2021 Little Easy Bean Network - Bean Lovers Come Discover Something New !

[ducks4you]

Who needs an encyclopedia when we have our bean experts!! I lurk here, but can't keep up with your bean obssessions!!
Still, I enjoy reading the posts.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

I’ve been meaning to ask. Those of you that use string trellises how far apart to you place the strings? I haven’t been able to find info on that.

 

[HmooseK]

A bean recipe that I've been looking for (for a month) fell out of a cookbook tonight. I had thought it was lost forever, and the company that sent it to me is MIA, so I'm really happy I found it. To celebrate, I thought I'd post it here. It might sound kinda strange, but I've made it a bunch of times and liked it. I'm always looking for new ways to use beans in my recipes, or make a dish or dessert healthier. And pea beans (and maple syrup) are so ubiquitous in my area! So...for anyone with some pea bean type beans at season's end, not wanting to make yet another soup, here is a possibility...

Maple Syrup Bean Tarts

*Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C

For the filling:
1 cup cooked pea beans
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 eggs
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
1/2 cup raisins and/or chopped pecans

And you need 18 unbaked tarts shells (or a 9 inch unbaked pie shell)

Puree all the filling ingredients together in a blender, except raisins and/or pecans. Pour into shells or pie crust. Drop in raisins and/or nuts. It's about 20 minutes for the shells, 35-40 minutes for the pie. Eat them when they come to room temperature completely, or chilled. Delish!

Disclaimer: I am a bit if a health nut, and virtually never eat sugar, so for me anything like this is

Sounds Yummy! I use a lot of coconut sugar and agave for my sweetening and I bet it would be good! What are you calling pea beans? Remember I’m a Southerner, so when I hear the word pea, my mind goes straight to cowpeas. Haha

On second thought, I bet 10 to 1 something like a navy bean would work perfectly.

 

[heirloomgal]

Sounds Yummy! I use a lot of coconut sugar and agave for my sweetening and I bet it would be good! What are you calling pea beans? Remember I’m a Southerner, so when I hear the word pea, my mind goes straight to cowpeas. Haha

On second thought, I bet 10 to 1 something like a navy bean would work perfectly.

Coconut sugar 🥰
You could put anything like that in there, agave too. I like shredded coconut as an addition. 'Pea beans' isn't very specific is it! 🤣 Navy beans is the other name for them, but I honestly think any of those smaller white beans would be good. I looked for a photo yesterday to post with that recipe, but couldn't find a good one...but I discovered in my search that these tarts are a traditional Portugese dessert. I wonder what kind of bean they use.

 

[HmooseK]

@heirloomgal
After I took off my cap off, figured it out. I know it’s supposed to be a thinking cap, but mines just makes me stupid. Hahahaaa!

I figured any small bean without an overpowering taste would probably work. Black-eyed peas would not fit that description at all. Hahahaaaa.

I’m definitely going to give them a try!

I don’t typically use regular sugar too much. I like to use a blend of sugars ranging from Stevia, Coconut, Agave, Maple Syrup, Honey, Molasses, etc. No reason per se, I just like being different. Hahaaa.

 

[heirloomgal]

First bean babies of the year have sprouted....waiting for safe weather to plant 🥶

'Black Russian' Fava's

 

[Zeedman]

I’ve been meaning to ask. Those of you that use string trellises how far apart to you place the strings? I haven’t been able to find info on that.

My default spacing is 8-12" apart each way. I first run horizontal strings at that spacing from pole to pole, then tie the verticals, wrapping them around each horizontal string on the way down. To support the vertical strings, I use a rebar top support (and sometimes a rebar bottom support as well). A sturdy top support prevents the vertical strings from sliding under wind or weight. When I used string only as the top support, it would sag under weight, and all the vertical strings would drift toward the center... it was a mess.

This construction is very sturdy, and allows plenty of room to reach through when harvesting.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

My default spacing is 8-12" apart each way. I first run horizontal strings at that spacing from pole to pole, then tie the verticals, wrapping them around each horizontal string on the way down. To support the vertical strings, I use a rebar top support (and sometimes a rebar bottom support as well). A sturdy top support prevents the vertical strings from sliding under wind or weight. When I used string only as the top support, it would sag under weight, and all the vertical strings would drift toward the center... it was a mess.

This construction is very sturdy, and allows plenty of room to reach through when harvesting.

Thank you!

 

[PhilaGardener]

I have a similar set up but use hollow metal conduit rather than rebar for my horizontals. It is relatively inexpensive and lighter. I'm also experimenting wrapped the string in a continuous W pattern over the horizontals rather than as separate horizontal and vertical lines - not quite as nice but quicker/easier to put up and take down for me.

 

[Zeedman]

I have a similar set up but use hollow metal conduit rather than rebar for my horizontals. It is relatively inexpensive and lighter. I'm also experimenting wrapped the string in a continuous W pattern over the horizontals rather than as separate horizontal and vertical lines - not quite as nice but quicker/easier to put up and take down for me.

Conduit, branch poles, bamboo - any straight, firm material can be used for the top support. I just prefer rebar because it can be easily attached to fence poles by running them through 1.25" PVC T's, which fit easily over the poles. By overlapping the rebar, I can easily create a trellis of any length.

There is a poster & large-scale grower on another forum who advocates the wrapped W method (@PhilaGardener I believe you know him as Fusion). He uses strong wire for the top & bottom supports (strung tightly & anchored to the ground at the ends) with lines run in a continuous W for the entire length.

I have several reservations about this system. Attaching, tensioning, and anchoring the wire seems to be something a gardener would not want to do every year - something more suited to a permanent trellis. Conduit or rebar could be used instead & would make construction easier... but my main problem is the continuous W string. Strings break. If I lose a vertical string or two (which is not uncommon in a strong storm) no big deal... the surrounding strings in the lattice will still provide support. However, in a W construction, if the string breaks anywhere the entire trellis could fail.