Day 282 of 365
Tonight, for dinner, we had slow cooked beans and onions from the garden with homemade skillet cornbread on the side. I love this meal for many reasons: I love it’s humility, and I love that the beans and onions come from our garden, which makes it an almost free meal. I think I love this meal extra now because of the new research about beans are wonderful for us and help with longevity.
A key to homesteading is to eat what you grow. I have found this can be harder than you think if you are not used to eating this way. It took us some time to figure out what Ron needed to plant in the garden in terms of what we would be sure to eat at the table. Beans are wonderful because they are not only good for you but they are also prolific, generous plants.
There are so many wonderful beans you can grow as well. We generally grow cranberry beans and then dry them. We use them in some of our favorite meals like bean burritos, bean and rice bowls, and of course, beans and cornbread. Ron has also agreed to try black-eyed peas or cow peas again this year. He tried them about ten years ago, but it didn’t get hot enough in Maine. We’re both pretty sure it’s hot enough in our part of Maine now. There are also green beans, which can be a side to any meal any time. We had homemade French bread pizza last night with green beans on the side.
For anyone considering growing your own food, I highly recommend beans. The plants are so generous, and you can seed save so easily. I feel like beans are a great way to start growing your own food. They were first and foundational for us.
Farmer-ish 
Love the old bean varieties. They often are the prettiest growing and after harvest! There are some really neat heirloom seeds available today and the best way to keep them going is to grow them.
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