You may have noticed the bean field across the road from the pumpkin patch.That's an ever-bearing bush bean which we planted in a second-year strawberry field after those plants had run through their cycle. We're picking these beans by hand because they're ever-bearing, and they just keep coming and coming. Nutritionists at the website World's Healthiest Foods have a lot to say about green beans, including:

   "Green beans ... have recently been shown to have impressive antioxidant capacity. Research comparing the overall antioxidant capacity of green beans to other foods in the pea and bean families (for example, snow peas or winged beans) has found green beans to come out on top, even though green beans are not always highest in their concentration of specific antioxidant nutrients like phenolic acids or vitamin C."

   "The strong carotenoid and flavonoid content of green beans also appears to give this vegetable some potentially unique anti-inflammatory benefits. For example, some very preliminary research in laboratory animals shows decreased activity of certain inflammation-related enzymes—lipoxygenases (LOX) and cyclooxygenases (COX)—following intake of bean extracts. Because type 2 diabetes is a health problem that is known to contain a basic component of chronic, unwanted inflammation, we are also not surprised to see some very preliminary research in the area of green bean intake, anti-inflammatory benefits, and prevention of type 2 diabetes."

   For more information about beans, including recipe suggestions, visit World's Healthiest Foods.   

Fall Pumpkin Harvest Festival

   Our pumpkin celebration continues this weekend, with pig races, P-Rex feedings, cider tastings, marshmallow roasting, pumpkin picking, apple picking, and visits with the Pumpkin Princess.

   This weekend we also welcome Tony M to the Barnyard Stage on all three days of Columbus Day weekend --  Saturday, Sunday, and Monday from noon to 4:00.