Also called snap beans or string beans, these plants are in the legume family- one of the most important plant families for agriculture. Beans (and all legumes) have the ability to convert nitrogen in the atmosphere to stable nitrogen in the soil, improving soil quality. Green beans are the young, unripe form of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), that grow either as “bush” (shrubs low to the ground) or “pole” beans (with vines running up poles)

We tend to harvest our green beans as “U-Pick” because they are fun for the whole family to harvest!

To Store:

Unwashed greens beans store the best in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer where they will last for about a week.

Green beans are also well-suited for long-term storage. You can freeze them without sacrificing much nutritional value. To freeze beans, boil them for a few minutes, plunge them into ice-water bath and then stash in a freezer-safe container.

Preparation:

Grab a colander and run the beans under cold water or soak them to remove any lingering dirt. Trim the beans by snapping or cutting off the stem-ends. Green beans are delicious when blanched or sauteed, just until tender.