[QUOTE=habitat_gardener;303428]I tried zucchini, but they absorb water from the atmosphere so easily that although they came out of the dehydrator as "chips," they didn't stay crisp. I ended up storing them in the refrigerator and just eating them with my tomato sandwiches. I'd dehydrate zucchini again if I wanted to use them as tortilla substitutes for roll-up sandwiches or hors d'oeuvres.

I got the dehydrator last year and did only blood oranges last year. So I have 2 weeks' experience dehydrating vegetables. I think that, like most foods, they'll last longer if stored in mason jars (or jars with equally tight caps). My beans, stored in a plastic container, already seem to be less crisp.[/QUOTE]

How did the oranges turn out? How exactly did you do them? I get huge amounts of cheap citrus in the winter and I can never figure out a good way to save it. We end up juicing it and drinking waaay too much high calorie juice during the season, it's so good! The citrus comes in boxes, $4.00 for 50 pounds of very seet oranges and grapefruits. How can I resist?

[QUOTE=habitat_gardener;303326] I haven't (ever) canned any beans.[/QUOTE]

I like canned beans. [SIZE=2]Hotwater Bath Canning is fine for acidic food such as tomatoes, pickles, and fruit, but if you can non acidic foods such as green beans, then you definitely need to pressure can. Low-acidic foods contain Clostridium botulinum, which produces a spore that makes a poisonous toxin which causes botulism. This spore is not destroyed at 212° F. In addition, bacteria thrive on low acids in the absence of air. The pressure canner at 12psi raises the boiling point to 240° F, a temperature that kills the botulism producing bacteria and spores.[/SIZE] Once you have a pressure canner, then it's pretty simple. [URL]http://www.hotwiredgardens.com/pdf/Canning--Pressure_Canning_for_Dummies.pdf[/URL]

I love my pressure canner, it doubles as a hot water bath canner, and it makes a great pressure cooker too. When you can buy a Fryer for $3 and pressure can 4 quarts of stock ($12 value), then also make chicken salad, you appreciate having one even more. I use my 23-qt pressure canner pot for making 5 gallon batches of tomato sauce. If you have a pressure canner and a vacuum sealer, you can feed the family all winter.

Zeedman-loved your report, as always. I think I've read them over on GW, beans and legumes before.
I'd be very interested in some of your yardlongs and Limas. Especially the Hopi, the black seeded Lima ( the thread switched pages and I can't switch back while typing this). The Sierra Madre yardlong sound beautiful.
I understand that you are often replenishing supplies or sending seeds to other places. If you happen to have something that might work in my climate would you'll shoot me a pm? I'm still trying to get a regular bean and Lima to work without success, although I have had great success with yardlongs and cowpeas we do love them but I would also love to get some homegrown Limas ( our favorite) and green beans. I've been close with Limas and rattlesnake beans but so far no pod set.
I'm trying some different timing this year to see what happens.
I completely understand if you don't have any seed that you can send, but if you have something, perhaps something that won't work for you because day length issues or heat/dryness needs, maybe that would be something perfect to send down my way. I am going to try some teparies this year, too, btw.

[QUOTE=Tracydr;314031]How did the oranges turn out? How exactly did you do them? I get huge amounts of cheap citrus in the winter and I can never figure out a good way to save it. We end up juicing it and drinking waaay too much high calorie juice during the season, it's so good! The citrus comes in boxes, $4.00 for 50 pounds of very seet oranges and grapefruits. How can I resist?[/QUOTE]

See [url]http://www.tomatoville.com/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=91[/url]

[QUOTE=Hotwired;314034]I like canned beans. [SIZE=2]Hotwater Bath Canning is fine for acidic food such as tomatoes, pickles, and fruit, but if you can non acidic foods such as green beans, then you definitely need to pressure can. Low-acidic foods contain Clostridium botulinum, which produces a spore that makes a poisonous toxin which causes botulism. This spore is not destroyed at 212° F. In addition, bacteria thrive on low acids in the absence of air. The pressure canner at 12psi raises the boiling point to 240° F, a temperature that kills the botulism producing bacteria and spores.[/SIZE] Once you have a pressure canner, then it's pretty simple. [URL]http://www.hotwiredgardens.com/pdf/Canning--Pressure_Canning_for_Dummies.pdf[/URL]

I love my pressure canner, it doubles as a hot water bath canner, and it makes a great pressure cooker too. When you can buy a Fryer for $3 and pressure can 4 quarts of stock ($12 value), then also make chicken salad, you appreciate having one even more. I use my 23-qt pressure canner pot for making 5 gallon batches of tomato sauce. If you have a pressure canner and a vacuum sealer, you can feed the family all winter.[/QUOTE]
Pressure canner is great for canning apple sauce, pear or apple cider, chicken broth or cheap, dried beans from the store, too! You don't have to grow everything you can, look for good deals at the store and Farmers Market.

Tracy, I need some bean advice, I will pm you when I get home.
Sammie

[QUOTE=Tracydr;314035]Zeedman-loved your report, as always. I think I've read them over on GW, beans and legumes before.
I'd be very interested in some of your yardlongs and Limas. Especially the Hopi, the black seeded Lima ( the thread switched pages and I can't switch back while typing this). The Sierra Madre yardlong sound beautiful.
I understand that you are often replenishing supplies or sending seeds to other places. If you happen to have something that might work in my climate would you'll shoot me a pm? I'm still trying to get a regular bean and Lima to work without success, although I have had great success with yardlongs and cowpeas we do love them but I would also love to get some homegrown Limas ( our favorite) and green beans. I've been close with Limas and rattlesnake beans but so far no pod set.
I'm trying some different timing this year to see what happens.
I completely understand if you don't have any seed that you can send, but if you have something, perhaps something that won't work for you because day length issues or heat/dryness needs, maybe that would be something perfect to send down my way. I am going to try some teparies this year, too, btw.[/QUOTE]

Although tepary beans are probably well adapted to your climate, I would advise caution. Articles I've read in the past stated that many cultivars which are presently available carried bean mosaic virus. If you grow them, it might be best to do so in a different area from your other beans. There is at least one virus-free cultivar, I've seen it growing on SSE's Heritage Farm... but they haven't (yet) offered seed for it. I will try to track down my field notes, but I think it was white seeded. Tracy, I'll send you a PM after I post this.

Thanks, Zeedman! I remember reading about that virus and I'll need to make sure I get the right kind. I'll probably get the beans from Native Seeds, too.

I got my beans at BED also. I did not get many beans as of yet though.

My kids will only eat raw green beans and peas, so I love that these were based on the raw beans. I've tried at least 5 bush bean varieties including a purple one that I can't remember the name of.

I like Jade, because it is reliable, but not the best raw.
Dragon Tongue is by far, far, far the family favorite. (my eight year old is trying to select it out to an all purple variety, he has dibbs on all the really dark, almost solid purple ones and keeps the seeds) hehehe

I bought some rattlesnake pole thinking it will be similar to my Dragon Tongue bush beans, but now I'm thinking it might be a little unreliable. The La Vigeronne sounds very interesting and I plan to do some searches on it.

Keep the sweet when raw varieties coming. I love reading what you guys have to say!!! Great info :)

[QUOTE=desertlzbn;314144]Tracy, I need some bean advice, I will pm you when I get home.
Sammie[/QUOTE]

From me? I hope you mean canning and not growing. I can't get a bean to set, except for long beans and cowpeas, so far, anyway. I keep trying!

[QUOTE=Lorri D;315460]...The La Vigeronne sounds very interesting and I plan to do some searches on it....[/QUOTE]

As far as I can tell, it's sold only in France and Switzerland. An alternate name is Weinlanderin, but the only place I've seen that one for sale in the U.S. is Amishland, which charges a lot for a few seeds and overhypes everything. It looks like they used to be available from Abundant Life Seeds, which has been absorbed by Territorial, but the 2013 catalog isn't out yet.

Thank you for your response, because I looked everywhere I could think and couldn't come up with anything. I will keep and eye out. Thanks again!!! Lorri d