kayjones and ricjo22, I sent you both an email, so hopefully you got it. Sue/chemocurl, I actually have two posts on that page detailing my issues, both displaying error messages I have received when trying to show my email address. I've also contacted the site about the situation, but haven't received any response. Thank you for trying to help me, though.

Well, I would be the first to say that yardlongs are not for everybody... but I have always enjoyed them. Perhaps because my spouse is Asian, and knows how to prepare them; and maybe because I'm a little "different". ;-) To me, variety is the spice of life, and one of the joys of gardening. So far, "Red Noodle" is my favorite yardlong for flavor (except for a red-podded variety from the Philippines that will not grow here) but it takes longer to bear, and bears less, than most of them. It does, however, thrive on heat. I will be growing 5 kinds of yardlongs this year, including trials of a new variety from Malaysia, and two from the Philippines... results will be posted in the Asian & Bean Forums later this year. The most important thing about cooking yardlongs is to do so lightly, because they overcook easily. Stir-frying is best, or par-boiling for about one minute. This brings out the best flavor. Some varieties cooked this way taste very similar to asparagus... hence one of their other names, "asparagus bean". Oh, and by the way... for those trying to attract & keep insect predators, cowpeas (including yardlongs) are very effective. Ladybugs & wasps love the nectar produced by the pads located below the flowers. There must be something good in it, yellowjackets feeding on it become as docile as honeybees.

Don't worry, Frannie! Cheryl's Mom's growing more of those greasy black bean seeds so I'll get them eventually. Maybe my swap goodie bag was already so full with all of the melon, tomato, squash and other beans seeds that the greasy black beans just decided to bounce right out and into a nearby bag that looked like it needed more veggies. :) We are growing the most insane amount of food plants this year - mostly thanks to your swap, Fran. 220 tomato plants - over 80 varieties. 70 pepper plants - dozens of types. Similar amount of squash plants - something like 40 types of those I think. And more of the same kind of insanity with melons, beans and who knows what. I've attached a link below to a very short video of some of out tomatoes in the main tomato jungle. We've got about 50 more tomato plants in other places. I got all of my Wow swap flowers planted too. Let's just say that springtime was crazy around here and we're still trying to recover! Hopefully I can catch my breath before seed saving season really gets going. I guess I could always relax with a few hours hauling the watering can around. :) Lynda Here is a link that might be useful: tomato jungle

Bonnie, you sound just like me :) I also love growing unique vegetables for the kids (including me) to enjoy. I was interested primarily in winter sowing veggies, and then ended up getting interested in flowers as well. I grew purple pod bush beans and purple carrots last year! You'll have to let me know how the purple pole beans do, and whether they stay purple or turn green when cooked like mine did. The bush beans didn't yield as well as I would have liked. I am also anxious to see my yellow, purple, and white tomatoes begin to to turn colors. I've had only one red and a couple tiger toms ripen so far. I had a couple yellow pear toms starting to ripen, but my dogs got to them first. I cooked up the Chinese Red Noodle beans in a stir fry last night with some zucchini. I didn't have many beans, but enough to have a taste. I tasted a bite raw, and they were kind of bitter. Stir fried, they were firm textured and mild, kind of a cross between asparagus and green beans. Cooked, the color seemed to darken to to purple/black. My kids ate them, and seemed to like them. Please post pictures of your vegetables as they begin to mature. I love seeing what other people are doing, and getting some new ideas.