{"id":34536,"date":"2017-07-12T11:56:08","date_gmt":"2017-07-12T15:56:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/huntsville.dopperonline.ca\/?p=34536"},"modified":"2017-07-14T11:08:35","modified_gmt":"2017-07-14T15:08:35","slug":"fresh-from-the-spring-farm-peas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doppleronline.ca\/huntsville\/fresh-from-the-spring-farm-peas\/","title":{"rendered":"Fresh from The Spring Farm: Peas!"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Jenny Spring<\/i><\/p>\n

\"Jenny

Jenny Spring<\/p><\/div>\n

Anyone else in Huntsville having a challenging growing season this year? Especially peas and beans?<\/p>\n

Peas are usually the first thing I plant every year outside. The peas love the cold and can handle frost. This year there was so much rain my pea and bean seeds rotted.<\/p>\n

I also find that they won’t germinate well in the heat of the summer so if you missed the spring planting it’s hard to get good peas again.<\/p>\n

Peas are also one of my favourite vegetables to grow. A pea from the garden is WAY better than peas from the grocery store. My favourite way to eat peas is right off the vine, in fact not many make it to market as I end up snacking on them all day while working. However, they are also great grilled. Below is a recipe from Dishing Up the Dirt<\/a><\/span>, another organic farm recipe blog and book.<\/p>\n

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But first here are some gardening tips<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

There are two varieties of peas that will suit your garden and cooking needs: Pisum savitum<\/em>, which includes both types of garden peas – sweet peas (inedible pods) and snow peas (edible flat pods with small peas inside) – and Pisum macrocarpon<\/em> or snap peas (edible pods with full-size peas).<\/p>\n

\u2018Snowbird\u2019 (snow pea) is resistant to fusarium wilt. \u2018Sugar Ann\u2019 (snap pea) is an early variety with a short vine. \u2018Green Arrow\u2019 (garden pea) is a mid-season variety with high yields, also resistant to fusarium wilt.<\/p>\n

Peas need to be trellised so make sure to help guide them up a fence.<\/p>\n

To get the best head start, turn over your pea planting beds in the fall, add manure to the soil, and mulch well.<\/p>\n

As with other legumes, pea roots will fix nitrogen in the soil, making it available for other plants.<\/p>\n

Sow seeds outdoors 4 to 6 weeks before last spring frost, when soil temperatures reach 45 degrees F.<\/p>\n

Plant 1 inch deep (deeper if soil is dry) and 2 inches apart.<\/p>\n

Keep your peas well picked to encourage more pods to develop.<\/p>\n

Pick peas in the morning after the dew has dried. They are crispiest then.<\/p>\n

Always use two hands when you pick peas. Secure the vine with one hand and pull the peas off with your other hand.<\/p>\n

Peas can be frozen or kept in the refrigerator for about 5 days. Place in paper bags, then wrap in plastic.<\/p>\n

If you missed your peas\u2019 peak period, you can still pick, dry, and shell them for use in winter soups.<\/p>\n

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Recipes (All photos and recipes are from Dishing Up the Dirt)<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\"Snow

Snow Peas with Miso and Mustard (Image: Dishing Up the Dirt)<\/p><\/div>\n

Snow Peas with Miso and Mustard<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Ingredients<\/strong>:<\/p>\n