Good Intentions

Sometimes the best of intentions don't always work out as planned, which can result in waste.  Earlier this week I picked a bunch of beans with the intention of processing them.  I picked and washed the beans and sterilized my jars in preparation to make a small batch of one of my favourite types of pickles - pickled beans - mmmm so yummy. I found one of my mother's old recipes in Home Canning Cook Book, which seemed simple enough. But as you know, plans don't always work out as expected.

Eli woke up early from her nap and was quite insistent that we get outside to play - what little child wants to sit in the kitchen in the heat of the midday summer?  I decided that the beans could wait until that evening.

But the evening came and went, and come Saturday morning, the beans were still sitting in the bucket on the counter where I left them on Tuesday afternoon looking quite shrivelled and dry. I tasted one to see if there was any use in pursuing my intention of making pickles.  It was dry. What a waste! A whole ice cream pail full of home grown beans was about to hit the compost pile because I was too "busy".  And then I had a thought!

I can't remember the variety of bean I have growing in my garden, but I got them (for free) at Seedy Saturday - a seed exchange organized by a local gardening group, usually held in early March. The group promotes local and sustainable food production and encourages conservation of non-hybrid plants through seed saving.  (Seeds of Diversity is a great resource for learning about seed saving). 


Seed saving, what a great idea! I proceeded to husk and place the beans on a drying rack.  Eli helped and within a few minutes of husking we should have enough seeds to grow beans in several gardens in the spring. 


Funny how sometimes bad things work out good.  I like to think of it as good karma ;)