Bean picking and seed envelopes...

Went out to check the garden and the Havahart (which was empty of vermin) and i noticed that the Provider green beans are ready.  I picked 1 pound, 3.9 ounces in about 10 minutes or less. Not bad for the first picking. There's plenty more left to grow and still a number of flowers. They taste great and they release from the plant easily but don't fall off by themselves.  I remember picking beans when i was little and you had to be careful to not uproot the whole plant for one bean, they'd pull off so hard.  Jacob's Cattle can be like that sometimes, i have grown those most recently.  They make a great fresh bean and if i missed harvesting them, i'd fall back on them being a dried bean.

Oh, i came across this the other day,  Really easy to make seed packets:
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/wtrsow/con021447346105.html

You have to scroll down a ways to get to the picture instructions. I wanted to post them here but i didn't want to steal the OP's images, so i made my own real quick.  If the Gardenweb thread ever disappears i will still have the instructions here to remind myself.

1 sheet of regular or pretty paper.

Make it into a square

Damp air is not conducive to crisp torn edges.

Fold it into a triangle

Then fold the top down almost to the edge

Then bring the corners in to the middlle

Clear tape does not photo well so i used some old, ugly masking tape.

This makes a very secure seed pocket.

Tape to close

I really like these envelopes much better than plastic baggies.  If your seeds aren't quite finished drying when you store them, they are less likely to be ruined since they can continue curing in the paper packets. The other packet types i have made were the ones that looked just like the commercial types.  What i didn't like about those were that they had to be cut out with  scissors, folded precisely,  and either stapled, taped or glued in at least 3 places.  Like these,  they are really very nice looking and presentable, but time consuming.  I used to trade seeds a lot and i wish i had the simpler design back then!
The folded ones can be scaled up or down in size, The example is 3"x6" with the flap down.  If i want to make them more special or color-coded i can use Origami paper and pretty post card seals.

Now i have to go vacuum stuff.