Peas are one of our favourite crops.  Rather like sweet corn, peas are a crop that is best when eaten as soon as possible after picking.  The difference between really fresh peas and those that have sat around for just a few days is really marked.  It is an unwritten rule of the allotment that the first few pods don’t make it back to the house.  They are either “tested” on the allotment, eaten while walking home, or on one occasion surreptitiously scoffed in a beer garden on the way home.

In the past we have grown Kelvedon Wonder on the allotment and Sugar Snaps at home.  Kelvedon Wonder (on the right below) is ideal for producing both an early summer crop and a late sown autumn crop – both of which usually miss the pea moth season, so no maggoty peas.

Peas 6 May 2013

This year we also tried Blauwschokker – a marrowfat pea for drying and storage.  Fish and chips with our own mushy peas was the plan.  The plants are very vigorous and both the flowers and pods are really attractive, it is always nice when the allotment looks good as well as producing a tasty harvest.

Blauwschokker peas 1 July

The peas cooked well and we have had our first serving of “pie ‘n’ peas”.  Unfortunately, this cultivar matures during high summer meaning that it is exposed to pea moth.  We therefore ended up sharing the harvest rather more than we’d hoped; not to mention chasing maggots around the front room carpet while we were shelling.  Chatting around it seems that other people suffered quite badly this year, so we’ll give the Blauwschokkers another chance next year, but maybe harvest them earlier and freeze the peas rather than wait for them to dry on the vine.

The late sowing of Kelvedon Wonder (below) should be maggot free and make up for the loss of some of the marrowfat crop.

Peas 23 Aug 2013