By Vanessa Richins

When I was growing up, I HATED peas.

I would grimace every time they were served for dinner and refuse to eat them.

Years later I discovered fresh, uncooked sugar snap peas and to my surprise, I liked them.

There’s something satisfying about the crunch of the pod that appeals to me. I can even eat the peas inside now. I still don’t like them cooked, though.

Peas are a great choice for your urban vegetable garden because you can plant them twice a year. Since they are a cool season veggie, they can be planted in early spring and fall. I am planning on planting seeds soon so I can put them in my Earthbox. (Review of the Earthbox to follow later this year).

As the University of Illinois Extension office points out, Read the rest of this entry »

By Vanessa Richins

When I was little, I was fascinated by black-eyed peas.

I had never eaten them, but somehow decided that they were a plant I needed to grow.

Perhaps it was the fact that they looked like a little eye.

I bought packets of seeds yearly. I don’t think I ever harvested any, but I kept buying seeds.

Hopefully you’ll have better success with this Southern favorite - Vigna unguiculata, also known as Cowpeas. Did you know they come from Africa?

When you are choosing a Read the rest of this entry »