what's your favorite bean?

[bvar22]

20. Field Peas?...Cow Peas?...Crowder Peas?...Now I know!.

Purple Hulls?.... BlackEyes?... Black Beans?
Every year, we devote more space to these delicious beans.

"In my youth in New Orleans (another time, another place), we regularly had a side dish called "Field Peas". They tasted somewhat like Black Eyed Peas, but were smaller, crisper, and better tasting. I didn't really know what they were...I only remember that I liked them. I don't think I ever saw them on a menu, or in a store. I haven't eaten them for many years. After moving to Arkansas, I mentioned Field Peas to Starkraven, and she said she had never heard of them.

In late June, Starkraven surprised me with a package of "Field Peas" seeds she had found at the co-op. It turns out that "Field Peas" are a member of one of the largest family of peas called Southern/Cow Peas which has literally hundreds of varieties, some of which are Black Eyed Peas, Purple Hulled Peas, and Crowder Peas."





The plants are about two feet tall, and the pods are really cool. They grow from a little stalk above the plant body which makes them really easy to pick. They are perfect for the Late Summer transition to Fall. They seem to be very productive, and it looks like we will have plenty to dry for the Winter.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=246x9836

We don't plant them until July. They thrive in the heat of late Summer, and need only a little water.
They are called "Green Manure" because these plants actually take nitrogen from the air and return it to the soil.
Even if you don't like the beans, they make a great Cover Crop for late Summer.

Shelling the Peas takes some time, but after the shelling they can put on the shelf and used all Winter.

There is a modest difference in taste between the differing varieties, and we are now planting 3 - 4 different varieties every season.
Last season, after July, as we were cleaning up our garden from the Spring crops, we stagger planted a new section every two weeks to spread out the harvest.

The best tasting beans we grow here are regular old Green Beans.
We grow both the Pole and Bush types, but prefer the Bush.
They just seem to do a little better here lately.
We plant them in the Spring and grow enough the Can for the Winter,
but I had to tell you about the CowPeas.