The post below was an entry by Michelle Franzinelli on her Facebook page for
JETTO'S PATCH. Firstly, a little bit about Jetto's Patch. It has been designed as a suburban food garden in Perth, Western Australia.
The Facebook page records the food crops - many which are rare or exotic - that are able to be grown and harvested in the
Perth climate on a small suburban lot of less than half an acre and on a
natural sustainable basis according to the rules of nature. It is designed to encourage and inspire everyone to grow their own
food no matter what space is available to them.
Thank you for the contribution Michelle.
Today's job before lunch was gathering and shelling bean seeds for storing (Blue
Lake). This harvest is now enough to give several crops next season -
you learn quickly always to store more than estimated as necessary, as
there may be failures, disease or bad weather. Once we factor in
several crops for fresh eating, failures and food store supplies, we
realise every bean is precious so a good supply is needed.
Bush beans
are great for most gardens but if a trellis can be built then climbing
beans are well worthwhile and produce more over a longer period in a
smaller space. By this time next year I will hopefully have grown double
or triple this amount, excess can then be given away, and much can be
used as dry beans for food if necessary, soaked over night and cooked in
stews, casseroles and soups, a useful standby and good long term
storage crop containing decent amounts of protein, especially when eaten
with grains.
Growing from your own seeds improves the growth and
disease resistance of the bean as it becomes adapted to the conditions
of your garden environment, so it is important for us to save our own
seeds from year to year, we then take them out the following season
with pride knowing they were not drenched in pesticides, grown and
gathered by our own hand and that we have control over the food we eat
and a small store to fall back on if necessary.
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