Speckled cranberry beans
This is my first year growing speckled cranberry beans. I grew a good volume of beans out of one bean tower of plants. Given the fact that half my plants didn’t make it for one reason or another, I see this as a very good result. The only question I have about the beans is that once in awhile while shelling I found a bean with something that looked like a rust spot. Should throw those beans out or are they OK?
Aside from taking care of the beans this weekend, my only other gardening task was planting garlic. I planted three varieties: Inchelium Red, German Extra Hardy, and Broadleaf Czech. I prepared the bed last weekend, so it was very easy planting.
For the first time in many weeks, I did not can anything. I did process another batch of tomatoes for sauce, but it isn’t enough to can so we’ll eat it for dinner tonight. All in all, it was a nice and easy weekend. Just some light garden work and some light food processing tasks.
Are your gardening tasks lightening up as well?
Sandy
The 10 Year Challenge 
Sandy your beans are beautiful! I grew black eye peas and some speckled beans like that then harvested them when the photographer was here and was busy canning. They all molded. I could have cried. But I hitched up my big girl panties and put them in the compost instead. So glad yours made it! Sometimes it’s best just to say I do not have time. Glad you are getting a break from canning. I still have 2 boxes of romas here that I may sauce or I may buck up and ferment salsa with but I carried the canner downstairs and put it away. I am DONE.
The speckled cranberrys are so pretty. I hear they are a good tasting bean as well. I would cull out the ones with the rust spot just to be safe. I have pinto and dark red kidney beans that are in the process of drying down. It’s been hard to do this year though as they were late to mature with the cool summer and the fall damp is not conducive to bean drying. My garden work peaked up a bit this weekend because I was gone all last weekend and things needed attention. It is definitely on the way to slowing down though soon. I am planning to plant garlic next weekend. Intended to this weekend, but just ran out of time and energy and it was raining a bit so I decided to wait.
Sandy, dry beans are definitely part of my plans for next year–how big a plot did you have and what kind of quantity did they produce? They look SO tasty. I’m gearing up for the big tomato canning and garlic planting this weekend…
I hope you won’t mind that I’m also tagging you for a blog meme: share a day in the life as we transition toward sustainability. I know I’d love to hear the details of what this kind of life looks like for others: don’t you always wonder how we all fit it in?! Hope you’re willing to participate and tag others…
http://backyardfeast.wordpress.com/2010/10/05/a-day-in-the-slow-life/
Love the beans. I grew some pole cranberry beans that look a lot like yours, but not quite as round. My garden chores are picking up since the landscapers finished the main garden area (basically putting in top soil). Now I have to make beds and get some more soil to put in them.
Hi Toni,
I’m putting together my “A day in the slow life” today. Thanks for asking me to participate.
Daphne, the beans that I grew were pole beans. I’ll try to dig up the exact variety.
Laura, good luck with your garlic. I hope the weather clears a bit for you this weekend.
Annette, I’m going to process the last batch of tomatoes from my garden this weekend. I’m feeling pretty done with canning and might just freeze the sauce.