Madagascar Beans

[Lucy House]

If you want to grow beans for drying around this area, then Madagascar beans are the ones to grow! They are quite prolific. They do need a pretty sturdy structure to grow on, and I grow mine on my chook yard. I think I’ll change this though as they make the yard a bit dark. I’ve been picking the green pods for quite a while and I like them better green. I sort them into smaller ones which I eat as a green vegetable, the bigger ones – once they start getting a pink flush to them, are kept to add to stews and soups. I freeze them so that I can just grab out a handfull or two when I want them. Today I picked most of what was left on the vine. I sorted three ways this time. The two I’ve just mentioned and then fully dried ones. I have still got some from last year, so I’m thinking that I’ll make a batch of baked beans with them. It’s kind of baked beans weather. What do you do with your Madagascar beans? I’d love some more ideas.

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[Lucy House]

A follow up on my last post – tonight I made some quick veggie soup – everything homegrown. Beef stock, pumpkin and potatoes from storage plus green madagascar beans, perennial leeks, parsley and celeriac from the garden.

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[Kim]

I have just discovered Madagascar beans this year and I am a big fan. I love to get the young beans out of the pod and just fry them up lightly. Would love baked bean recipe please Lucy. Another dried bean I have just tried with success is the black bean or turtle Bean. They are left on the vine until all the pods are dry. So it is a one-pick process. I use them to make a black bean chilli

[Kim]

I will add a bit more info on the black bean – they are an annual but do not grow nowhere near as vigorous as the Madagascar bean, so a light frame is sufficient or a few stakes

[Lucy House]

Madagascar Beans certainly need a strong trellis – something I’ll work on for next year as I’ve been growing them over the chook yard and it makes it too dark. Maybe that’s why my chooks have been very slow to start laying again! I’ll get back to you on a baked bean recipe. I had a good one, but haven’t made them for years!

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