During my later years of primary school I began growing kidney beans. A friend of the family used to provide me with the seeds he cultivated. Little did I know that one seed variety I was given produced prize winning kidney beans!
So, with a little help from my dad I began to grow beans in my back garden. It was surprising how well they grew as my garden is overshadowed by many large Pinus sylvestris specimens (one of the many issues of having a garden adjacent to a wood).
I entered one of my beans into 'The Longest Kidney Bean' category at the local produce show in the village (which at the time was held in my primary school). This competition takes place during early September. This event has been running for the past fifty years.
I must have been about nine years old when I first entered. When I came second in the competition two years running, I was very pleased. In the first year my bean grew to eighteen inches long. However, I managed to top it with a bean twenty two inches long in the following year. Not bad for a junior!
Even though I was up against a lot of experienced, adult vegetable growers - I still placed high enough to make me feel proud of my achievements. The main difference between the adults and myself was that I did it because I enjoyed it.
Unfortunately as a very young grower, I worried that if I ate any of the beans it might have been a prize winner!
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| My 'Longest Kidney Bean' |
-Emma-
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