bruised fruit. Melons can be tricky since some varieties have no fragrance or outward appearance of ripeness, while others have that sweet, fruity smell. If you are unsure, ask the salesperson staffing the market. They are knowledgeable and experienced.
For salad greens look for freshness by carefully inspecting the mix. It should be dry, fluffy and well balanced, not limp.

At the Monterey Farmer's Market

Yellowing product is old and unsuitable. It's advisable to try to maintain the cold chain (allow the temperature to warm as little as possible). Every effort has been made to bring the product as cold and fresh as possible. Shop early!"

Secondary Products- Fall and winter products may include cabbage, kale, turnips, radishes, rapini, collards, mustard greens, napa, bok-choy, dandelion greens, hard squash, leeks, chard, radicchio, frisee, garlic and fennel. "We tend to offer unusual or hard-to-find varieties of these items, when possible." Spring and summer products include five varieties of summer squash, basil, seedless watermelons, specialty eggplant, sweet corn, fresh herbs, sweet and hot bell peppers, and specialty cucumbers. "Always look to see if products look fresh. Visual inspection is the key."

McShane's Nursery

About six months ago I stumbled into McShane's Nursery, at the sight of the old Deco Rock in Salinas, and ended up blowing $100.00 or so on various color plants and a 3-1 apple tree.

The 3-1 has three different apples grafted on to one dwarf root stock. Clayton and I spent an hour or so preparing the hole and planting this thing. For the $100.00 investment we got 3 great pictures complete with captions like "Clayton Appleseed and new tree". During the freeze this year I watched my bare branches wondering if it would ever grow again come spring. It has beautiful deep green leaves now.

Stumbling on McShane's was a fortunate happening and my initial impulse buy has already proved well worth the investment. I noticed, though, that Steve Mcshane had to wait until after I bought my soil and sod this weekend before he could actually afford to bring in his new Windmill.

McShane Windmill Goes Up
By ROBERT SALONGA
The Salinas Californian


Drivers entering south Salinas from Highway 68 will now be greeted by a 45-foot-tall windmill erected today at McShane's Nursery & Landscape Supply.

Nursery owner Steve McShane hopes the windmill will stand out against the spread of row crops south of the city as a new Salinas landmark.

“We’re trying to capture what the community of Salinas would want,” McShane said.

The windmill will pump water through the nursery, which is undergoing significant expansion, but McShane said the business may convert it into an electricity generator in the future.

He added that he hopes the windmill will spark discussion in the community about environmentally friendly energy sources.

About McShane's


Founded in the Fall of 2005, McShane’s Nursery & Landscape Supply has an incredible story to tell. It all goes back to a passion for plants & outdoor living environments by the organization’s Owner and General Manager, Steve McShane.

An avid outdoorsman, agriculturalist and gardener, many would say Steve has loved nursery & plants since he could crawl. This was probably helped by his father, Tom McShane, and grandmother, Leonie Stakle. In his teens he was well known for the yards and business properties he took care of to help make money. Steve also spent nearly four years working in the nursery department at Orchard Supply Hardware in Sunnyvale, California.

A Soil Science graduate from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo , Steve co-founded and chaired the Central Coast Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers in the Fall of 1993. In 1996, Steve graduated from the Master Gardeners Program in San Luis Obispo County.

Once finished with college, Steve worked with State Senator, now Secretary of State, Bruce McPherson and Senator Jeff Denham. After some time in politics, he returned to his passion of agriculture by entering the fresh vegetable business with work at Taylor Farms in Salinas as a product manager. This led him to NewStar Fresh Foods where he directed food safety, quality and new product development.

Everything changed during the Fall of 2005. Steve learned of an opportunity to acquire a nursery of more than 50 years on the south side of Salinas known as Graeber Gardens. Opportunities for production, direct marketing and even expansion fueled a business plan and a partnership with a local transportation company, Assured Aggregates. On December 19th, 2005 McShane’s Nursery & Landscape Supply became a reality.


Less than a month after startup, a neighboring soils, bark and rock operation by the name of Deco Rock, came up for sale. By early February, a deal was inked. McShane’s Nursery & Landscape Supply would acquire Deco Rock and now offer a full suite of soils, compost, bark and Landscape Supplies.

Steve McShane is quite clear about the vision behind the enterprise. That is the mission to build and succeed at operating a true "regional" Nursery and Landscape Supply.

A Short Course in Bean-ology

In the garden I have my tomato plants all mapped out, and already decided to save some soil space and plant my leeks, garlic, and herbs in containers. Next on the list were my beans. I'm thinking most will be staked along the fence lines for some landscape texture.

Dried Scarlet Runner Beans make a great show on plate or in a salad.

Last year at the Fall Foodshow in Pleasanton I picked up some Rykoff International dried Scarlet Runner beans. Tony Cherney, who was our corporate Chef sometime back had planted some and had vines running all up and around his house. I had some difficulty convincing the manufacturer representative to let me take a dozen beans from her display, but we eventually came to an agreement.

Chef Tony and his Scarlet Runner salad at the "Putting on the Ritz" Food and Wine Event in 2001

I sprouted the beans on my window sill then planted them in 4" clay pots. These I transplanted along the front walkway, and they flourished until the freeze, much longer than I expected! They are a beautiful deep green broadleafed plant with gorgeous deep red blooms.

A while back, the National Garden Bureau compiled some interesting information about beans. The bean group includes snap beans, limas (called "butter beans" down South), and all the beans grown for dried seeds -- kidney, pinto, great northern, navy, and the like. There are also relatives in different bean species -- scarlet runner, asparagus bean, winged bean; black-eye, crowder, and purple hull pea (they're really beans); garden soybean; fava or broad bean; and garbanzo bean. Beans are a warand purple hull pea (they're really beans); garden soybean; fava or broad bean; and garbanzo bean. Beans are a warap beans "string" beans? You still hear this term, especially where they grow 'Kentucky Wonder,' the old-fashioned climber with strings like shoelaces. However, you seldom see real, string beans anymore. The bean breeders bred the strings out of them, so most varieties are now called snap beans. They also bred out most of the fiber, so you can eat fully-mature pods and not have to pick them at the half-grown stage. Buy snap beans that are resistant to plant diseases and set pods in warm weather.

Lima and Butter Beans - The difference between butter beans and lima beans is based on the size of the pods and seeds. The small-seeded, butter beans tolerate more heat, but it takes forever to shell a mess of butter beans!

In cooler areas, some of the runner types of the large-seeded, lima beans have pods 5 inches long, with half a dozen big, flat seeds per pod. Some of the bush types have small, fat seeds in nearly round pods. These are called "potato limas." Lima and butter beans with speckled seeds have a stronger taste than the white- or green-seeded varieties.

Scarlet Runner Beans - Scarlet runner beans have long been grown for their gorgeous, red blossoms and long, dark-green pods. The foliage is handsome, and the runners can climb up to 12 feet. The seeds are good in stews, and the flowers attract hummingbirds.


Shelly Beans - Horticultural or "Shelly beans" are special varieties grown mostly to be shelled out of the pods while the seeds are still moist and tender. The seeds shell out quickly and easily and can be cooked without soaking. You can recognize these beans by the red stripes on the pods and the splashes of red color on the dry seeds. The dry seeds are so colorful that they are often used in craft projects and glued into patterns on boards. You can buy bush or climbing varieties of Shelly beans. Grow enough to freeze and to dry and use in bean soups.

Southern Peas - Southern peas are not at all like green peas; they are more like beans. They are a warm-weather crop that likes heat and humidity.

Black-eyed peas are Southern peas. So are crowder pea, purple hull, knuckle-hull, cream pea, lady pea, silver skin, clay pea, and dozens of other local favorites. You can snap and eat the young pods or shell and eat the seeds green or dry. Livestock will eat the plants and pods. At one time, Southern peas were called cowpeas for that very reason.

Asparagus Beans - If you want to grow "bragging beans," try asparagus beans, sometimes called "yard longs." You will occasionally see pods two feet long, but true, yard-long pods would be a rarity. Harvest while tender and green, and treat as a snap bean. Grow in warm climates for good production, and provide tall trellises.

Fava, Windsor, Broad, and Horse Beans - All are names for the same bean. They are popular along the Mediterranean and in northern Europe, but have not caught on big in this country. They require cool weather and will even withstand light frost when the plants are small, so they don't do well during the summer heat in most of Virginia.

Fava bean plants grow about waist high and have long, broad pods of a waxy, green color. The dry seeds are flattened and round like big, brown buttons. You can cook the dried seeds for salads or soups.

Garbanzo Beans - You will rarely see garbanzos or chick peas growing anywhere except in central California. There, they are planted in early spring, and the dry seeds are harvested in the summer. The plants look more like vetch than beans. Pods are short and numerous; each pod contains two or three plump seeds. The dried or commercial beans are so cheap there is little point in growing your own. Save the garden space and use it for growing snap beans.

Bush and Pole Beans - Most gardeners choose bush beans, the sprinters of the bean family. They come on with a rush, give you three or four heavy harvests, then collapse at the finish line. Gardeners plant a second and maybe a third crop to be coming in as the spent beans are pulled out.

Pole beans are like long-distance runners. They come on slow, but they keep on coming, giving harvests again and again. It's more trouble to put up arbors and tripods to support the climbing vines, but each plant will give you twice as much from the same space as bush varieties.

(Originally published as "A Short Course in Bean-ology" in The Virginia Gardener Newsletter, Volume 11, Number 3.)

Leeks

Here is an interesting article. I think Amy was trying a little too hard to make the Leek mysterious, complicated, and mystical all at the same time! I'm going to incorporate leeks into my summer garden and see how they grow. I bet they love Marina's sandy soil.

Serene, subtly aromatic, almost cool to the touch, a leek can be a revelation in the kitchen
By AMY SCATTERGOOD
Los Angeles Times

Sometimes a vegetable perfectly matches its true season, bestowed upon us from plant or earth like a metaphor. After the solemn cold of winter, when farmers market stalls seem to rescind their promises, leeks emerge from the earth, dirt-clad and single-minded, as vertical as hope.

Without the raw force of an onion or the hollow delicacy of a bouquet of chives, leeks rely on subtlety and fortitude. A leek is by its nature a patient vegetable. Slow-growing underground, able to bide its time once out of it, a leek also can hold up to myriad cooking techniques, as if the very patience that held it through the slow winter has become alloyed in the leek's own concentric rings.

Serene, subtly aromatic, almost cool to the touch, a leek can be a revelation in the kitchen, with a wealth of nuanced flavor that belies its humble appearance.

Yet the leek, more than many other vegetables, clings to the earth that engenders it, as if reluctant to be separated from its origins. Cut through a leek, particularly a mature one, and you'll find, shot through the ringed layers, a residue of the dirt and sand in which it grew, like the footprint of a creation myth.

Leeks are often grown in little hills, mounded by farmers to increase the proportion of white stem to green leaf. The dirt or sand (leeks are often grown in particularly sandy dirt or sand) becomes embedded within the layers of the leek as it grows. This accounts for the need to soak leeks thoroughly before you cook them.

If the stubborn, earth-shot quality of a leek is part of its appeal, the leek's leaves also have a story to tell. V-shaped, they rise out of the roots like folded sheaths, growing darker the farther they get from home -- a tangible buffer between pale roots and the sunlit world.

Absolved from the earth, washed clean and shorn from the blue-tresses of its leaves, a leek is ready for transformation.

Cooking a leek is not like taming an onion or preserving the delicate ephemerality of fresh herbs or greens. It's about capturing the essence of a vegetable that contains equal parts resilience and grace.

A bowlful of steamed mussels becomes extraordinary when married with leeks. Cut in thin strips and sautéed in butter, the leeks give structure to the wine broth as well as a hint of color -- the leeks on the small black mussels are like thick brush strokes of lime green on obsidian. The dish distills a leek's brightest nature.

I hadn't thought of planting in pots like this! Leeks need deep soil to reach down. I was thinking 2" x 12" raised bed..until I saw the Hollis Garden pics!

After a good braise, a leek develops warm, caramel notes, becoming buttery and rich and aromatic. Its flavor doesn't dissipate; it reaches its full potential. Like an early spring day that can shift in an hour from pallid reticence to honeyed vigor, a leek is not mercurial but capable of sudden moments of revelation.