Well, we survivied the last rainstorm and the last favas I planted are coming up now. The asparagus grown from seed this year is growing wonderfully. We have just given 5 hens/a rooster/ and two young chickens. Dad and I built a chicken tractor (a mobile housing coup,  with a run enclosed so predators can’t get to the chickens…. We have lots of foxes around our area.  So, this has been our newest adventure on the farm. Sure sounds like a farm now!
Blessings to all!
Monthly Archives: August 2010
Fava Beans Survived the Heavy Rains
Dear Robert
Just wanted to fill you in on my exciting news. I got home from work after all the storms, and the fava seedlings had not washed away…as a matter of fact, I have a pretty good stand of them.  They “held their ground” just like we have to do & kept “on top of things. I planted about 6 more pounds of seed this weekend in raised rows…so with the continuing rains, they should be ok. The garden did “wash ” quite a bit and I have gullies from the “little rivers cutting their way thru during the times when the Cloud-bursts came.   Anyway, so far all is well in the fava patch so far, praise God.
Pray for a good fall crop!   Blessings to all..
Aunt Bean
P.S. Well, Dad called and said he just watched another muddy river going past the front of the house….The favas made it thru the last heavy rains…perhaps they are “hanging in there” once again…they are surely amazing and a gift from God. He has promised to supply all our needs.
When It Rains It Pours
We finally had rain…the first actual rain in weeks. 2 hrs of gentle and then a “belly-washer”. There was a river of brown mud going down in front of the house. I am at work and will not get to see if any damage was done until Friday evening (the new sprouting beans could all have been washed away)
I have just purchased 25 lbs of favas and can replace them, but our fall crop will be 2 weeks ( plus ) behind schedule. God knows best. Will let you know how things look next week.
Blessings,
Aunt Bean
First Fava Beans of the Fall
It’s August already and the very first of the fall Favas are beginning to emerge from out off the ground. I am so thankful that at least some of them didn’t die in the terrible drought conditions we have experienced. I will know how many survived in about a week after more pop through the hard ground.
They are the most amazing plant I have ever seen. So vigorous under such adverse conditions. Just the way we have to be…
don’t give up..keep pressing on…bend with the wind andbecome stronger day by day.
A local health food store just got me in 25 lbs of organic, sproutable fava beans. The company didn’t know the variety, but all favas contain l-dopa … so it’s ok. Certain ones might not do as well in our area, but we shall see! Just keep praying for rain for the farm.
If we can harvest enough tops, then I can dry them, and be able to sell them to people with PD along with instructions on how to make their own tincture at home.
I did harvest some grapes and am trying an experiment. I juiced the grapes thru a champion juicer. It “spit out” the seeds and skins. I dried them and placed them in a jar, covering them with brandy. That will set for a month and be shaken daily (like the fava tincture) We’ll see if it has any effect.
Will let you know if a good crop of Windsors comes up and when the new beans are planted that we’ve been blessed with.
Aunt Bean