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Planting Guide – Starting Fava Beans from Seed

By Mavis Butterfield on February 28, 2017 · 2 Comments
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Yesterday I planted some Windsor Fava Beans. Fava beans are not only fun to say, they are pretty tasty to eat. And easy to grow.

I like to plant a little Swiss chard and kale plants near my fava for aesthetic reasons. Fava bean plants can get as high as 4 feet tall, so I think the fava bean, kale and Swiss chard combo will look pretty cool once everything is at the peak of its growing season.

If you have never grown fava beans before, here is how it’s done:

Brief description: Fava Beans are also known as Broad Beans, Field Beans or Windsor Beans.  The beans are sweet, sized like a lima bean, and best when harvested and grown in early spring.

Where to Plant Fava Beans:  Fava Beans are a cool season plant.  They can be planted in garden beds, raised beds and containers.

Planting Seeds:   Seeds should be soaked for 12-24 hours before sowing {unless you live in Seattle where it rains every freakin’ day}.  Then sow seeds 1″ deep.  When seedlings are 1″ tall, thin to 1 bean every 4″-6″.

Growing Tips:  Plant in a full sun area.  Plants do best when temperatures do not get above 60-65 degrees.  Fava Beans do not need fertilizing, so long as they are planted in quality soil.  They like well drained soil and should be watered just before the soil completely dries out.  Do not over water, though.

fava beans
{photo credit}

How to Harvest:   Fava Beans have different harvest times depending on how you plant on using them.  When harvested young, the entire pod can be eaten.  In the middle, they are best shelled and cooked, and finally, you can wait until the shell turns hard and brown  to store the beans dry.  To harvest, pick as you would a snap bean.

I think I’m going to do a little of both this year, eat some fresh, and also dry some beans to use later this winter in soups.

Here are a few Fava Bean recipes to try:

Arugala and fava beans Crostini
Arugula and Fava Bean Crostini

grilled rainbow chard with fava beans and oregano
Grilled Rainbow Chard with Fava Beans and Oregano

Random Facts That Will Impress No One:

Did you know that there is a small population with a genetic condition called Favism?  People who have the conditions should not consume Fava Beans.  Who knew?!

Fava beans are one of the oldest crops known on record! There were some archeological remains found in Israel that showed they came from the Neolithic period. That’s 6800-6500 BC! There were even Fava beans found in the tombs of Egyptian rulers. Wowzas.

The fava bean was very popular in ancient Greece, but Greek philosopher Pythagoras believed that fava bean contained souls of dead people. So he and all of his followers started excluded fava beans from their diet.

Now go get your fava on! Anyone can do it! Dirt + Seeds+ Water = Food!

~Mavis

A Week in Garden Photos – February 20th – 27th

By Mavis Butterfield on February 26, 2017 · 2 Comments
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This past week I spent most of my “garden time” outside working on cleaning off the roof. After reading all of your comments I decided to order a few bottles of concentrated Wet and Forget. 

I’ve removed all the chunks of moss I could reach {which was quite a bit if you ask me} and then once the product arrives I’ll spray it on the roof.

Let’s just say some spring chores are better than others. 😉

On wednesday the HH and I went to the Northwest Home and Garden Show up in Seattle. We arrived just as the doors opened and by the time we left you could barely walk through the sea of people surrounding the display gardens. There were oodles of garden ideas but my favorite was the cottage gardens. My buddy Heather and I will be attending the Boston Flower and Garden show next month so it will be fun to see what’s popular over on the east coast vs the west coast.

Kale! Pretty much the easiest thing to grow on the planet.

Operation pressure wash the porch. My garden project for this week. Well that, and sowing peas in gutters {more on that later}.

And last but not least…  Our spring bulbs. They’re up and running. So far we have daylilies, daffodils, tulips, hyacinth and lily of the valley popping up through the soil. Hopefully in a week or two I should have some fresh cut daffodils to display on the kitchen counter.

Spring, it’s almost here. 🙂

~Mavis

A Week in Garden Photos – February 13th – 19th

By Mavis Butterfield on February 19, 2017 · 26 Comments
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I called to get an estimate on having the roof cleaned. One business wanted $2,100 + tax and the other $1,500 + tax. Can you believe that? 4-6 hours worth of work. Now I {nor the HH} have any intention on climbing up on the roof to clean it…. but still. I can’t help but imagine there is another way to get it clean by popping out the window and using the tall ladder we already own for little or next to nothing. Am I crazy? Do you have any advice/tricks/magic tools we should know about? How do you get the moss off your roof if you live in a wooded area?

I don’t know about you, but I am getting the itch to plant something.

I think I might cave and plant fava beans this week.

Oh and guess what? I encouraged Mrs. HB to start some seeds this year instead of buying her plants. She decided on 4 varieties of tomatoes, 4 peppers, kale, broccoli and cilantro. We set up some extra grow lights in her laundry room yesterday and she couldn’t be more excited.

Spring, it’s almost here. 🙂 🙂 Are you as excited as we are?

Have  a great week everyone,

~ Mavis

A Week in Garden Photos – February 6th – 12th

By Mavis Butterfield on February 12, 2017 · 12 Comments
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This past week was a total mixed bag of weather. Everything from 4″ inches of snow to pouring rain, and yesterday there was sunshine. I loved it.

Well, except the rain part.

I wish I would have paid more attention to all the snow on our bushes and trees though. Somehow I managed to rake all the snow off the front boxwood hedge but totally forgot about the leland cypress trees alongside the house and in the upper garden.

Luckily no tree branches broke, but still, the trees are all wonky now. I hope they bounce back because I’d really hate to have to replace them. Has this ever happened to you before? Do you think I should wrap something around them or just leave them be? Do you think the trees will be okay?

Pro Tip: Leave the dirty jobs for your husband. 😉

There were a ton of trees in the backyard of our last place and I never once had to clean up pine needles to make the yard look tidy. It took 4 truckloads to the yard waste facility to clear the side yard. Seriously. Remind me to never buy a house again that has trees planted so closely to the house.

Spring! It’s on it’s way. The tulips, daffodils, lilies of the valley and hyacinth are all popping through the soil and I couldn’t be happier. Word on the street is the temps will be in the upper 40’s to 50’s all this week. Yee-haw! It’s time to get out there and get some chores done.

Have a great week everyone,

~Mavis

A Week in Garden Photos – January 30th – February 5th

By Mavis Butterfield on February 5, 2017 · 4 Comments
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This past week sort of sort of zipped by. When it wasn’t raining {or freezing outside} Lucy played in the backyard while I worked on raking up fallen pine needles and pinecones on the side yard and hauling them to the upper garden {I’m working on building up the area so I can plant some trees in the spring}.

I also moved the artichoke seedlings that I had under grow lights in the laundry room to the kitchen window. Rather unexpectedly, I came home with 4 baby chicks on friday and needed the space. Peepers. They are my one weakness. Mrs. HB and I were out running errands together and she insisted we stop at Wilco to buy some chicken feed and treats for her flock because the store was running a special.

10 minutes later we walked out of there with 4 baby chicks and a co-parenting plan. I’ll take care of the babies M-F and the HB’s will look after them on the weekends until The Girl and I go on spring break. Then the chicky babies will live at the HB’s full time since chickens are not allowed {outside?} in my neighborhood.

Lucy LOVES baby chicks. Loves, loves, loves them. And someday soon she’ll get another flock. But for now, this little window of opportunity for her to be a chicken mama will just have to do.

Long term goals {and waiting for spring} is hard.

I just have to keep reminding myself to keep my eye on the prize.

Eye on the prize, baby. That’s what I’m talking about.

Have a great sunday everyone,

~Mavis

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