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Friday, May 20, 2011

If only everything worked liked fava.


The picture is of my fava beans, two rows on the sides of my marionberry vines, too small at this time.

The rains have slowed down to once, twice a week, here in the Pacific Northwest.  We get to examine our gardens and begin planting at this time. Oh, some of us have been busy weeding and amending and  seeding too.  I want to tell you today about the easiest thing to grow, outside of radishes.

Fava beans, also known as broad beans, a cousin of lima beans, I think, are probably the least fussy of vegetables to grow in this sandy terrain that will soon become full of all kinds of weeds.  Fava are most delicious when picked young and cooked and served the way we serve peas.

But, I will not talk about cooking in this blog. (I do, however, in my  real food blog.)
I just think that fava are unappreciated; yet, they are the easiest thing to grow.

A. They like all kinds of weather. They can be planted as a winter crop, or an all season crop.
B. Bugs and birds leave them alone.
C. Leaves and fruit are edible raw, when young.
D. The entire plant, after harvesting the pods, can be easily tilled under. The roots develop numerous nitrogen fixing pods, and the entire stock can be roto-tilled easily too.

Imagine, a plant for all seasons, with no enemies, no downside at all.
I'm recommending that everyone grow a few rows this year. 

22 comments:

Dr. Kathy McCoy said...

You've inspired me, Rosaria! I'm struggling with some of my tomato plants, but maybe I just need some fava plants to boost my confidence!

Rosaria Williams said...

Yes, Kathy, try fava and anything else that goes well in your neck of the woods.

Karen Jones Gowen said...

This looks like a very nice garden!

Brian Miller said...

you know Hannibal liked them...haha..as long as they are not limas...limas are kryptonite to me...

dianefaith said...

The soil you have looks nothing like the soil we have here. Don't know why, but that always surprises me. Too many years living with red clay, I guess. I'm all for easy, though, and might give these a try this fall.

Donna said...

Interesting, I know so little about them! Thanks for the enlightenment!

Rosaria Williams said...

The soil is sandy, and adding fava will amend it for further vegetable gardening. I rotate my crops, anyway, and start and end with legumes, fava among them.

RNSANE said...

Fabulous idea...never thought of it since I haven't been gardening in years...but I do love eating fava beans.

Unspoken said...

I don't know I've ever tasted one.

Jane said...

I believe that what you call fava beans we in the UK know as broad beans - here broad beans frequently attract blackfly which congregate at the growing tips. No problem as the tips can be pinched off and binned. If left to grow large before picked, the beans themselves grow a skin which can be quite tough when cooked, altho after cooking they can be shucked of the skin and then either eaten as they are or as a puree. They're very popular eaten with bacon :O)

Maggie May said...

We call them broad beans over here.
You sound very industrious in your garden and you will reap the benefit of the care you've put into sowing ....... with delicious fresh veg. Hope you enjoy them. Definitely more tasty than the shop ones.
Maggie X

Nuts in May

Arkansas Patti said...

Have never tried them and don't know how they will do in our clay soil.
However, even if I didn't like them, they sound like excellent green manure and a great cover crop. I will try. Thanks.

erin said...

we've just picked up 20 bags of topsoil and a few starter plants (i grow most from seed). feel so good about digging into the soil again. it has been a few years since i've allowed my mind to follow my hands into the soil. i look forward to this. no fava beans but - everything from the soil is a gift.

have a beautiful weekend.

xo
erin

Ricardo Miñana said...

Good job.
a pleasure to spend for your home.
you have a happy weekend.
a hug.

Grandmother Mary said...

We're already harvesting and enjoying fava here in Italy, as you probably know. I eat them raw with bread and oil as well as cooked. My husband does this wonderful pasta with pesto, potato and fava. I'm hooked!

Unknown said...

sounds like a reason to favor fava.

yaya said...

I've never heard of them...can they grow in Ohio? I'll check it out because my hubby loves lima beans and I think these sound wonderful and right up his alley! We are struggling with the rain and I haven't been able to even till our garden area yet. Now there is rain predicted for the next week...I'm almost to the point of giving up..almost..

quilterliz said...

G'day Rosaria. I love broad beans, though hubby is not too keen on them. I grew some a few years ago and they were a great success, but because of the amount they produced I ended up freezing most of them and I still think they are yummy, but I have found out not everyone likes them as I even took some to work and not many wanted them !! Take care. Liz...

A Cuban In London said...

The only way I can describe the weather now in London is as a drought. It has hardly rained. Our garden looks lifeless. Love your fava beans. Will you be inviting Dr Lecter for dinner? :-)

Greetings from London.

High Power Rocketry said...

: )

LindyLouMac said...

Oh I just love fava beans, ours have been a complete failure this year not even germinating, thankfully our wonderful neighbours have kept us well supplied.

Marilynne said...

We should make a trade - your sand for my clay soil. Just kidding, of course.