Lock up your runners . . . !

That sounds like a good idea jimmytheone we have an allotment and grow runner beans and also the courgettes have done really well - but there are only so many ways to cook them - and they don't seem to freeze very well do you have any tips for that - best wishes

I had an allotment for many years and managed to enjoy my runner beans and ate them within a day or so of picking them. I would often hear other plot holders tell me that they froze them but my argument was that if runner beans were good when frozen then why don't Birdseye freeze them. So I made the most of them when they grew. On the rare occasion when I tried to freeze courgettes I found them to just go soggy.

My mum used to salt runner beans - packed the sliced beans with alternate layers of salt in one of those big sweet jars you used to be able to beg from sweet shops. YOu have to make a good job of rinsing the salt out afterwards though.

Runners do freeze really well. Sliced/chopped which ever way you want them. Blanche in boiling water for about 1 min, then into cold water to rapidly cool them. pat dry and then bag up. I usually freeze them on a tray then bag them so they stay separate. Daughter bags them in portion sized servings.
You can buy them not sure if Birdseye do but Morrisons does.

It could be the very dry summer that has made them expensive. Would you have to dig up the whole lawn? One row doesn't take that much space widthwise?

Only an afterthought Sue and one row would never be enough.