Last winter was my first time growing fava beans and the only regret I had was not planting more, so for this #throwbackthursday let me tell you why I’m planting twice as many this year.
Take a look at this picture, you might see a plant that is months away from bearing its first edible beans, and you’d be right, but there’s more to favas than just the delicious beans.
First of all, they’re easy to grow. Just pop the seeds in the ground in fall or winter and let nature do the rest. If you’re in a dry climate you may need to water them periodically.
As they grow the plants will actually take nitrogen from the air and transfer it to their roots, making is available for your soil and future plants.
But my favorite thing about favas is that the entire plant is edible! Now I wouldn’t recommend chewing on the stock or any thick stems but the leaves, young shoots, flowers and young bean pods are all delicious raw or cooked. Last winter we couldn’t get enough fava leaf pesto.
And that my friends is why we’re planting twice as many favas this year!
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So what crop has earned itself a larger plot in your garden or farm this season?