Legume 02 Field Peas

layout: base.njk title: "Field Peas (Pisum sativum & Vigna spp.): The Southern Legume" plantName: "Field Peas (Pisum sativum & Vigna spp.): The Southern Legume" category: "Legumes" description: "Growing guide for Field Peas (Pisum sativum & Vigna spp.): The Southern Legume in West Virginia Zone 6b/7a" tags: planting-guide

For: The Loop Farmstead, New Martinsville WV 26155
Zone: 6b/7a
Soil: Heavy clay

Why Field Peas Matter

Field peas are not garden peas (which are eaten fresh). Field peas are grown for dried seeds—like beans, they're a storage crop for winter food. Field peas include crowder peas, purple hull peas, black-eyed peas (cowpeas), and Austrian winter peas. They're Southern staples, heat-tolerant, and nutritious.

For The Loop Farmstead, field peas offer:

Heat tolerance: Thrive when garden peas fail
Drought tolerance: Deep roots access water
Nitrogen fixation: Improve soil like beans
Storage: Dried peas store for years
Southern heritage: Traditional Appalachian/Southern food
Versatility: Soups, stews, sides, cover crop (Austrian winter)

Field peas are beans' heat-loving cousin. Where beans are cool-season, field peas (especially cowpeas) love heat. They're essential for hot summers and clay soils.

Understanding Field Peas

Types of Field Peas

Southern Peas (Cowpeas - Vigna unguiculata): - Black-eyed peas - Crowder peas - Purple hull peas - Purple-podded peas - Heat-loving, drought-tolerant - Plant: Late spring (after soil warms)

Austrian Winter Peas (Pisum sativum): - True pea (garden pea relative) - Cold-hardy (winter cover crop + food) - Plant: Fall (overwinters) - Dual-purpose: Cover crop and food

Field Peas (Pisum sativum var. arvense): - Similar to Austrian winter but spring-planted - Grown for dried peas - Animal feed, human food

For The Loop Farmstead: - Southern peas (cowpeas): Primary choice for food production - Austrian winter peas: Cover crop that can be harvested for food - Both are valuable—grow both

Southern Pea / Cowpea Varieties

Crowder Peas

1. Mississippi Silver

Type: Crowder Pea
Days to Maturity: 90-100 days
Source: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Seed Savers Exchange
Characteristics: Silver-gray with purple shading, crowder type (seeds crowded in pod), traditional Southern variety
Uses: Soups, stews, side dishes, Hoppin' John

Why Grow It: Mississippi Silver is a classic crowder pea. The seeds are silver-gray with purple shading, crowded tightly in the pod. The flavor is rich and earthy. It's a traditional Southern variety with deep cultural roots.

Clay Soil Performance: Very good. Crowder peas handle clay well.

For The Loop Farmstead: Essential Southern variety. Plant 100-200 sq ft for family use.

2. Alabama Blue

Type: Crowder Pea
Days to Maturity: 90-100 days
Source: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Seed Savers Exchange
Characteristics: Blue-gray seeds, crowder type, heritage variety
Uses: Traditional Southern dishes

Why Grow It: Alabama Blue is a heritage crowder pea with distinctive blue-gray color. The color comes from anthocyanins (antioxidants). It's a piece of Southern agricultural history.

3. Georgia Red

Type: Crowder Pea
Days to Maturity: 90-100 days
Source: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Seed Savers Exchange
Characteristics: Reddish-brown seeds, crowder type, traditional
Uses: Same as other crowders

Why Grow It: Georgia Red is another heritage crowder. The reddish color is distinctive. Grow multiple crowder varieties for genetic diversity and culinary variety.

Purple Hull Peas

4. Purple Hull (Various)

Type: Purple Hull Pea
Days to Maturity: 85-95 days
Source: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, regional suppliers
Characteristics: Purple hulls (pods), green or brown seeds, traditional Southern
Uses: Fresh shell, dried, soups

Why Grow It: Purple hull peas are named for their purple pods. The seeds can be green or brown. They're similar to black-eyed peas but with distinctive flavor. In the South, purple hulls are beloved.

Clay Soil Performance: Very good.

For The Loop Farmstead: Essential Southern variety. Plant alongside crowders.

5. Pinkeye Purple Hull

Type: Purple Hull Pea
Days to Maturity: 85-95 days
Source: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, most Southern seed suppliers
Characteristics: Purple hulls, pink/purple "eye" on seeds, productive
Uses: Fresh or dried

Why Grow It: Pinkeye Purple Hull is one of the most popular purple hull varieties. It's productive and reliable. The seeds have a distinctive pink or purple "eye" (hilum).

Black-Eyed Peas (Cowpeas)

6. California Blackeye #5

Type: Black-Eyed Pea
Days to Maturity: 85-95 days
Source: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, most suppliers
Characteristics: Cream seeds with black eye, classic black-eyed pea, productive
Uses: Hoppin' John, soups, stews, side dishes

Why Grow It: California Blackeye #5 is THE black-eyed pea. It's the most widely grown variety. The name is confusing (it's not from California)—it was developed for California agriculture but originated in the South. It's productive, reliable, and familiar.

Clay Soil Performance: Excellent. Cowpeas handle clay well.

For The Loop Farmstead: Essential. This is a staple crop. Plant 200+ sq ft.

7. Iron Clay

Type: Black-Eyed Pea
Days to Maturity: 90-100 days
Source: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, regional suppliers
Characteristics: Dark seeds, heat-tolerant, drought-tolerant, tough
Uses: Same as other black-eyed peas

Why Grow It: Iron Clay is named for its toughness. It's exceptionally heat and drought-tolerant. It produces in conditions where other varieties fail. For challenging years, Iron Clay delivers.

8. Red Ripper

Type: Black-Eyed Pea
Days to Maturity: 90-100 days
Source: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
Characteristics: Reddish seeds, productive, traditional
Uses: Soups, stews

Why Grow It: Red Ripper has distinctive reddish-brown seeds. It's productive and traditional. The color indicates anthocyanins. Different varieties have slightly different flavors and textures.

Other Cowpea Varieties

9. Zipper Cream

Type: Cream Pea (Cowpea type)
Days to Maturity: 85-95 days
Source: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Characteristics: Cream-colored seeds, easy to shell ("zips" out of pod), excellent flavor
Uses: Fresh shell, dried

Why Grow It: Zipper Cream is famous for two things: easy shelling (pods "zip" open) and exceptional flavor. Many consider it the best-tasting cowpea. It's a Southern favorite.

Clay Soil Performance: Very good.

For The Loop Farmstead: Grow for superior flavor. This is a gourmet variety.

10. Whippoorwill

Type: Crowder/Cowpea
Days to Maturity: 90-100 days
Source: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Seed Savers Exchange
Characteristics: Speckled seeds (like whippoorwill bird eggs), crowder type, traditional
Uses: Traditional Southern dishes

Why Grow It: Whippoorwill is named for the speckled pattern resembling whippoorwill eggs. It's a heritage variety with beautiful seeds and good flavor. It's also ornamental—the speckled beans are striking.

11. Oklahoma Red

Type: Crowder/Cowpea
Days to Maturity: 90-100 days
Source: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, regional suppliers
Characteristics: Red seeds, heat-tolerant, productive
Uses: Southern dishes

12. Clay Speckled

Type: Cowpea
Days to Maturity: 90-100 days
Source: Seed Savers Exchange, heritage sources
Characteristics: Speckled beige/brown, traditional, adaptable
Uses: Soups, stews

Why Grow It: Clay Speckled is an old-time variety with good adaptability. The speckled pattern is attractive. It's a reliable producer.

Austrian Winter Pea

13. Austrian Winter Pea

Type: Winter Hardy Field Pea
Days to Maturity: Planted fall, harvested early summer (~240 days including winter)
Source: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Johnny's Selected Seeds, cover crop suppliers
Characteristics: Dark seeds, very cold-hardy, overwinters in Zone 6b/7a, dual-purpose (food + cover crop)
Uses: Dried peas (food), cover crop, green manure, livestock forage

Why Grow It: Austrian Winter Pea is unique—a cold-hardy pea that overwinters in Zone 6b/7a. Plant in fall, it grows until hard freeze, goes dormant, resumes in early spring, and produces peas by early summer. It's both a food crop and an excellent cover crop.

Nutritional Profile: - High protein (20-25%) - Good amino acid profile - Cooks like lentils

Uses: - Dried peas (soups, stews) - Split peas (like split pea soup) - Livestock feed (high protein) - Cover crop (nitrogen fixation, biomass)

Clay Soil Performance: Excellent. Austrian winter peas handle clay well and improve it.

For The Loop Farmstead: This is a dual-purpose crop. Plant 500-1000 sq ft—harvest half for food, let half go as cover crop.

Growing Field Peas on Clay Soil

Southern Peas / Cowpeas

Timing: - Plant: Late spring (May-June) - Soil temp: 65°F+ (cowpeas need warm soil) - Later than beans (more heat-demanding)

Site Preparation: 1. Clear residue 2. Lightly till or rake 3. Cowpeas grow in poor soil (very adaptable)

Planting: - Depth: 1-1.5" (deeper in clay) - Spacing: - Bush types: 4-6" apart, rows 24-36" apart - Vine types: 6-12" apart, rows 36-48" apart - Seed rate: 2-3 lbs per 1000 sq ft

Clay-Specific Notes: - Wait for soil to warm (clay stays cold) - Ensure good drainage (cowpeas tolerate clay but not waterlogging) - Raised beds work well

Growing Season: - May-June: Planting - Weeks 1-2: Germination - Weeks 3-8: Vegetative growth (vining types grow vigorously) - Weeks 8-10: Flowering - Weeks 10-14: Pod development - Weeks 14-16: Harvest

Fertility: - Nitrogen: Cowpeas fix their own (don't add N) - Phosphorus: Important for nitrogen fixation - Inoculant: Use cowpea-specific rhizobia (different from bean inoculant) - pH: 6.0-6.5

Water: - Drought-tolerant once established - Water during flowering/pod set - Reduce water as pods mature (encourages drying)

Austrian Winter Pea

Timing: - Plant: Fall (September-October) - 4-6 weeks before hard frost - Overwinters in Zone 6b/7a

Planting: - Depth: 1-2" - Spacing: 2-4" apart, or broadcast - Seed rate: 3-4 lbs per 1000 sq ft

Growing Season: - September-October: Planting, establishment - October-November: Growth (before dormancy) - December-February: Dormant - March: Resumes growth - April-May: Flowering - May-June: Harvest

Winter Survival: - Hardy to 10-15°F (with snow cover) - Zone 6b: May lose some plants in harsh winter - Zone 7a: Usually survives well - Mulch helps winter survival

Fertility: - Same as cowpeas (fixes own nitrogen) - Use pea inoculant (different from cowpea inoculant)

Harvest

Southern Peas / Cowpeas

For Fresh Shell: - Harvest when pods are full but not dry - Shell immediately - Cook fresh or freeze

For Dry Storage: - Leave on plant until pods are brown and dry - Pull plants, hang to dry further if needed - Thresh (beat to release peas) - Winnow to clean - Must be fully dry before storage

Timing: - 90-120 days after planting - Before frost (frost damages cowpeas)

Austrian Winter Pea

Harvest: - Early summer (May-June) - When pods are brown and dry - Same process as cowpeas

As Cover Crop: - If not harvesting for food, terminate by: - Tilling under (green manure) - Cutting and leaving as mulch - Allowing to mature and self-seed (may become weedy)

Storage

Same as beans: - Fully dry (peas should shatter, not bend) - Airtight containers - Cool, dry place - 2-5 years storage - Freeze before storage (kills weevil eggs)

How Much to Grow?

For a family of 4: - Field pea consumption: 50-100 lbs per year - Storage loss: Minimal if properly dried

Yield: - Cowpeas: 0.5-1.5 lbs per 100 sq ft - Austrian winter peas: 0.5-1 lb per 100 sq ft

Space needed: - For 100 lbs: 700-2000 sq ft (depending on variety and yield) - Recommendation: 500-1000 sq ft

For The Loop Farmstead: Field peas complement beans. Grow 500-1000 sq ft of cowpeas for summer harvest, 500 sq ft of Austrian winter peas for early summer harvest and cover crop benefits.

Field Peas in Crop Rotation

Southern Peas: - After winter wheat → cowpeas (summer) - After early vegetables → cowpeas - Before winter wheat (in southern regions)

Austrian Winter Peas: - After corn/vegetables → Austrian winter peas - Following spring: Corn or other heavy feeder (benefits from nitrogen) - Or: Harvest peas, plant buckwheat or cover crop

Nitrogen Fixation: - Like beans, peas fix nitrogen - excellent before heavy feeders - Inoculate for maximum nitrogen fixation

Field Pea Pests and Diseases

Common Issues:

Fungal Diseases: - Powdery mildew: White powder on leaves - Prevention: Resistant varieties, air circulation - Root rot: In wet soil - Prevention: Good drainage

Insect Pests: - Cowpea weevil: Storage pest - Prevention: Freeze before storage, airtight containers - Aphids: Occasional - Corn earworm: Attacks pods - Control: Hand-picking, Bt

Organic Management: - Rotate crops - Choose resistant varieties - Ensure good drainage - Freeze before storage

Culinary Uses

Southern Peas / Cowpeas

Traditional Dishes: - Hoppin' John: Black-eyed peas + rice + pork (New Year's tradition) - Field peas with snap beans: Classic Southern combination - Soups and stews: Cook with ham hock or bacon - Side dishes: Like beans, seasoned with pork

Cooking: - Soak 2-4 hours (or quick-soak) - Cook 45-90 minutes (varies by variety) - Season with salt, pepper, pork - Crowders cook faster than black-eyed peas

Austrian Winter Peas

Uses: - Split pea soup: Like green split peas - Dhal: Indian-style lentil stew - Side dishes: Cook like lentils - Animal feed: High protein

Cooking: - No soaking needed (small size) - Cook 30-45 minutes - Season to taste

Cover Crop Use

Austrian Winter Peas as Cover Crop:

Benefits: - Nitrogen fixation (significant amounts) - Biomass production - Winter soil protection - Early spring growth - Attracts beneficial insects

Termination: - Till under in spring (green manure) - Cut and leave as mulch - Harvest peas, then terminate residue

Mix With: - Winter rye (rye provides structure, peas fix nitrogen) - Hairy vetch (both nitrogen fixers, double benefit) - Oats (winter-kills, peas may overwinter)

For The Loop Farmstead: Austrian winter peas are excellent cover crops. Plant them after corn or vegetables. In spring, you get peas for food AND soil improvement.

Southern Heritage

Field peas are deeply Southern:

Slavery era: Enslaved Africans brought cowpea knowledge from West Africa
Survival food: Field peas kept families alive through hard times
Hoppin' John: New Year's tradition (peas = coins, prosperity)
Appalachian connection: Field peas grew in mountain gardens

Growing field peas honors this history. It's agricultural heritage, not just food.

For The Loop Farmstead: Field peas are culturally appropriate for West Virginia. They're Southern and Appalachian. Grow them with respect for the history they carry.

Final Thoughts

Field peas are beans' heat-loving cousin. They thrive when beans struggle. They fix nitrogen, they store well, and they're delicious.

For The Loop Farmstead, field peas diversify your legume production. Southern peas for hot summers. Austrian winter peas for cover cropping and early harvest. Together with beans, they ensure you always harvest protein.

Grow field peas. Honor the heritage. Feed your family.

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