Having read various 'threads' about which variety to purchase . Over
the last 5 years I have never bought packets of beans. I have quite a
number of varieties growing and I decide which is the best flavour and
type to grow for the following year and save some . I leave the pods
until they are large and brown and ready for saving.
By this method I get the best.
Despite watering frequently I am now finding that some 'beans' having
grown to about two inches in length are dropping off.?
Despite this I have a very good crop and it looks like 'beans' for a
lot of meals or freezing some (which I am not keen on)
(This year I have also had a bumper crop of raspberries)
Peter.

I also saved seed from last year (and from the peas) and have got bumper
crops of both. However a friend who used to do this regularly found that one
year his peas, although giving a good crop, had a very poor taste. He
thought it was because the previous year he had 2 varieties and they got
cross pollenated. Presumably (if he was right) this could also happen to
your beans.

I agree about beans being frozen - they go very soggy and lose their
flavour - does anyone out there know how to successfully freeze runner beans
so that they still retain a "bite"?


Jeanne Stockdale
"Peter Coddington" wrote in message
...
Having read various 'threads' about which variety to purchase . Over
the last 5 years I have never bought packets of beans. I have quite a
number of varieties growing and I decide which is the best flavour and
type to grow for the following year and save some . I leave the pods
until they are large and brown and ready for saving.
By this method I get the best.
Despite watering frequently I am now finding that some 'beans' having
grown to about two inches in length are dropping off.?
Despite this I have a very good crop and it looks like 'beans' for a
lot of meals or freezing some (which I am not keen on)
(This year I have also had a bumper crop of raspberries)
Peter.

The message
from "Peter Coddington" contains
these words:

it looks like 'beans' for a
lot of meals or freezing some (which I am not keen on)
(This year I have also had a bumper crop of raspberries)

I salt my beans. We used to salt a big stone crock of them every year
when I was a lad, and while I do have a freezer, beans take up a lot of
room. If soaked in two changes of water the salted beans are perfectly
acceptable, and the liquor they make in the process of salting can be
used to add a little extra flavour to gravy, etc.

If I do freeze any, I blanch them and freeze them in the blanching water
- that way they don't partially freeze-dry.

--
Rusty http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm
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The message
from " Jeanne Stockdale" contains these words:

I agree about beans being frozen - they go very soggy and lose their
flavour - does anyone out there know how to successfully freeze runner beans
so that they still retain a "bite"?

Cut beans and put them into just enough boiling water to cover them.
Bring back to the boil and seeth for two and a half minutes. Cool the
beans in the water and put beans into freezer bags. Add the water you
blanched them in, knot bags and freeze.

--
Rusty http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm
horrid·squeak snailything zetnet·co·uk excange d.p. with p to reply.

"Rusty Hinge" wrote in message
...
The message
from " Jeanne Stockdale" contains these
words:

I agree about beans being frozen - they go very soggy and lose their
flavour - does anyone out there know how to successfully freeze runner
beans
so that they still retain a "bite"?

Cut beans and put them into just enough boiling water to cover them.
Bring back to the boil and seeth for two and a half minutes. Cool the
beans in the water and put beans into freezer bags. Add the water you
blanched them in, knot bags and freeze.


gosh it is many years since I heard the expression 'seeth'

Ophelia

On Sat, 26 Jul 2003, Ophelia wrote:

Cut beans and put them into just enough boiling water to cover them.
Bring back to the boil and seeth for two and a half minutes. Cool the
beans in the water and put beans into freezer bags. Add the water you
blanched them in, knot bags and freeze.


gosh it is many years since I heard the expression 'seeth'

What? Do you mean that you never seethe your pottage? ;-)

--
+-------------------------------------------------------+
| Internet: | writing from |
| Fidonet: David Rance 2:252/110 | Caversham, |
| BBS: telnet://mesnil.demon.co.uk | Reading, UK |
+-------------------------------------------------------+

"David Rance" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 26 Jul 2003, Ophelia wrote:

Cut beans and put them into just enough boiling water to cover them.
Bring back to the boil and seeth for two and a half minutes. Cool the
beans in the water and put beans into freezer bags. Add the water you
blanched them in, knot bags and freeze.


gosh it is many years since I heard the expression 'seeth'

What? Do you mean that you never seethe your pottage? ;-)

UM not recently LOL

O

--
+-------------------------------------------------------+
| Internet: | writing from |
| Fidonet: David Rance 2:252/110 | Caversham, |
| BBS: telnet://mesnil.demon.co.uk | Reading, UK |
+-------------------------------------------------------+

The message
from "Ophelia" contains these words:

Cut beans and put them into just enough boiling water to cover them.
Bring back to the boil and seeth for two and a half minutes. Cool the
beans in the water and put beans into freezer bags. Add the water you
blanched them in, knot bags and freeze.


gosh it is many years since I heard the expression 'seeth'

*AND* the 'e' dropped off the end of 'seethe'. You'd be surprised at
some of the words which I've kept well-oiled these last mumblety-mumble
years, and what what certain tools about the place are yet yclept innit.

--
Rusty http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm
horrid·squeak snailything zetnet·co·uk excange d.p. with p to reply.

In article , Rusty Hinge
writes

Cut beans and put them into just enough boiling water to cover them.
Bring back to the boil and seeth for two and a half minutes. Cool the
beans in the water and put beans into freezer bags. Add the water you
blanched them in, knot bags and freeze.

That is a perfectly acceptable way of freezing runner beans. Our way is
somewhat simpler though. We pick the beans quite young and tender, well
before any stringiness is forming. We top and tail them, slice them,
pack them flat into freezer bags and pop them into the freezer within
minutes of picking. They come out almost as crisp and tasty as they went
in and they are easily separated in the bag if only a small quantity are
required. We have done that for many years with excellent results.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:155887


"Rusty Hinge" wrote in message
...
The message
from "Ophelia" contains these words:

Cut beans and put them into just enough boiling water to cover them.
Bring back to the boil and seeth for two and a half minutes. Cool the
beans in the water and put beans into freezer bags. Add the water you
blanched them in, knot bags and freeze.


gosh it is many years since I heard the expression 'seeth'

*AND* the 'e' dropped off the end of 'seethe'.

Yes I did notice

You'd be surprised at
some of the words which I've kept well-oiled these last mumblety-mumble
years, and what what certain tools about the place are yet yclept innit.

grin

The message
from Alan Gould contains these words:

blanched them in, knot bags and freeze.

That is a perfectly acceptable way of freezing runner beans. Our way is
somewhat simpler though. We pick the beans quite young and tender, well
before any stringiness is forming. We top and tail them, slice them,
pack them flat into freezer bags and pop them into the freezer within
minutes of picking. They come out almost as crisp and tasty as they went
in and they are easily separated in the bag if only a small quantity are
required. We have done that for many years with excellent results.

I have always understood that not blanching veg before freezing can be
dangerous.

--
Rusty http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm
horrid·squeak snailything zetnet·co·uk excange d.p. with p to reply.

In article , Rusty Hinge
writes

That is a perfectly acceptable way of freezing runner beans. Our way is
somewhat simpler though. We pick the beans quite young and tender, well
before any stringiness is forming. We top and tail them, slice them,
pack them flat into freezer bags and pop them into the freezer within
minutes of picking. They come out almost as crisp and tasty as they went
in and they are easily separated in the bag if only a small quantity are
required. We have done that for many years with excellent results.

I have always understood that not blanching veg before freezing can be
dangerous.

Freezing food can be dangerous with or without blanching, there are a
lot of other factors which can affect the safety and quality of food.
The most important thing in relation to garden crops is to prevent
deterioration by build up of bacteria or enzymes. We do that by
selecting out any poor looking goods and by preparing and freezing them
immediately after picking.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.