Forgot to add knox unflavored gelatin to the list of supplements......it is a mixture of peptides & proteins by partial hydrolysis of collagen extracted from bones, horns, skin, connective tissue. Unusually high in non-essential amino acids glycine & proline (which are produced in the human body. Reduces inflamation, helps sleep patterns, improves insulin sensitivity, lowers blood triglycerides, helps heal mucus lining of the digestive tract, promotes wound healing, learning and memory, control bleeding. It is said to help people with stroke recovery if taken immediately...it has nerve stabilizing properties. Good for arthritis and osteoporosis.....all sounds good to Aunt Bean. (1 or 2 TBS in warm water before bed if a good way to take it) God Bless

Planted 100 fava beans in the low garden over the weekend as the ground had dried sufficiently to get in there with a shovel and mattack and work up a small area. Today it is raining and the ground is soaked once again. There is such a small window to get ground dried out enough in spring to do planting...all the farmers around here are trying to get theirs done also in that little window of time....so it is hard to get help during short dry spells. Meanwhile,my bag of favas are in the house screaming "plant me"....these seeds are different from those I have purchased in the past...fairly large, but a shade of green, not brown purple or yellowish. The are some 40 varieties of favas I have been told....who knows what kind these may be. The Health Food store in town ordered them for me from the same place as last year...Mountain High Organics...but the beans are completely different. Hopefully they will sprout and grow in our area. Any of you thinking of planting favas this year...they like cool weather best...as do all the pea family. March and April are good times to plant and I try to get all of mine in if possible by mid April.

Had a week of no rain and a dear farmer from our church came and disked up the garden areas that he had plowed for me earlier ....what an enormous blessing. We now have approx 1,600 fava beans planted in the lower garden and would like to get in at least 2,000....because some seeds won't sprout. More local people are trying the tincture now for natural l-dopa supplementation..... I cannot possibly manage to make tincture for so many, but I have the ground available to plant the beans....people will have to come here to gather tops and make their own at home. It is not complicated...growing the beans is the part most people cannot accomplish. I still have not found anyone interested in coming to the farm to help out and learn how to make tinctures/ fermented papaya etc....so if there is someone out there with PD (or a couple) interested in a apprentice/working vacation...please get in contact with me. Still also need a someone who is able to test the new "all flower" tincture for l-dopa content. Going to try a Tai Chi class this morning especially for PD that a local couple with a martial arts school is making available for us. I have heard very good things about it and how it has been a source of blessing and strengthening (and an aid in balance and coordination). We are having rain now...so it is a good time to take a break from the garden and go to school. Never stop learning new things and trying new things. Keep your body and brain active....we must channel our thoughts toward good things and retrain our bodies to do what we want them to do. God is good . Have a great day. Love, Aunt Bean

New count for fava bean seeds planted in the garden 2,390. The very first ones are beginning to pop thru the surface now. Last night was very cold (in the teens again and we had snow yesterday) but, I am hopeful that warm weather will finally come. My daughter said that a very hot/ dry summer is predicted. Oh, I have started taking l-carnitine (finished the bottle of l-carnosine) don't know which to contribute a clearer mind and faster memory recall to. but, I am enjoying it. Also, am able to learn new songs faster playing with the 3 music groups that I play mandolin with. The Tai Chi class that I visited was very good and the folks that have been going said they have noticed an improvement in their balance because of it. The only thing that was difficult for me was walking very slow with a heal / toe soft step (like sneaking up on someone) My balance was not good enough in that area...which is something I will try to practice at home. We can make our bodies do things it has forgotten how to do...just have to retrain! Have a great day you all.

Dad and I are working on a "vegie" enclosure for some of my plantings. (One really high raised bed/ several shorter ones. For those who have been to Beans Acres...it is located behind the chicken coup. We had a little deer damage this spring on fruit trees...usually when I spot deer, there are about 7 traveling together...which can do quite a bit of damage. I transplanted 48 tame blackberry starts to the low garden from a neighbor, whose plants had tip rooted. We won't have but maybe a few this year...but, next year...we can all go berry pickin' together! Most of my strawberries seem to have frozen out this winter...working on getting a new patch of them started also. Fruit, when picked and eaten on the spot is so full of nutrition. I have had friends with PD come walk and graze with me and say in about 10 minutes...you know I feel better all of the sudden. It truly is amazing what fresh picked , organics can do for us. I have my first nasty sunburn of the year. Out all day Monday in a tank top...it was beautiful/ got a lot done/ got a little "crispy" too. This too shall pass. Have a great day...get some sun, but start a bit slower at it than "bad girl Aunt Bean".

It is raining here this morning, hopefully will slow alittle so I can transplant some cold weather things outside (beets , cabbage , broccoli, brussel sprouts, .peas. Have soaked another 100 fava beans to put in upper garden (trench is dug and hope I can get them in without getting knee deep in mud) These are probably the last I will sow this spring. This will make about 2,400 beans planted. Will sow more the end of July for some fall crop. Any one out there wanting to grow them...get them out quick (soak 24 hrs and plant 8" apart)

Got pretty cold here last nite (upper 20's) Another cold one coming tonight...not cold enough to bother the beans. Was blessed with a bag of favas from Peru....they are the prettiest beans I have seen. They have a little darker color swirl mark on the and when soaked, expand to a very large size....remind me of a chocolate swirl cookie I saw once. Planted over a hundred of them and am anxious to see the type of plant and bean size they will make. Now have about 2,400 fava seeds planted in the gardens (three different sites...just in case there is flooding again this year) Still need someone to test the new tinctures for l-dopa content ...and still looking for someone or a couple who would like to come to the farm for a working vacation to learn about the beans for Parkinsons and help with the garden work. If you are interested and able...please PM me . Aunt Bean

Getting Fava Beans from the greenhouse now...such a pretty site to see. Being pollinated by wasps and ants (no honey bees in there). My friend is already feeling better eating fresh pods. God is so good Have a great day you all.

Was so blessed this morning...called a good neighbor and he came and disked a huge portion of ground I wanted to get planted...it was so full of rocks that it kept stopping my tiller . Now I have planted some corn and beans and am setting out to plant some tomatoes that are extras (still afraid of a cold snap coming... so I will plant the potted ones...in same enriched places if these get killed) Aunt Beans Method : Dig Big hole/ put in rabbit manure and saved egg shells / put in soil and plant the tomato up to it's neck so it sends out more roots to help it if the weather gets very dry...which the weather people are saying (hot dry summer ) Then mulch around each one heavily to keep the soil from baking hard and the ground from drying out. Water well ! If you are in a really dry place anyway or have sandy soil, lay a piece of newspaper at the bottom of the hole before proceeding. Aunt Beans Tip for the day! Blessings from Bean Acres

It rained...praise God, we were like a desert here....now just have to trap the rain we are getting with cardboard and mulch so we the dry spell hits, the plants can survive with the resources they are getting now. Our PD support group picnic is here at the farm June7...anybody out there close enough and want to come...please PM me. Aunt Bean