About a month ago we planted one of the raised beds (front/center) with shell peas, to grow for seed and to restore nitrogen to the soil. It was so cold during the past month, that the peas barely grew, so we are leaving them to grow for a while longer. They just started to flower this past weekend, so we should start seeing pea pods soon.

In keeping with the theme of intensively planting the space we have, I planted two packets of pole beans (40 seeds?) in the same bed as the peas. By the time the beans grown tall enough to shade the peas, the peas should be done growing and stems will start to dry out and break down into the soil. At that point, we’ll see what is happening with the green beans and plant another batch of peas if there is room. The peas are not for food, but for green compost and restoring the soil.

The green beans are for snacking while we work outside – and if there are enough, I will can them this year.

I rummaged around in the shed and found some wooden stakes as well as the old greenhouse frame and made a shape that the green beans can vine around and up. With any luck, they will form a nice solid wall of green to become a bit of a privacy fence for us when we are sitting on the patio. I enjoy the image of a green privacy fence of food…

The adventure here, is the taking of common things and putting them together to see how they will work. There is always a chance that nothing will happen, but it is more likely that something amazing will result. For example, as I was planting the beans in the bed, I saw a baby volunteer tomato!

Approaching the garden, as we approach life – we do the work with the intention of what we would like to happen. As long as we are doing something – and keep working – we will end up in a good place. As with that little tomato – we can often end up in unexpected places that result in the most growth.