We were blessed to be able to harvest the first of our pea crop this year. Thankfully, this year hasn't been as wet as last and they were able to grow! Honestly though the trade-off has been unseasonably hot weather and I'm surprised they have done as well as they have despite it. 

Tuesday's harvest- There were over 5 pounds of peas with pods, 3 quarts of strawberries, and enough oregano to fill about half a quart sized bag when dried. (The leaves in front I had thought were kale but it turns out I forgot I planted a few kohlrabi to try... oops.)

In 2010 we harvested 1 lb. 5 oz. shelled and last year 1 lb. 9 oz. so anything we bring in after this will have made it an exceptional year.

We're trying 'Little Marvel' & 'Oregon Sugar Pod II' from Sustainable Seed Co.

Nearly 2 of the 5 pounds of the harvest were peas and a pound of the pods I used for making pea pod soup from The Forgotten Skills of Cooking.   It turned out wonderfully and even the littlest eaters enjoyed it. I froze a cup and thawed it yesterday to see if it would keep well and while it may have lost a hint of sweetness, it was still very good. A suggestion was made on Reformation Acres Facebook page to try adding a little bacon and I threw a couple pieces in that cup of soup and not surprisingly made it even more delicious. What I appreciate most is the ability to prepare food with what would otherwise be a whole lot of waste.

Do you grow peas in your garden? What is your favorite variety?