Harvest of the Month: Sweet Peas

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Asparagus

Greens

Lettuce

Radish

Table of Contents

Facts

Nutrition and Seasonality

Try New Foods

Add Sweet Peas to Your Favorite Family Meals

Books

Family Fun: Seed Scavenger Hunt

Garden Connection

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Facts

Spanish translation: Los chícharos

Hmong translation: Taum Mog

Peas have been found in historical sites dating nearly 10,000 years old. Peas are thought to have originated from either Thailand and Myanmar, the Middle East, or Ethiopia.

Wisconsin ranks third in the nation for the processing of peas.

Peas are part of the legume family. Legumes produce pods that enclose fleshy, edible seeds. Peas are seeds! There are two main kinds of peas based on their pods. Green (or garden) peas have sweet, full-sized seeds, but the pods are not edible. After green peas are harvested, the pods are removed and only the soft seeds are used. Another group of peas are encased in pods that do not need to be removed. These pods are edible and contain seeds that are not fully developed, so when the entire pea pod is eaten, it is tender and sweet. The two main types of edible-pod peas are sugar snap peas and snow peas.

Nutrition and Seasonality

Key Nutrients

Fiber – Keeps digestion running smoothly.
Folate – Helps prevent birth defects, is needed to make DNA, and helps your cells divide, including red blood cells.
Vitamin C – Helps wounds heal, is important for the immune system, and is an antioxidant, which protects cells from damage.

Seasonality

Fresh sweet peas grown in Wisconsin are available in June and July.

Try New Foods

Serve a new food with one or more foods your child already likes.

Pair sugar snap peas with a healthy dip they already love.

Select: Choose sugar snap peas that are bright green and firm.
Store: For the sweetest flavor, serve peas as soon as possible. Refrigerate in a perforated plastic bag and use within 2 days.
Prepare: Rinse and trim both ends.

Add Sweet Peas to Your Favorite Family Meals

Add fresh or frozen green peas to soup or pasta salad.
Toss snow peas in a stir fry.
Serve sugar snap peas with a healthy dip.

Books

Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Peas (What’s for Lunch?) by Claire Llewellyn

Family Fun: Seed Scavenger Hunt

Peas are the seeds of the plant. What other types of seeds do we eat? Look for seeds in your kitchen and outside! Beans, corn, and pumpkin seeds are all part of a healthy diet. Share a picture of your favorite seeds on Facebook using #WIHarvestoftheMonth!

Garden Connection

Planting

Peas enjoy cool weather and do not mind frost. This means you can plant peas in the garden early in the spring. The soil must be relatively dry so that the seeds do not rot before they sprout.

Harvesting

Harvest garden peas when pea pods are swollen (appear round). Sugar snap peas are best when the pods first start to fatten, but before the seeds get very large. Harvest snow peas when the pods reach full length but are still flat (peas are just beginning to be visible). Sugar snap peas and snow peas can be harvested every 1-3 days.