The best time of the year is here! Harvest season!

And our green beans have never looked, well, greener. They’re ready to be picked and cooked for a yummy side dish. The best part is you’ll be picking and cooking beans now through late July.

Learning when and how to harvest green beans does take a bit of practice. Hang with us and in a few days, you’ll be a green bean pickin’ pro!

Give Beans the Green Light

1. Pinch the Pod.  Harvest green beans when they’re 4-7” in length and the width of a pencil. Most importantly, they should be firm to the touch and have no visible bulges.
2. They’re About to Snap!  With one hand, hold the bean where it connects to the vine. With the other hand, hold the vine. Now pinch off with your thumb.
3. Cool (Green) Beans. Refrigerate in an airtight container. They’ll keep for about 4 days.

Put the Beans to the Test! Taste Test Green Beans with this Delicious Recipe  

As soon as beans leave the vine, you want to taste them! So, we always have a recipe ready to go ahead of time. Try one of our favorite recipes below.

Green Bean Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lb. freshly picked green beans, trimmed
• 3 tablespoons EVOO (Extra-Virgin Olive Oil)
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

Instructions

1. Boil Water.  Boil a pot of water over high-heat.
2. Rinse and Trim.  Meanwhile, rinse and cut the stems off your fresh green beans.
3. Cook. Add 1 tablespoon salt and boil the beans until tender, usually 4-5 minutes. Then drain and run under cool water.
4. Whisk. Combine mustard, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper.
5. Drizzle. Place in serving dish and evenly coat with mixture.
6. Sprinkle. Scatter almonds over beans.
7. …and Serve!  

Picking green beans is easy – and delicious. Get ready to enjoy fresh green beans all summer.  Yum!