Soy Beans!

Well, this year we experimented with some new crops (at Layla's suggestion): very exotic in Slovenia!!

Soy beans came out well!!


Source: Wikipedia
(I have my own pics too, but can't seem to find the gizmo to connect camera to the net:)
And you can see how fuzzy and funny the soy beans shells really are!!
Some people recommend rolling them into an old sheet and rolling them over with dough roller for de-shelling - we just used fingers, sis complained about it!! So next year, probably gonna go 'high-tech'.

There are some tips for growing them online, but we just did what cousin said, very simple, growing them like beans.
They are yummy too!! Just cooked, like beans!! (Another family we know recommended that recipe - never ate them like that before, lol!)

Reasons for growing soy: to avoid that iffy plastic or cellophane or plastic-lined packaging!! (And maybe even make own plastic-less tofu?? Do we dare?? Well, maybe we don't have THAT much soy?? Maybe next year..?)
And because one gets tired of beans, a bit.. And if Peak Oil or trouble with transport ever hits, wouldn't it be great to be able to grow exotic things too? ;)

Lentils and mungo beans - not so successful! (Not sure if even as much as planted came out)

Chickpeas - no luck this year!! Apparently we didn't have the best method of planting them (mom sprouted them and didn't pour water on them after planting) and what few plants came out - the deer ate that!! (Apparently they love chickpeas too? :(( grr!!)

Well, better luck next year, I hope!
Cousin has planted soy beans and chickpeas for a few years and has had great success with them both!

(He has a neighbour who burns plastics too though, but that is another story!!)

And European Waste Reduction Week is starting!! :) Are we getting excited?? :) What are you going to do this year?

Yummy Zero Waste Food!! :)

Slightly exhausted, in the past few days I've had a crash course in:

- pumpkinseed preservation (yummy!)
- mushroom preservation (drying, freezing, in vinegar)
- peach juice production :)

Of course I'm a total newbie in all of the above. lol!

feeling: very accomplished, he he! :)

Been Farm

Geesh, I'm simply exhausted.

We've been picking the beans at Uncle's farm. Threatened by bad weather, we wanted to pick as much as possible. Some rain appeared inbetween, but we were fearless. Then it got sunny again, and we bravely did all we planned. Including making the beets less crowded. (Pretty sure this is not the right expression but can't find a dictionary:)

My nails and fingers hurt. Not sure if I'll be able to play any guitar today! (& I soo promised myself to start practising with JustinGuitar again! (If Katie Melua and Armenians can play fab in 6 months, maybe so can I?;)

Uncle helped us a bit, then he went to milk the cows...

It's such a different life...
I wanted to write articles today, but beans don't wait!

If 10 years ago someone would be telling me I would willingly pick beans, I would smack 'em!

But with Argentinian beans and Chinese garlic in our supermarkets, with GMO (genetically modified) food threatening on every corner, I am damn proud to be growing some authentic Slovenian food! (Or at least helping out, I'm still such a newbie!)

You know what, picking beans is boring. Especially when Mom and Dad quarrel, and Dad intentionally misunderstands us and mopes, or when the neighbours start loud equipment (I sighed and inserted earplugs).
If we calculated the hours (and fuel and food needed:) it would probably not cost as much as cheap food in supermarkets.

But it's FREE food!! Zero waste food! (If we manage to get it into freezer zero waste style!) From our seeds, completely self-sustainable.
Even if Peak Oil happens, or 2012 or whatever (not that I have my hopes up), we still have the beans and will be able to eat and survive. :)

And one can practise old silly songs in one's head, or listen to Uncle and find out things about planes and technology I had no idea about. (My Uncle ROCKS!)
I was even told about the old ways of handling the beans - zero freezer (and zero bugs!) ways. I hope to remember them and maybe some time put them to practice.

"9 bean rows?" I want to ask Yeats. We did 3 rows of Uncle's and 4 of ours and were quite exhausted! (Some was left to ripen.) Surely, he didn't pick it all in a day?

Maybe next year I'll update myself to an ipod or such, and have music in my ears instead of random noise.
Feels like a short while since we were planting the beans with Aunt. And chatted, talked about many things... Old ways were tiresome, but more sociable in many ways..
The cats are all grown up now, and still very hungry indeed lol.. But farm cats must be hungry to catch mice, no?

I'm still trying to figure out how to do effective time management with farm life included:) And Dad asked me if I lost the buzz for bees yet?!
I'm happier at the farm than in many many other places...