We've got a bumper crop of beans this year - and one of our all-time favourite preserves is Dilly Beans. Crisp, deeply dill - and if you include the chile pepper, with a real kick at the finish! Our neighbour's kid loves them so much, we've promised him his own jar for Christmas!
Pack 2 pounds of green beans, standing up, in sterile 500 ml (1 pint) jars. Be sure to leave 1/4" of air at the top.
Into each jar, put:
1 small chile pepper (optional)
1 clove of garlic
1 head of fresh dill (or 1-1/2 tbsp dill seed)
Bring to a boil:
2-1/2 c. water
2-1/2 c. vinegar
1/4 c. salt
Pour the resulting liquid over the beans (leave 1/4”). Seal the jars and process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. This last part is where the food is genuinely preserved, free of bacteria, for safe long-term storage: don't skimp on it!
If you're not sure about this part, there's lots of good information online that can help you decide on what equipment you need, basic sterilizing processes and so on. One very thorough website that explains everything beginners and veterans alike need to know, is at Hobby Farms.
The beans can be eaten immediately, or of course stored for later consumption. Dilly Beans also make great gifts, either on their own, or as part of a larger gift basket!
What are some tips on starting a vegetable garden?
Posted by: mortage new york | September 28, 2010 at 10:25 PM
Hi, Mortgage New York: Thanks for your question. I think lots of people are intimidated by the idea of growing food, if they've never done it before - but basically, it's very easy!
1) Dig up a patch of ground or build a raised bed with some boards and nails - and clean soil. If you're digging up the existing soil, check to be sure that you're finding lots of earthworms: if not, you should add lots of composted manure and/or kitchen compost to the soil. Start with just a small plot - it's easy at first to grow more food than you can eat, because it takes awhile to realize that you really can rely on your garden for a solid supply of food, and so to realize that you don't have to shop the way you used to!
2) Go to a gardening store and buy either seedlings or seeds - and follow the directions that come with them! The information sticks that come with seedlings - and the directions on the back of seed packages - tell you how much sun and water your plants will need, how and when to plant them, and so on. This information is usually very reliable, and offers clear instructions for how to plant & grow your new crops.
Don't hesitate to ask for advice or encouragement from the people at the gardening store, too: they are usually very knowledgeable, and are quite accustomed to answering all kinds of questions.
3) That's basically it! With the possible exception of some enormous natural disaster striking down even the least and the meekest of your gardening plans, you cannot fail to successfully grow some good, fresh food, even in the very first attempt!
4) I do recommend investing in one or two basic gardening books - especially ones aimed specifically at growing food, preferably in your own growing region (see Mary Palmer's ABC's of West Coast gardening if you live on the Canadian West Coast, or in the American Pacific Northwest - mentioned in the bar to the right). You can amass a huge library of such books, but for 19 out of every 20 questions you may have, you'll find everything you need in just a couple of well-chosen books.
From such books, you'll see that there's an enormous amount to learn about growing food - no one person can possibly know everything, not ever - but still, it is amazingly easy to grow food. As you grow more experienced, you'll learn more about the specific eco-system of your own little plot, what works and what doesn't - and thousands of other things from dealing with pests, to companion planting, to pruning strategies. But the beautiful thing about gardening expertise, is that it comes to live in people - not just on bookshelves - and in your hands, almost literally! Through trial and error and your own genius instinct, you'll become a true expert in your own garden - guaranteed!
Posted by: Seaton | September 29, 2010 at 03:55 PM
Excellent posting! I've been searching for a beneficial website concerning Gardeners in in addition to in the english language and lastly discovered! Keep doing work, you are heading effectively.
Posted by: Garden Maintenance in Algarve | July 13, 2011 at 06:40 PM