Gardening Goodness

This year my Sister-in-law furnished me with some bean seed that she had saved. It was for a “greasy bean” I am using quotation marks because there seems to be some disagreement as to what exactly a greasy bean is. However, I have to say that I am delighted with the bean. I believe the seed was over a year old and I achieved about a 50% germination rate for the beans that have grown well on 6' poles. For some years Juanita and I have relied on the old standby white half-runners for our main crop. I really like the Romano pole beans but they do not do well when the weather turns hot and dry. I really think someone should come up with a new name for the half-runner. There is nothing at all about the runner than is half. They could easily vine 6' or more. I usually grow them on netting about 4' tall but this year that was insufficient. It made for a mess. I was sure that I had recalled the white half-runner being grown without sticking at all when I was a kid. Admittedly that was a while ago but I got some confirmation from a lady about my own age who I believe was a better source of information that I am.

(not my garden)

The greasy bean is a heritage type bean. The seed has been saved and passed down through generations of a local family but in many cases the foods that we eat and now even the foods that we grow have been genetically modified to enhance certain characteristics at the expense of flavor. For instance, I grow two or three types of tomatoes usually with Better Boys being my main canning tomato. They taste a whole lot better than the ones shipped from the farms in the South but my favorite eating tomato is Brandywine. It is slightly more acidic and grows to about a 1 lb. maximum size. We usually put up about 75 qts. each of the green beans and tomatoes and I have to say that store bought ones just don't measure up. Without our home canned tomatoes my chili just doesn't go anywhere.

I have often written of my love for my garden and the truth is that I not only enjoy the therapy of gardening but I really like to eat the stuff. Juanita says that I am a grazer and that is true. I will go to the garden and just pull and pick stuff to graze on. Raw works for me on a lot of stuff. I am not a picky gardener and my gardens won't appear on the cover of Organic Gardening because I have only a passing acquaintance with my hoe. When my day job gets busy the garden goes begging.

I would really like to see a Farmer's Market that was open more and that was contributed to by more people. The produce that is grown locally is far superior to any that can be bought in a supermarket and the price one pays for the food stays in the local economy. Perhaps if more people would consider selling their produce we could begin to win the crops back from the Cargills and Monsantos who now threaten to corner the market with genetically engineered crops.

These corporations not only produce and patent those crops but also the chemicals that can be used to take advantage of the modified characteristics. Monsanto's corn is modified to express the bt gene that defends against caterpillars. The problem is that now a bt resistant corn borer is showing up and we will need a stronger deterrent. These modified seeds are so popular that they are eliminating the diversity inherent in our produce. While yields are increased so is the danger of a disease attacking the crop that lacks the protection of its natural biodiversity. Now, we find that the modified bt gene is showing up in our bodies which proves that the genetic mutation crosses into the human body. It may do no harm to us but then, at some point, some genetic mutation may. My white half-runners have been modified to increase yield but the bean is not as tasty as it once was. By contrast, my Brandywine tomato is an heirloom variety that may be susceptible to some diseases but the flavor beats the genetically engineered ones to death.

Genetic modification is not a new thing. Farmers have been doing it naturally for centuries by choosing seeds that express certain characteristics. The difference now is that the Monsantos and Cargills can do the modification in their labs and splice genetic characteristics from other species in to achieve a desired effect. Like corn that is resistant to the borer or corn that is resistant to Monsanto's megabuck herbicide, Roundup. Yep, you can spray the corn with Roundup and the corn will survive but nothing else will. Selling today on your grocery shelf and that just makes me uneasy. Also, since the modified seed is patented one can only buy it from, you got it, Monsanto. Here is my question. Do you really want your access to food controlled by some giant corporation? Not me.

I grow a fairly large garden and next year I'm thinking about increasing the size. However, a garden doesn't have to be big to be effective, nutritious, tasty and fun. I still have some beans, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and summer squash growing. A couple of weeks ago I started the fall planting with cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, turnips, mustard greens and some kale. I am hoping to bring in some late lettuce and radishes. If you haven't been growing a garden take some time this winter to plan on a couple of raised beds or even a larger garden. My guess is you will love it.

My take on gardening. Gotta love it.