Early this spring, I spent hours planting fava bean seeds and now the fruits of those hours of crouching down in the field will be found in your CSA shares this week! I feel like a proud parent knowing that a large percentage of the seeds made it into the ground through my hands.

The fava bean seeds themselves look like a dried up version of the beans you find within the remarkably cushioned 7-8 inch green pods. These shriveled beans have now transformed into to 3 1/2 to 4 ft high plants. Unlike most of our other crops, the seemingly endless rain earlier this spring seemed to burgeon the fava plants’ growth to where if feels like you are swimming through the vast field of leafy green as you are harvesting them. The stems are pretty tender, so one must be careful to swim without breaking the plants.

A short-lived spring delicacy, favas can be prepared and eaten in a number of ways. They are great on the grill and a great addition to any spring pasta dish. Wyatt has described a hummus-inspired fava bean dip that sounds pretty amazing, too. Add blanched and pureed favas to a hummus base of your choosing, homemade or store bought and enjoy!