This past weekend I harvested some shelling beans and put them away for the winter. This first harvest of beans is a variety called "European Soldier", or more frequently, it is just referred to as "Soldier."
Soldier beans are a pre-1800's heirloom bean that is creamy white with a distinctive red mark on the side. They can be used in any recipe that calls for dry or canned beans; however this traditional New England variety is often used to make baked beans.
Growing & Harvesting Shelling Beans
- Plant in the spring about 3 weeks prior to your last frost date.
- Space seeds 3-4 inches apart at a depth of about 1 inch.
- Keep the soil moist but don't over-water.
- Soldier beans mature in about 95 days. The pods will dry out and turn light brown in color. You'll know they are properly dry when you can hear them rattle inside the pod when you shake the plant.
- After I remove them from the pod, I store the beans in pint sized canning jars to keep them fresh.
Warm Memories For Cold Winters
Perhaps you know of a children's story about a mouse named Frederick. Unlike the other mice, who work feverishly during the summer putting away stores of food for the winter, Frederick spends his days gathering memories of summer and later uses these memories during the winter to cheer his fellow mice when their food supply has dwindled. As Frederick explains early in the story, "I gather sun rays for the cold dark winter days."
The moral of the story is that mice, and men, don't just live by bread alone. However, with a good supply of soldier beans in your pantry, you really get the best of both worlds... food for your winter table and memories of the warmth of summer. Memories that drive out the cold and bleak of winter when there's little activity in the garden.
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