This post is a little different. I am not posting a recipe (though I may allude to several) instead I am blogging about my garden. I live in a stately home on a quarter acre section and needless to say my 4 flatmates and I are the envy of all of our friends. As the weather starts to get warmer, the migration outdoors begins. Weekends are spent outside in the garden playing cricket, petanque and volleyball. The BBQ resumes its place as the cooking appliance of choice and warm summer evenings are whiled away on the grass under the plum tree eating strawberries straight from the garden, still warm from the heat of the sun.
Out the back we have a veggie garden which runs along the fence line which I guess must be about 20 metres long. I planted it out at the beginning of autumn and unfortunately things have been slow over the cold winter months. The broad beans however are doing well and stand strong and tall covered in black and white flowers, reaching for the top of the moss covered fence against which they grow. The other night I found myself gazing out over the garden dreaming about what I could do with these fleshy beans. Broad bean dip, flavoured with cumin, lemon juice and mint. A Broad bean pasta dish with rocket, parmesan and capers. Or perhaps a vegetable soup with broad beans, kale, leeks and herbs all fresh from the garden.
Spring is just days away, the weather is warming up and the days are growing longer. I have a long list of things I want to get done in my garden this weekend. The veggies are due a good dose of worm juice (liquid fertiliser produced by my worm farm), I have a Yukka to pot and some Sweet Peas to transplant and train up the fence. I think too that it is time to get rid of some of the Silverbeet that has seen better days and germinate some new veggies to plant in its place; peas, broccoli and beans are ideal for candidates for early spring planting.
Let us know about what you are planting in spring, and if you have any thoughts about what I could do with my broad beans then feel free to share those too.
I have red onons, leeks (my mother used to call keels so we would eat them – and now I love them), lettuce, spinach, strawberries and far too much brocolli growing in my garden.. Last week I poured the magical worm juice supplied from Emma over my garden, and could just about watch them grow!
Here here!
While in Egypt I had some falafel made with Broad beans and enjoyed it thoroughly. I like to grow these in my garden. I live in Texas. Can you tell me how to get these seeds?
Hi Mani,
I just did a quick Google search and found the following websites which sell seeds. I am in New Zealand so I can only talk about my experience in buying seeds in my part of the world. However I am sure that you will have no problem buying broad bean seeds. If not off the internet you can always buy them from good garden centres too.
Good luck!
Emma
http://www.wildwestseed.com/
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/