#favabeans

Marshall Chrostowski's Fava Bean Grow Out Is Complete!

An update on the fava bean grow out we initiated last November. Brief recapitulation: we were bequeathed the fava bean collection from the late Marshall Chrostowski, and planted all 14 accessions given to us. Nine of the 14 produced from his collection. We had a bit of extra bed space after planting Marshall's varieties so dug a two more favas from our planting stock library: Chocolate from Mano Farm and Midnight Black from Siskiyou Seeds; the former which failed and the latter produced. Scott reported that deer rolled through and ate the fully ripened beans so we definitely had some crop loss. Quick action by Roberto, who covered the entire run of beds with plastic netting, allowed us to minimize our losses.

Final accounting: 16 lots planted, 10 lots harvested.

Super Aquadulce: 9.82 grams

Midnight Purple: 1.45 pounds

D'Aquadulce a Tres Longue Cossee: 2.2 pounds

D'Aquadulce a Tres Longue Cossee: 1.86 pounds

Copper: 1.27 pounds

Brian's Best: 1.68 pounds

Midnight Black: 2.83 pounds

Marshall's Best: 2.97 ounces

S-94: 5.07 ounces

A tasty and healthy salad with soft pea shoots, creamy fava beans, and the tangy flavor of feta cheese. To go with your favorite meal or as a light lunch, this salad is great.

Ingredients: 2 cups pea shoots. 1 cup cooked fava beans. 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced. 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese. 1/4 cup roasted almonds, chopped. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions: In a large salad bowl, combine the pea shoots, cooked fava beans, red onion, and crumbled feta cheese. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Sprinkle the chopped roasted almonds on top as a garnish. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

The healthy ingredients in these vegan fava bean quinoa cakesquinoa, fava beans, kale, ginger, and garam masalamake them very tasty and full of protein. For lunch or dinner, they're a tasty and filling choice.

Ingredients: 1 cup cooked quinoa. 1 cup cooked fava beans. 1 cup finely chopped kale. 2 tablespoons grated ginger. 1 teaspoon garam masala. Salt and pepper to taste. 2 tablespoons olive oil for cooking.

Instructions: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, fava beans, chopped kale, grated ginger, garam masala, salt, and pepper. Using your hands, mash the ingredients together until well combined and a sticky mixture forms. Divide the mixture into equal portions and shape them into patties or cakes. Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the quinoa cakes to the skillet, making sure not to overcrowd them. Cook the cakes for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the skillet and place on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce or alongside a fresh salad.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

In early 2023 we were bequeathed the fava bean collection of Marshall Chrostowski, land and garden manager at the Pacifica Institute in Santa Barbara and Carpinteria, California. Marshall worked at Pacifica for three decades creating and evolving the ecology of the land there, and he was also an avid seed saver.

We received 14 lots of seed and logged them as the Marshall Chrostowski collection. They’ve sat in storage waiting for the time when a proper grow out and propagation could be organized. That time is now. 14 lots of seed were paired with a simple number system, planted at Rancho del Pueblo / Farmer and the Cook, and delineated by these beautiful signs created by friend of the pod Elizabeth Donnelly. Some of the fava varieties we received contained only a few beans and others were as old as 10 years, but we planted everything nonetheless.