Green Bean Carpet Box

Last year we decided that it was important to start supporting our local farms in a bigger way.  There is a wonderful dairy not far from us that have an ice cream "stand," where they sell homemade ice cream along with cheeses, milk, meat and hot lunches.  As summer was approaching, and the end of school was closing in on us, we made the decision to support one of the local produce farms by joining their CSA.  We had such a great experience, and so much produce that there were times when we would try to give away some of the fruits and vegetables that we had.

This year we decided to join the CSA again, and were so excited when we realized that Little Man would be able to eat a lot of the fruits and veggies that we were going to get.  So far we have received quite a bit of great vegetables, and even our first dozen ears of corn.  It has all been so good, and there have been times when have had an over abundance of produce, but that didn't stop us.  We had the opportunity to purchase a half bushel of green beans to freeze and can.  So we brought home our "special" green beans.

When we brought this box home it was heaping.  I have found that shelling peas/beans and snapping green beans somewhat calming.  Little Man and I started working on our box o' beans.  I started trimming and breaking them apart and throwing them into a stock pot, and Little Man was taking them out of the pot to snack on them.

Yes, he had HANDFULS of beans that he was enjoying.

This look says it all.  Little Man loves the fresh beans and spent almost an hour with his beans and gnawing on them with his two little teeth.

Because it was so difficult to take care of the beans, and because I knew they needed to be processed sooner rather than later, I took care of them last night after Little Man went to bed.  I was working on them while Paul and I were watching our new favorite show "Sherlock," and it seemed like the bottom of the box was never going to appear.  We decided to can as many of the beans as possible because our freezer space, and it is easier to store canned beans.

Into the pressure canner the jars went, in shifts, during nap time today.

Four quarts and 7 pints canned, plus 1 gallon blanched and in the freezer with 27 1-oz servings frozen.