Lets start again. SPRING! and green bean stew.

                           It's nearly spring. Honestly it is! I've been hiding out this winter, re-grouping, thinking on life, looking for a paying job, recovering from the 'HOLIDAYS'.  I made it through with my head still intact, although perhaps not on too straight, but I think I needed my perspective skewed a bit! 
Back to SPPRING. It's time to start thinking about gardens, vegetables, fresh food..mmm. In an ideal situation you will have planned for your garden last fall, by either tilling and amending the soil or building and filling those raised beds. I had a much smaller garden last spring an decided to enlarge it, tilling, amending and planting by May. It worked out fine, except for a few bug infestations that liked the new, fresh 'playground'. This speedy garden prep does not however allow for the soil to 'heal' and the organic matter you add to thoroughly blend, decompose and leach it's nutrients, those wonderful micro organisms need some breathing space.
I'm not going to get technical, there are ample books and websites out in inter-web-space for that. I want you to think food, what you like to eat. Even if you grow it in plastic tubs on your side porch. In fact, the soil in containers warms up quickly creating great growing temps for many of our favorites, like tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, summer squashes, beans, okra, artichokes (they like cool air, but warm soil!).
There are a few things to consider when planning your garden. First, plants in the Nightshade family, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, potatoes, should not be planted in the same soil for 3 consecutive years. Where you planted tomatoes last year, if you did, should not be used again for the next 3 summers. If you grow them in containers, don't use the same soil, use it for zucchini, or beets, radishes ect. This process keeps things like pests and funguses, like last years blight, at bay. Now, don't start ordering lots of seeds just yet unless you have the space to set up a grow light system. Often starting plants from seed becomes more expensive for the home gardener than buying some plants from a reputable source. Frequently seeds are started too early, then planted too early.. wait, wait.. the soil and air temps will warm up! If you are so eager, like me, start with peas, regular, sugar snap, snow peas, they like the cool temps of mid march. I grow some in the garden up my deer fence and some in tall pots (chimney flue liners really) I have next to an arbor going over our door. I love having sugar snap peas hanging over my head! This is a great time to start spinach, kale and lettuce from seed in pots or in the ground. However, do not 'work' the ground just yet, it's still too fragile and wet, just push some seeds in and hope for warm sunny days! I like my lettuces in big planters, like galvanized steel tubs with holes drilled in the sides, I know the soil is warming up and I can keep them on my patio. 
I hope you're becoming inspired here.. but first things first! I will be posting recommendations for blight resistant tomato plants, a good idea this summer, and some places for reliable seeds, in upcoming posts. 
Two weeks ago we ate the last of our garden green beans that I had blanched and froze. I sauteed garlic and anchovies in olive oil until the anchovies dissolved, then added a can of tomato puree (unfortunately not my own), a pinch of rosemary, a bay leaf, and let it simmer for 20 minutes before adding the beans. I cooked the beans until heated through and served this over polenta. It was so good. I am glad spring is near!