Fresh peas make everything perfect. Some times we skip a proper breakfast in order to get into the garden before the sun peaks over the eastern hill. Then have peas with our coffee as the sun begins to shine down on the garden. Makes for a pretty good morning and who would have guessed peas go good with coffee and cream. We discovered this through necessity, in the garden in the very early morning, furiously trying to prepare an order, starving and drinking coffee. There I was picking peas, eating more than I was bagging. Damien was doing the same. I’m not sure when something becomes a tradition, but now, every year Damien and I get excited for the early morning pea grazing. I suggest an Idaho honey Americano with cream and Damien recommends an old-fashioned Americano with soy.

For good peas you want to plant them early and inoculate (by mixing the seed with a microorganism that helps with germination) . I plant mine on March 17th. It’s one of the first things direct seeded in the spring, so I’m careful to prep the beds especially well. I always use climbing peas and seed along a trellis. I don’t like to seed then put up the trellis. Once they start coming on you will want to pick at least every 48 hours. This will help your harvest last longer. During pea season you want to eat them every day. I eat them with everything. Here are a couple of my favorite things.

In Tuna Salad or Egg Salad wrapped in a butter head leaf. I’d even try it in Potato salad.  Or in risotto.

Pea Burger

One cup chopped sugar snap peas.

2  diced spring onions.

1 lbs ground beef

Mix peas, onions (and if you want crumble a little cheve). Pile on cutting board. Take a 1/4 lbs of burger and smashed into pile mixing beef and pea mixture. Form into patties.  Grill pea burgers on BBQ.

–Farmer Marty