Over the coming weeks, we look forward to telling you a bit about the new veggie friends in the offing, beginning this week with — the fresh beans, on their crunchy pods, green and flat, or yellow and cylindrical. The fresh bean is unique from the other summer veggies because like the fakus, it appears now, at the height of spring, and will not stick around for the entire hot, steaming season. Because beans are a crop that thrive on moderation.   

The remainder of their Legume family relatives just love extremes. Fava and peas thrive on frigid cold weather, while soybeans and lubia (black-eyed peas) adore the scorching sun. The beans, however, seek weather that’s just warm enough and just ventilated enough – in essence, a transition-season climate. Which explains why beans are one of the only crops belonging to spring and autumn in our field, dropping in for a very short visit before the onerous summer heat prevails. This year’s spring has been ideal for the bean: overall moderate and gentle. A true field day for the bean!