Full of Beans

With kids at school all day I have more time and space to listen and learn again. One of the subjects I've been wandering around in is different diets or health advice. I started this last year researching longevity practices and have come back to that fascinating topic. I can't totally subscribe to any complete elimination diets, especially in this month when everything is ripening and so delicious to eat. One of the many fresh vegetables are these beauties. I was only going to pick some for super but helped another woman pick and ended up with a bag or two for my own use. Because I am also the main grocery getter and prepper I look for ways to save money. I had the idea to try frozen mixed vegetables. This was so easy to do, especially with my super helper Addie. 

We had some this week and they were so good. The kids didn't miss the lima beans from store-bought at all. I guess I could can some lima beans but why waste money, time, and space, on the most picked out vegetable of all? 

I'm still pondering all the learning Mark and I did about compost and soil microbiology. I still have ingredients to make compost so I'm starting again. Mark argues that cows complete the process in days time versus months with microscopic organisms. So I feed the the grasses and scraps and pile it for the chickens to turn. I add manure sometimes I don't love shoveling manure. Anyway, experiments away I keep trying out things I've learned and studied. 

Part of farming is weed management. One day I took this strong crew and we shoveled out puncher vines. I was very happy with the end result, but now two weeks later you can't tell we did anything. 

It's hard to pick which works better hoeing or shoveling? The road is moderately long so anything is helpful to pick up the long masses of poking vines. These guys did a good job as long as I stood right with them encouraging them to keep on. 

I was really pleased with their efforts. As we change from older highly skilled and responsible laborers, we are challenged to train this next group with their own personalities, confidence, and abilities. Honesty is a major lesson right now. 

Millie shows promise when the work is seen. As usual, the love of reading slows the work down to a standstill. Credit to her though for a major portion of the greenbean picking this year. And helping get them processed at home. We listened to Little Town on the Prairie and These Happy Golden Years as we worked. No matter how many times I read those stories they are still a delight on the next read-through. 

In my life, thanks to my dad, bean picking is just another summer responsibility I'm so thankful my kids can know and develop love of fresh beans. They learn to toil and work to completion to pick their required amounts. I'm thankful for the traditions that live on and for time together. We are so blessed with sunshine and togetherness. When listening to the various interviews and experts I think we live in a different world. As the kids and I listen to the historical Little House Stories I think we do some of those same things. Mostly through being together, having space to grow, touching the dirt, and eating whole real food. We are so fortunate. 

I try not to take for granted the very abundant life we live. I'm thankful for each that makes it possible. Life is good.