Thursday, May 14, 2009

Canning starts...NOW!!!

So far green beans have been our most reliable crop here in Texas, so this year we planted a bunch. By a bunch I mean approximately 400 plants on two 40-foot rows. The beans are just starting to come on. We did our first real picking two days ago, and picked just over two pounds. We expected to have to wait a while for more, but yesterday we picked another two pounds, and I only expect the yield to increase as the plants get more into their bearing streak.

So, we will be busy canning. Last night I canned nine pints, with a full load being ten. I find that it takes just about half a pound of beans (before snapping off the ends) per pint, so if we get to the point that we are picking more than five pounds at a time we might be in trouble!

In other garden news, we harvested ten pounds of Reddale potatoes. If the rest of the plants have yielded about the same, then we should be digging up about another fifteen pounds soon, as the plants are really starting to die back now.
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5 comments:

  1. ChristaMay 14, 2009 at 9:06 AM

    Looks good! Last year I pickled some beans (in vinegar, not fermented - let me know if you want the recipe) and they are so good! We are still eating them.

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  2. KathyMay 18, 2009 at 1:19 AM

    Get some dump trucks and put those kids to work helping with the beans! Your jars look so nice - I hope you get many more!

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  3. JasonMay 18, 2009 at 7:03 AM

    So yesterday I canned eight jars in 1.5 pint (I think) spaghetti sauce jars. I have been buying brands that I know use "normal" jars so that I could reuse them.

    Unfortunately I also overestimated my balancing skills and dropped three of those pints from the picture on the kitchen floor. Luckily nothing shattered, but the lids were dented and the seals broke, so we now have three pints that need used soon!

    So far in the one week we have been picking beans, we have picked about 17 pounds... We are going to get very sick of this very soon I think.

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  4. KathyMay 20, 2009 at 1:38 AM

    Just keep reminding yourself of how much you will like having those beans when the garden is done producing. Too bad about damaging some lids - I don't like having to used the canned beans up right away when I could be eating them fresh from the garden. (For me it is usually because a jar doesn't seal.)

    I always think of beans in 5-gallon bucket loads. About how many is 17 pounds? Based on the number of jars would that be the equivalent of about 1/2 or 1 bucket? I can't remember how many jars I get per bucket, just that I get really tired of doing it now that I don't have all my helpers.

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  5. JasonMay 20, 2009 at 7:45 AM

    Hmm...I don't have any idea how many 5-gallon buckets that would be. Seven pounds was just about as much as I could fit into a normal-sized plastic grocery bag.

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