UK grown-able pulses for drying/storing

Latest Articles

UK grown-able pulses for drying/storing
Page 1, 2 Next

Downsizer Forum Index -> Grow Your Own

Author

Message

Helen_A

Joined: 26 Jan 2005
Posts: 1548
Location: MK, Bucks.

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 09 7:28 pm Post subject: UK grown-able pulses for drying/storing
What would the downsizer clan suggest I try to grow? Fairly minimal space would be 'good'. Would preferably be for drying for year round use, but could 'bottle' at a pinch, lol, although I'm likely to need lots of help with that as well (I'm starting a new project/book looking at only eating UK/Ireland grown things , just in the planning stages atm) Helen_A

Bebo

Joined: 21 May 2007
Posts: 12591
Location: East Sussex

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 09 7:30 pm Post subject:
Peas. I've dried borlotti beans very successfully in the past.

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18421

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 09 7:32 pm Post subject:
Runner beans grown for their kidney beans, not their pods. Likewise, climbing French beans like Lingua di Fuoco [borlotti], the yellow ones [cannellini equivalent]. Not very space-saving in growing terms, but... You could try drying them, or jsut freeze in portion packs

Bebo

Joined: 21 May 2007
Posts: 12591
Location: East Sussex

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 09 7:40 pm Post subject:
Don't bottle peas or beans unless you have a pressure canners - they dont have enough acid in them to be botulism-proof if just done in boiling water.

Helen_A

Joined: 26 Jan 2005
Posts: 1548
Location: MK, Bucks.

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 09 7:42 pm Post subject:
Lol - I want a pressure canner, so it could be a, um, good excuse to 'find' one (wonder if my parents would do the honours for a birthday present? ) Would I be able to grow haricot or cannelini here, do you think? Helen_A

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18421

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 09 7:54 pm Post subject:

Helen_A wrote:

Would I be able to grow haricot or cannelini here, do you think?

Yes, see above - the yellow podded French beans are like cannellini.
It also works with green and purple-podded varieties, but I don't know what type of beans that equates to. You let them run to seed and you takes your choice. All nice though.

Helen_A

Joined: 26 Jan 2005
Posts: 1548
Location: MK, Bucks.

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 09 8:00 pm Post subject:
TY Gill I've grown all sorts of stuff but never pulses.... Going to 'have to' this year for this project as a quick wander around the shops and wholesalers (online!!) this week has shown that pretty much everything sold here ready dried has grown outside the EU (seems to be mainly USA and China at the moment with a touch of Turkey for chickpeas).

Bebo

Joined: 21 May 2007
Posts: 12591
Location: East Sussex

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 09 8:04 pm Post subject:
I've got a pressure canner. Had it shipped over from the states - almost impossible to get hold of them over here. I've had mixed success with it. Every time I use it at least one jar (and sometimes more) doesn't seal properly and loses some of its contents.

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18421

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 09 8:04 pm Post subject:
Something you won't be able to grow : lentils They're fiddly and need to grown in commercial quantities to get a decent harvest. Dunno about chickpeas - I'm sure there was a thread about growing them somehwere in the Grow Your Own section, cos it's something I wondered about. one thread here And another Think there's also a 'why you can't grow lentils' thread too.

Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 09 8:24 pm Post subject:
Most beans are easy but yield may not be great due to poor summers. last summer I had a double 3m row that yileded enough dry borlotti bean for three hearty stews. Previous years were at least double that though. However I do find using my own beans in January very satisfying.

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 9281
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 09 8:39 pm Post subject: beans
I used to grow some very good ginger brown coloured beans from Van Hages ;just looked at their online catalogue and no Dutch beans....anyone know anyone else who sells these? They were good for soups and savouries, grew and dried very well. So I recommend them, if you can find them! If you do, let me know

oldish chris

Joined: 14 Jun 2006
Posts: 4148
Location: Comfortably Wet Southport

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 09 8:41 pm Post subject:

Dried peas?

Haricot, barlottie etc, they are all varieties of Phaseolus vulgaris, in a good summer they will dry well enough to store for ages. (for various beans suitable for drying try page 9 of the Organic Catalogue or https://www.organiccatalogue.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_22_44_71)

Not sure about the need for "canning" beans. However, tomatoes and tomato sauces are easy to preserve. Combine with dried beans as and when, for variations on a baked bean theme, without any danger of food poisoning.

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 9281
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 09 8:47 pm Post subject: beans
Thanks for the link- found my beans....out of stock. Ho Hum

oldish chris

Joined: 14 Jun 2006
Posts: 4148
Location: Comfortably Wet Southport

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 09 9:09 pm Post subject:
I grow a dwarf French bean "Royal Red", I got them from the Heritage Seed Library. I use them as Kidney Beans, they make a pretty good chillie con carnie if you're interested.

Helen_A

Joined: 26 Jan 2005
Posts: 1548
Location: MK, Bucks.

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 09 9:27 pm Post subject:
Just a further thought - DP wants to know if beans need lots of sun? Or if they will grow in grow bags/pots? (I think he's thinking about putting them out the front to stop the postie cutting through down the side of the beetle :0 ) Helen_A

	Downsizer Forum Index -> Grow Your Own	All times are GMT Page 1, 2 Next
Page 1 of 2

View Latest Posts