Purple Hull Peas

OMG!  I'm not prone to use texting expressions since I'm not a big texter, but this was my reaction walking through my local farmer's market Friday morning when I passed by a table with small trays of purple hull peas marked $4.00.  At most there were enough peas, still in the shell, to provide two small servings once cooked.

The reason for my shock is that I had just picked and shelled my own purple hull peas the night before.  Based on these prices, I had easily produced more than $20 worth of peas in one picking from my two 10' rows....and I was only on my second of what will likely be at least three if not four major pickings.  My crop cost me less than $1 total to produce, since I had saved the seed from last year's planting (just another great reason to plant heirloom vegetables) and only used about 1/2 gallon of natural fertilize when I planted.  Purple hull peas are one of the most economical vegetables one can include in their garden.

And they are also one of the easiest to grow vegetables as well.  Simply prepare a shallow row.  I turn my hoe at an angle and drag it down the bed to create two furrows a few inches deep and about 2' apart (my beds are 4' wide).  I then spread a light layer of my favorite dry natural fertilizer down the row, Epsoma Vegetable Fertilize, followed by dropping the seeds about 3 inches apart.  Use the hoe to go back and lightly cover the seeds.  I always plan to plant my beans and peas just ahead of a rain, but if that's not possible, then water the rows to ensure the seeds are thoroughly soaked or soak the seeds in a small container for about 15 minutes before planting them. Do not oversoak as the seeds will rot.  Also do not plant if there are several continuous days of rain forecasted, or if it's not at least 3-4 weeks after your last frost date in the spring and your ground has warmed.  Purple hull peas are a southern pea and cannot take cold weather or frost.  My last frost date is April 15th, and I usually don't plant until mid-May.

Once the plants are about 6" tall you will want to thin them to about 6" - 12" apart.  Thinning is so hard for me because I just can't bear to pull up a good plant, but I assure you it is necessary in order to maximize your production.  Peas planted too thickly don't allow the blooms the be exposed and pollinated well.  Trust me, I learned this lesson the hard way years ago.  Now I dutifully thin all my peas and beans no matter what.  Leaving them at 6" - 12" still results in very thickly planted peas so that once they are about half way mature they will be bunched thickly together in your rows or beds, thus eliminating future weeding.

About 60 days after planting, you'll be ready to start picking, shelling and eating.  Again, purple hull peas are your friend in that they are soooo easy to pick.  They grow up about 18" in the air on stocky stems, rising above the foliage.  Usually there are 3 pea pods to a stem, resembling those twirly bird hats we used to have as kids.  When the pods have changed color from green to a speckled green/ mostly purple color, they are ready.  If you miss them at this stage and they turn a dark purple, don't fret.  It just means you missed them at the tender, moist stage and will now just have to cook them a bit longer since they have gone on to the dried stage. 

I usually leave 20 or so on the vines near the end of the season to intentionally dry so that I can use them for the next year's planting.  After shelling, simply lay them on a newspaper indoors for a few days until they are completely dry, then place them in a jar and store in a dark cool place until the following year.  Or, if you live in an area like I do, where the frost date isn't until mid-October, make a second planting in late July to early August to extend your season and double your pleasure.

This is one vegetable I urge you strongly to try.  Purple hull peas are economical, easy to grow, and delicious.  What could be better.

It's Strawberry Time in Tennessee

May brings some of the most wonderfully delicious strawberries to Tennessee.  As I visited my local farmer's market last Friday I was lucky enough to get 1 gallon of strawberries for $12 (see next post how I used them to make strawberry jam for less than $1.25 per half-pint).  Now I know many people might think that sounds like a lot of money, but you have to consider the time, resources and risk...yes, risk...involved with being a strawberry farmer. 

I purchased my berries from a booth run by Valley Home Farm in Wartrace, TN.  The co-owner of this family farm was working the booth that morning, so I took the opportunity to find out a bit more about their operation.  She shared with me that since late March they had been working 15 hour days.  With nighttime temperatures falling into the high 30's and low 40's they have to go out into the fields throughout the night to check field temperatures.  They have to use special protective frost blankets to shield the strawberries as they start to bloom or the crop can literally be lost on one cold night.  I commented to her that the lecturer at my Master Gardener class had said it cost about $10,000 per acre to grow strawberries...which was astounding to me..but she said it was actually more. 

If you've never visited a strawberry farm you might be surprised to see all the special preparations and work that goes into producing them.  It starts in the fall with using special equipment to build the raised beds and put down black plastic mulch sheets to cover them.  There are holes about every 6 inches that strawberries will have to be hand-planted into.  Underneath, a drip irrigation system has to be installed to carefully monitor and dispense just the right amount of water to grow the plump, juicy strawberries we all love.  If Mother Nature cooperates, then by mid-April the berries begin to ripen, and run for about 6 weeks. One bad winter or a late spring frost and the entire crop can be lost.  When it's berry picking time pickers must be hired to hand pick each and every berry or some farmers choose to offer "pick your own" at a reduced price.

So the next time you look at a beautiful package of strawberries, I hope you appreciate the labor of love and tremendous investment that farmers put into growing these wonderful fruits.  And remember, please support your local farmers...they support you.

My First Blog

Preferring the simple life over the fast paced, high tech rat race of today has always been a way of life for me.  Although my "day job" demands I use computers and sophisticated technology, my heart belongs to nature and the great outdoors.  As I see more and more of the "old ways" of living slipping into oblivion I long to return to my roots and revive some of the tried and true, self-sustaining, pure and simple ways of living that I learned in my youth.  In particular, my passion is growing and preserving heirloom vegetables, free of chemicals, in my ever expanding urban homestead.  My guiding belief is that if my grandmother didn't grow it or use it, neither will I. 

I also love to visit the local farmer's market each week for those items I don't grow myself in order to support my friends and fellow farmers who share my passion for living a more natural life.   Of course, living this way is self serving as well...I get to enjoy some of the freshest, tastiest and healthiest foods imaginable.  If you've never eaten a true heirloom tomato, like a large slice of Brandywine on a fresh grilled burger, then you've missed one of the greatest joys of summer. When I was a child, I remember making "tomato sandwiches"...I didn't even need the burger!

As I continue this blog, I hope to share with all of you my passion for good food and encourage you to consider growing an heirloom vegetable garden of your own.  I'll be sharing with you my tips and strategies that I learned over the past 40+ years from country farmers, the Amish, and, of course...my grandma.  I hope you'll join me.