Blessed with Beans

Humanity has truly been blessed with beans - Seeing our recently planted fava bean come up so nicely in this Melbourne weather the thought came to me.
There is a bean variety for each season springs snow peas, then snap peas, soya beans and lima beans and this variety of bean will produce as we go into winter.
Fava beans generally grow in temperatures from 15 degrees to 24 degrees however they will also grow in temperatures as low as 4 degrees. So I'm hoping for a harvest before the real Melbourne winter sets in.
Growing food is a real trial and error activity. Being one of the oldest plants cultivated by man, they were eaten by the ancient Greeks and Romans.
Another great reason to plant and get a real taste of history.
Beans can be planted just about all year round in most climates.

I was amazed to see snake beans growing and producing so well in the mid summer tropics
Not only do they grow well but also fix nitrogen to the soil.

                                                                                                                  (Beans 2 weeks after planting)

Beans belong to the legume family and are capable of developing nodules on their roots which have the ability to fix nitrogen from the air and supply it to the plant. The nitrogen available to the plant will supply up to 70% of what the plant needs but if your compost is lacking nitrogen add some chook manure. (A bit from a previous post on snake beans)

A indispensable component of Ancient civilizations soil fertility program populations wouldn't have got near the levels they did without beans. It's no wonder they have become part of our folk law in the children's classic "Jack and the Bean Stalk" a vigorous bean stalk becoming a lifesaver to Jack and his mother.
The Austrian Monk Gregor Mendel used beans to uncover the basis of the modern theory of genetics. Beans gave him  many different traits to conduct his experiments.

Beans when combined with things like rice provide complete protein needed.Dried seeds contain approximately 9% water, 22% protein, 60% carbohydrate, 1.5% fat and 4% fibre. The protein is rich in amino acids lysine and tryptophan. They also contain calcium, thiamine, riboflavin and ascorbic acid.

They can be eaten straight off the vine or left to dry and eaten. Best way to cook is to blanch in boiling water and pan fry with oil and salt.

We are truly blessed with beans. Check my previous post on snake beans for growing tips.
All our other seeds have sprouted and seem to be doing well.