Thursday, May 10, 2012

A Story about Field Peas

After reading several posts by Kris at Georgia Home Garden about field peas, I decided to hunt some field peas down to fill the beds when I remove the corn. I have gotten interested in heirloom seeds, so I spent a good bit of time looking through different sites, trying to find an unusual variety to (possibly) preserve. The plan was to plant some unusual variety of cowpea (field peas, crowder peas, cream peas, Southern cowpeas--as far as I can tell these names represent the same type of plants.) I would grow it, and if my family and I liked it, I would save it, and possibly offer it on Seed Savers Exchange.

I spent several hours on different websites looking for something that sounded "just right." I asked Kris his opinion, and considered that as well. All in all, I spent too much time on the idea of field peas. Then (Yes, I agree, it was too late. I should have asked my husband first.) Then I asked Greg. He said, "I love Pink Eye Purple Hull peas." Well. I should have just asked him. Then I wouldn't have spent so much time trying to find some other variety.

So I placed an order with St. Clare Seeds for Pink Eye Purple Hulls. After I received my packet of seeds, I decided that I really would need more seeds than that, so I placed another order for more of the same seeds. The second time, St. Clare Seeds sent me a free packet of Mississippi Cream Cowpeas.

I had a few bare spots in the Twenty Foot Garden. On a whim, I planted the Mississippi Cream peas in those spots. I planted approximately 40 seeds. I gave the rest to my children. They "planted" them around the yard.

I was surprised and pleased at how quickly they grew. I had almost 100% germination.

Now to the really interesting part of this story. I had never heard of these beans. I planted them on a whim.

My mother-in-law came by and wanted to see the garden. I showed her what I had, explaining what everything was. I mentioned the name "Mississippi Cream peas," and she squealed. I have never heard her make that sound. I looked at her sideways. What did that sound mean?

She explained, "My Granny Johnson loved Cream Peas. They didn't sell them in Mobile. Every year she would make us (meaning my father-in-law and her) go back to Andalusia to get a bushel of Cream Peas."

It really moved her that I was growing these beans that reminded her of her Granny Johnson.

Now I feel that the Lord gave me a gift. Free beans, yes, but more than that. A story of my kids' heritage. A story I would never have heard if I had not planted these beans.

A side note about this: those beans were rare in the Mobile, Alabama in the 1990's when her grandmother died, according to my mother-in-law. She has personally not eaten them at all or seen them offered for sale since her Granny Johnson died. Even way back then, the beans were rare. I did a search of these beans on the Seed Savers Exchange 2012 Yearbook. They are not listed at all. Not one member of the Seed Savers Exchange has Mississippi Cream Peas on offer. I will list mine if I get enough.

Please, if you have seed that can be saved, consider saving it. It's not very hard, and the variety may not be available if you don't help. 

18 comments:

  1. Beautiful story! Best of luck with those peas.

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  2. That is awesome! I am planning a post about some heritage crops that I have planted as well. I remember the days of shelling peas with my grandma. I've been looking for some cream peas myself bc we love them down south. If I get a hold of some, I will definitely help keeping the stock going; especially if their as good as she remembers :).

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    1. Sustainably Modern, I can't wait to read your heritage crops post. I am sure it will be great.

      Thank you for helping keep the stock going. I feel excited to have these seeds, now that I know there was some family history to them. :)

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  3. I always love to find rare seeds to plant, but usually it is flowers. Thank you for reminding us how important it is.

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    1. How cool that you find and save rare flower seeds.

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  4. Great story, it really emphasises the need to save seed if not just for cost saving but also for the history they contain. The other reason I love this story is Granny Johnson sending your MIL to Andalusia to get the right peas - a woman after my own heart - only the best peas will do!

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    1. I think it's funny, too, that she sent my MIL to Andalusia for just the right peas. The story has an even funnier side note. I mentioned to my MIL that I had written this story. She said that her Aunt Anne grew the peas at the same time her Granny Johnson was looking for them, but she wouldn't share, because she had to have those peas for her freezer and she didn't think she would have enough if she shared.

      It's about 2 hours to Andalusia from here.

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  5. Nice story and I am glad you were able to find a couple of varieties that you liked. I still haven't got mine in the ground yet as I don't have any room. My corn should be done in early June and I will be planting zipper cream and possibly sadandy's. I also have pinkeye purple hulls and texas cream 40's, but I probably won't have the time or space to plant them all. Your kids may love them too, they are one of the things my daughter loves from the garden. She will tear up some purple hulls and white acres.

    On a side note, I did get my butter beans in the ground this week.

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    1. My kids will eat purple hulls pretty well. I sure hope they'll like the Mississippi Cream peas. I am pretty excited about them. If they are good enough that Aunt Anne wouldn't share with Granny Johnson (See my note to Liz), that really piques my interest.

      I hope you do a blog post about your butter beans, complete with the type you are using. I have never grown butter beans, and haven't eaten them in years. I grew up on butter beans.

      I am having to wait to plant the Purple Hulls until the corn comes out, too.

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    2. I will probably do a post for sure, but FYI the variety is Cangreen lima beans. I planted them last year for a fall planting and got a five gallon bucket of pods from one 4x8 bed. It got cold on me before the beans fully formed, but I hope to have the same results in the spring. Cangreen is like a mini lima bean, I prefer those over the big ones. It is also a bush variety.

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    3. That's a lot of beans, especially from a fall planting. I prefer the mini limas over the big ones, too. Thanks for letting me know the variety. Hmm. Sounds interesting.

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  6. Thanks for sharing your experience with cowpeas. I'm always researching rare varieties for a preservation project and this sounds like a great one to try this year and write about at the Fruit Manifesto!

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    1. Please come back and leave a link. I'd love to read your story.

      I really like these peas. They are the only cowpeas I plan to grow this year, so that I can try to keep the seed pure.

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  7. Great story! They are VERY hard to find. Also known as Lady Peas. Went to #10 different co-ops in Mississippi, this year (been looking for 3yrs) and finally found some.They are my 70 yr old moms favorite.
    Santrelle, Hattiesburg MS

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  8. Great story! They are VERY hard to find. Also known as Lady Peas. Went to #10 different co-ops in Mississippi, this year (been looking for 3yrs) and finally found some.They are my 70 yr old moms favorite.
    Santrelle, Hattiesburg MS

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  9. They also are the best tasting pea I ever had

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