Bush Beans Are Surviving

Bush beans surviving the heat!

The lawn is a little dried up. Big brown spots all over the place. Not like any other years that I can remember. I read some of my past blogs and I would mention from time to time about having dry conditions. I can tell you, it was NEVER like this! I suppose if I had watered my garden every evening, it'd be in better shape. But I am afraid of our well going dry, since it is a hand dug shallow well. I can't risk that, even for food. My horses drink a lot of water, we drink a lot of water and then of course, we like to take more showers in the hot weather and that doesn't count laundry and dish washing. So the garden has suffered.

These are heirloom bush green beans.

I see a lot of beans coming on these plants today. They are not big enough for picking yet. But we will be out there picking them very soon. Not sure yet if there will be enough to can or just eat fresh. My son loves them and we can go through a lot of them. During this past year, we used every jar I had canned. Usually my husband and I don't go through that many. I am hoping that I can replenish our stock this year so we have more than enough to get through the coming year. One extra person made a big difference in our stocked up food and supplies.

Lots of blossoms and beans are appearing now!

The reason I like bush beans instead of pole beans is because I don't have to fasten them up on anything. I have never been good at building the trellis or poles to connect them to. Bush beans grow easy for me and I found success with them from our first garden. Since then I have grown them every year. When I harvest them I sit on a stool or outdoor chair and move it on down the line. There is no way that I can stoop or bend to pick any longer. It works for me.

Hot and dry, but we've got beans!

I am planning on purchasing beans locally to supplement our supplies. I am positive I will not get enough to can as much as we need this year. This drought has really set us back, as well as having used more of our supplies than usual. My son will be moving into his own place within the next few weeks and then we will be using less again. I am thankful to be getting anything from these plants, and it really helped that we got rain yesterday. Thank you Lord, for the rain!

Copyright © 2012 Kathleen G. Lupole
All Photographs Copyright © 2012  Kathleen G. Lupole

Finally Getting Our Much Needed Rain

Our backyard a few days ago

Last night it poured! This year our spring followed a winter of not much snow, to a spring of not much rain. I was afraid that meant that we would be living with a very dry summer. Not normal for us in upstate NY. The last week or so we have been finally getting our spring rains. Last April, our area around us, not us, but around us was flooded. Not so this year.I dreaded a summer of carrying water to the garden. Not having a normal water faucet outside, I can't use a hose to water the garden. That means carrying a bucket of water to each bed. Not my favorite job!

We got a lot of snow in the blizzard of 2011!

Snow in the winter, gives you more water in your water table down below the ground in the summer. If you live in an area of heavy snowfalls, then usually you don't have to worry about it. The snow melts and seeps into the ground and eventually winds up in your well. Then in the summer when you need water your well does not go dry. We have been fortunate here to have never had our well go dry. It is a shallow, hand dug well that was a working well when we moved here in 1999. 

Spring 2011

Living with a pitcher pump spoils you in a way. For one thing the water doesn't have any sort of smell from the pipes you use. When our system is all connected, our pipes will be PVC. As much as I don't like plastic, it is the best thing for the water pipes, since they do not rust. The other nice thing about it, is that in the winter our pipes never freeze. The pitcher pump can be frozen solid, and you pour a cup of hot water down it, and in a few minutes it is thawed out. 

Water Storage Tanks

Even so, I have been filling containers with water, just in case. I always do that anyway. In case of any type of emergency for water, I will have bottles of it stored. Do you store water? It is good to do even if you live on a lake or river. You never know what lies ahead of you. I plan on buying a water storage tank in the near future so I can have a good amount stored. Store it for awhile, then use it and refresh it with a new supply. That way it will be fresh when you need it. The storage tanks are all plastic food grade tanks. Everything is made out of plastic these days, and there are some things I have no choice on. At least it won't rust! I have to make the best of it because we do need a storage tank for water. What about you? Do you have a storage tank? 

Copyright © 2012 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2012  Kathleen G. Lupole
Updated July 2016