Tis the season where the green beans start coming in full-swing! What are these snappy delights, and what can you do besides green bean casserole? Let’s explore!

Green beans are simply common beans (think pinto, navy, black, kidney, etc.) that are not yet ripened, eaten pod and all. They have been grown and selected for hundreds of years for the best flavor & tenderness rather than the cooking quality of the fully-ripened bean itself. Older varieties often had a tough and fibrous string running down the side of the pod that needed to be removed before eating. This is why they are nicknamed “string beans”. These days, most varieties have been selected to be sans-string for less work.

Who can we thank for green beans? The same folks who brought us potatoes and peppers, and many more culinary delights-the Indian tribes of Central and South America. They grew the first common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), which all common bean varieties came from. The Spanish learned about the bean in the 16th century and they spread the good bean cheer all around the world.

On the farm, our favorite variety is the rattlesnake bean. The beautiful purple marbles look striking against the dark green pod, and their flavor is crisp and delicate. We also grow Haricots verts, a fancy French word for small, thin green beans. New this year is a yellow wax bean called Gold of Bacau.

Green beans are really good for you! They have lots of vitamins and minerals including vitamin K for strong bones, vitamin C for strong everything and vitamin A for healthy eyes and lungs. They also contain manganese, which you body uses for many things, including maintaining blood sugar levels and helping your thyroid gland to function properly. They even have iron, so important for your body to run. Throw in the fact that one cup contains just 43 calories, and you have yourself an excellent way to eat your vitamins!

Speaking of eating, what’s the best way to enjoy these yummy treats? How about trying The bean salad from the World’s Healthiest Foods website:

This is a great dish that you can keep in your refrigerator for 3-4 days and its flavor gets better each day!

Prep and Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh green beans cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1 15 oz can lima beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 TBS minced onion
• 3 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 large ripe fresh tomato, chopped
• 2 TBS chopped fresh basil
• 1 TBS chopped fresh oregano
• 1 TBS chopped fresh parsley
• 3 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 2-3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mince onion and press garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out its health-promoting benefits.
2. Fill the bottom of a steamer with 2 inches of water.
3. While steam is building up in steamer cut green beans.
4. Steam for 5 minutes. A fork should pierce them easily when they are done.
5. Drain and rinse canned beans. Let beans sit in colander for another couple of minutes to drain excess water.
6. Mix all ingredients together. If you have the time, let it marinate for at least 15 minutes. It can keep in the refrigerator for a few days. Keep on hand for a quick meal. Serves 4

Healthy Cooking Tips:

This salad is even better if it has at least a couple hours to marinate. Make sure the beans are well drained or your salad will taste flat and weak. Also, be sure to use fresh herbs for the best flavor.

Dear Farm,

I bought a bag of dried papaya spears and began snacking on about one per day. I’ve noticed that the morning after I eat it, I feel terrific. If I skip a day, the next morning I feel groggy and lethargic. What’s going on here?

Perplexed Papaya Eater in Whitehall, PA

Dear Perplexed,

What a strange observation! Clearly there is something in papaya that your body needs and is otherwise not getting in your diet. Since evaluating your overall health and eating habits is not my forte, let’s examine the nutritional content of the papaya fruit instead.

According to my favorite resource, World’s Healthiest Foods (whfoods.com), one raw papaya contains 313% of your vitamin C requirements, making it richer in vitamin C than any other food source, with nearly 3x the amount in an orange! Your body needs vitamin C for all kinds of things, like immune function & healthy gums. It also helps your body absorb iron better. Unlike many other vitamins and minerals, your body cannot store excess vitamin C. This means you need to ingest a little every day to prevent deficiency and keep things running smoothly.

What else is in that papaya? It is an excellent source of folate, one of the B vitamins that helps form red blood cells. It’s got a heap of potassium as well, which helps your muscles and nerves function and helps maintain the electrolyte balance in your body, thus preventing dehydration. Potassium is often added to sports drinks and electrolyte solutions for children (example: pedialyte) for this reason. Papaya’s also got fiber, crucial for keeping things moving and preventing diseases like colon cancer. Toss in the vitamins A, E, and K, and that strip of papaya is practically a multi-vitamin.

Which one of these nutrients makes you feel awesome the next day? I have no idea. But as the old saying goes, “If it aint broke, don’t fix it.” So my advice is to just go with it and keep eating that papaya!

If you have a question for the farm, email it to: wegrowveggies@msn.com with Ask the Farm in the subject line.

I found this old Victory Garden advertisement-its message is as poignant as it was 64 years ago:

May you enjoy beautiful weather and a plethora of local, organic grilled vegetables and grass-fed burgers this weekend!