There is snow on the ground, but signs of spring in Granny's House.
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Wish books have arrived.
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Granddaughter comes to visit just in time to help shell the Fortex bean seeds.
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She has learned to sort the good seeds from the bad.
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Her cup runneth over!
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Almost finished.
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Between the two of us, we ended up with almost four ounces of seeds,
plenty for the 2013 garden!
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A seed inventory was then made, with most of the old seeds disposed of. All of the "good" seeds that have been inventoried are in the red boxes, the others are still waiting to be done. It doesn't look like many seeds, but about 55 packets are on the inventory list, counting the order that has been placed and should be here this week.
Spring will be here before we know it!
Your seed storage looks great. What a cute helper you have got there :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sarada. she loves to help, and she's quite good at it for a 4 year old.
DeleteMajor "duh"... epiphany... I can WAIT on shelling the bean seeds until a slow time of year, thanks Gran LOL!!! Kind of like when one of my readers had the "I can plant on BOTH SIDES of a pea trellis?" epiphany! Go ahead and laugh at my expense now. Never thought of the bean shelling in winter and I am always learning something new :) I have my stack of catalogs ready to go also, the hubs is leaving within days for the next deployment so I'm saving it for after that to lift my spirits!
ReplyDeleteErin, I just put them out in the garden shed on a screen last fall, and left them there to dry. The pods weren't real crispy when I shelled them, I should have left them inside in a closet I guess. The slight dampness didn't seem to hurt them though. There were a few split beans, but most were just fine.
DeleteYou're so organized and inspiring!
ReplyDeleteOh, Julie...I'm really not all that organized, or I would have had those beans shelled and stored last fall! Organization is easier in January than it is in October, LOL!
DeleteAfter reading about Fortex beans on your blog and others, I ordered some from Territorial this year. They just came the other day, and I'm really looking forward to growing and eating them! It won't be long now before I'm sowing lots of seeds too. It's nice to dream about the garden-to-be. Maybe this year it will be as good as the dream. Or even better.
ReplyDeleteAlison, I'm sure you'll love them. If I could only grow one variety, it would be Fortex.
Deletewhat is so singular about fortex beings? I have heard about them, but no one has been able to tell me why there are so fabulous.
DeleteDonna, I guess it's a matter of personal preference. Just like how some like Cherokee Purple tomatoes, while others might prefer Brandywines.
DeleteWhat I love about Fortex is that they are pole beans, so I don't have to break my back picking them and they bear over a long period of time. They are huge, at least 10" and even longer, but stay sweet and tender. A handful is a meal for two. Or you can pick them when they are younger and more slender. Either way the flavor is excellent. They freeze better than most I've frozen.
oh, I got the name mixed up with marfax beans. marfax beans are all the buzz at the winter market here. they are supposed to be good for cooler growing seasons.
Deletehttp://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/search.php?item=338&listname=&page=4&
http://chefscollaborative.org/2009/06/03/magic-marfax-beans/
Woot! I love signs of Spring in January. January is just a dead month to me... No holidays, nothing to celebrate... The perfect time to plan the garden! I just got my seed order in the mail the other day and almost peed myself with excitement!
ReplyDeleteAshlee, I kept running to the mailbox today, but no seeds yet. I had Ed and Daphne order some for me too, so I'll pee myself when all of those arrive ;-)
DeleteThis year I shelled all my dried beans in the fall. Last year I still had a bag of them to do over the next summer. Was that bad or what? I really had forgotten about it. Today I was working on gardening supplies. I need an email back from a question then I can fill out the order form.
ReplyDeleteI probably would have waited until it was time to plant, but I was bored. Besides, my garden shed is such a mess, and it has been to cold to spend any time cleaning it. I swear, it will probably take me a month to get it ready for the gardening season! At least that pile of drying beans is finally out of there.
DeleteOnly 55 packs of seed??? I can't bear the thought! Well, I had already been planning to rectify that situation, LOL. It's nice to see that you have such a good helper!
ReplyDeleteWell, Ed, that doesn't count the lettuce packets that have yet to be inventoried. Yes, I kind of figured my Garden Angel had plans to increase my stash :-)
DeleteGranny, you sure are lucky to have such a great helper! I'm with Ed, I can't believe that you only have 55 packs of seeds!! I have more than 300 varieties of seeds!!!
DeleteRobin, that was all I had cataloged so far. I added a few more since then....all of the leftover lettuce varieties. I tossed a bunch of old seed, and donated a bunch that were varieties I don't grow, or outdated but probably still viable. We don't all have a huge community garden to play with, ya know ;-)
DeleteNice lot of beans and sweet little granddaughter! Nancy
ReplyDeleteThank you, Nancy. I think she's pretty sweet.
DeleteGreat seed planning and storage! I am impatiently awaiting new seeds in the mail! And impatiently awaiting seed starting time. Hope I can stay on track this year! Can't wait to see what you will be growing!
ReplyDeleteShawn Ann, I was hoping to find my first order in the mailbox today, but no show. I guess I'll have to do something constructive...like clean the house or do the laundry. Pooh.
DeleteGranny, don't be so rash.
DeleteDonna, good thing I didn't get too carried away. The seeds arrived yesterday. At least the laundry and floor mopping got done, the rest can wait ;-)
DeleteHi - look how organized you are at your seed saving. That looks great! I have to "expand" my plastic shoebox size tote - it's about ready to EXPLODE!
ReplyDeleteAre you having as much fun as me going through the seed catalogs? Love it! Have a wonderful week!
Farmers Wife, I'm trying to keep my nose out of those darned catalogs....I have leftover seeds that really need to be used up before I go absolutely nuts over new seeds! Don't worry, sooner or later I'll cave :-) Plunging temps this past week have taken the edge off of my enthusiasm.
ReplyDeleteI had hoped to be concentrating on my garden by now, but it's not happening! Must get down to business soon so I can plan carefully.
ReplyDeleteJean, with the recent snow and temps in the teens and 20s, I'm thinking more about hot soups and stews than about gardening!
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