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Growing Peas in Georgia

I planted pea seeds of several different types this year- Snow Peas, Oregon Sugar Pod, Sugar Daddy, and Super Sugar Snap Peas, in Raised Organic Garden Bed #2, on March 2nd, 2018-

The Snow Peas produced the best this time. I harvested the 1st peas on May 10th. It was 69 days till harvest, and the packages said 68. Even with the weather being so dry and warmer than usual, they still produced a gallon size freezer bag full so far. The snow peas produced a few more pods over the last weeks of May, but very few compared to earlier in the season.

I harvested Snow Peas that I planted from seeds sold by Lake Valley Seed Company.  Every other day or so over a couple weeks I harvested pods, and added them to a freezer bag in the fridge crisper, lying on a paper towel. Then, I blanched them for about 2 minutes, drained, and put in the freezer.

Then, I ate them a few weeks later, because I could’t resist. They stayed so vibrantly green, and sweet and tasty! Love them!

I had a huge slug infestation this year; I spent a great deal of time cursing & pulling slugs off my plants-mostly the peppers and peas, but there were still plenty left for us to enjoy. It was extremely wet the last few months, and the slugs seemed to have moved on now because of the drier, warmer conditions.

I knew nothing of the history of peas. Turns out they are the longest cultivated crop in history! I found some very useful info about the history of peas at

The New World Encyclopedia.org.

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In the Woods

fall leaves north east georgia
My backyard woods- Fall 2016

Henry David Thoreau

wrote the following in the “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For” section of Walden. The first time I read Walden, just a few years ago, I was surprised by the content. The text is full of deep philosophical wisdom, and actual practical gardening advice and data. This quote resonates powerfully with me. Thoreau’s reasons for gardening and writing seem similar to mine. He too sees how living closely with nature can allow people to experience life to the fullest.

” I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, …   “

Project Gutenberg is an incredible resource for free texts, and they have the full text of Walden.

I am including a link to one of my favorite pieces I’ve written which is titled

Growing an Essay

It is inspired by Thoreau and Walden, and is written as a New York Times Draft style essay.