We were thrilled when the first blossoms appeared at our el Centro demonstration garden and over-the-top jumping up and down excited when we spied the first tiny slender pod.  That honor went to the variety known as Bingo. Ever since things have been speeding along with the flamboyant Firetongue and the calm, pale Yellow Wax beans coming along nicely.

It has been so interesting to hear what folks have to say when they meet us watering.  Most seem to be big bean fans, even our shortest neighbors.  We try to tell them all that these beans are free for the picking.  On Wednesday evening we'll be doing our first picking for presentation to El Centro for their generous use of the 24 planters around their parking lot, and most importantly, the water that sustains the beans.  For a city kid, a very interesting aspect is meeting a soybean up close.  

If your regular route swings you by The Station for a beverage, check out the progress of the bean line back by the patio.  They are growing fast and we really need to jump on a support system.  Luis solved a big problem for us by saving milk jugs so we'd have a way to transport water along Beacon Ave to water the Boulevard of Beans.  

Speaking of the BoB, we were surprised that five of our deployed pots seemed to find new homes overnight.  Such is the nature of growing food in public.  Luckily we have replacements in place with a bit of a security system.  We hope our former Beacon beans are happy in their new homes and are being tended with love.

We continue to work with the teens at Jefferson Community Center.  They helped erect Beanhenge, a demonstration of bean growing in back of the center.  Thanks to Hello Bicycle for providing the topnotch for our installation.  And thanks to neighbor Michael and his friend Harley for doing the design and fabrication of the support structure--we may need Engine 13's ladder for the harvest.  Signs coming very soon.  Scarlet runners are blooming now--how long till the first hummingbird is sighted?

Martha Baskin writer for Crosscut and reporter for Green Acre Radio visited last week, we look forward to her impressions of our project and we'll post links here.

We are finalizing details for a free bean preservation workshop with Seattle Parks, and will announce the date here.

Tomorrow! Sunday, June 30 from 1-5pm at Roberto Maestas Festival Street "Beacon A Hill of Beans" ROCKiT is partnering with Beacon Hill Garden Club to encourage everyone on Beacon to "know beans" and grow them for food fun and beauty. Will include live performances music & possibly dance, Haiku writing contest, continue Hill of Bean "Bean Beauty Contest" a photography contest, Bean info,  Free Seeds and growing supplies, some art & information installation by local volunteers.

The beans are taking off at the 24 planters at El Centro de la Raza. It's only been two weeks and they are going strong.

If you picked up free beans from any of our events and wanted more information about what you are growing, here's a little description of each of the varieties we are giving away (from the Territorial Catalog). If you're not sure which you picked up, the pole beans are marked with a P.

Velour (Pole)
55 days. Standing out above all other French/filet beans, Velour's royal, deep purple color and equally satisfying flavor make this the epitome of luxury in a vegetable.  The slender, smooth, round pods are straight growing about 5 1/2 inches long. Compact, disease-resistant buses  produce heavy crops of gorgeous sumptuous, stringless beans over an extended harvest period.  With its extra fine texture and taste, Velour makes a delightful fresh eating bean and also freezes exceptionally well.  When cooked, the purple color changes to a brilliant green.

Speedy (Bush)
50 days. Outpacing most other green beans in our trials, Speedy showed incredibly high productivity early in the season with light green, straight pods that load up the bush-type plants. The beans are exceptionally tasty, well filled-out, round, and virtually stringless, too. Speedy's super efficient maturity, rich flavor, and high yields make it an exceptional variety. White seeds.

It was a beautiful day on June 1st with a huge crowd for the Beacon Hill Festival! Many bean seeds were given away along with our bean necklaces. Mayor McGinn even stopped by to pick up some seeds, turns out he's a seed saver! In case you missed us last Saturday, don't fret, we'll be back for Beacon Rocks on June 30th. See you then!

We will have a table at the Beacon Hill Festival this Saturday, June 1st from 11 am - 4 pm. The festival will be at Jefferson Park Community Center, 3801 Beacon Ave. S. Seattle, WA and in the surrounding park. The festival will have food, fun, and music for all ages. We will have free beans, buckets, and more bean fun. Stop by to say hi and find out more about Beacon, A Hill of Beans!

Here was one of the crafts from our Bean Bonanza. Take a small plastic bag that zips shut, put a wet cotton ball and a bean seed inside. Punch a hole and add a ribbon. Presto! Instant necklace that kids of all ages can wear and watch as the bean sprouts.

Last Thursday and Friday dedicated volunteers spent their evening seeding the 24 planters around the south parking lot at El Centro de la Raza. Check out the new sprouts in a week or so. Signs with info on each variety is coming soon. When they are ripe we encourage to everyone to pick a few and try out the different varieties.

El Centro de la Raza has given us the opportunity to plant the 24 beds around the center with different varieties of beans. There will be a work party to start planting this Thursday and Friday (5/23 - 5/24) from 4-6:30 and Saturday (5/25) from 11-2. Dress for the weather, bring a trowel and watering can if you have one! Hope to see you there.

Plenty of seeds and planting info was shared at the Cinco De Mayo Festival at El Centro de la Raza. Thanks to Christina and Betty Jean for manning the booth!