A Gardener's Delight: Peas Please!

 Yeah! I have peas!! To be honest I took this picture about a two weeks ago. But I was so exited to finally get them with the crazy Spring that we had this year that I decided that I needed to write a section that I lovingly call A Gardener's Delight! Because as a gardener this is the kind of thing that we live for. There is nothing like the first true harvest of the year. I usually start harvesting my first peas around the middle to end of May. But this year I had to wait until the middle of June! So these babies are a long time in coming. Now for a little pea 101! My favorite peas to plant are Sugar Snap Bush Peas. They are completely hassle free, sweet and delicious. They are stringless and they don't require staking like in Pole Peas which truly makes them a gardeners delight. There are many different varieties of these peas. I think that these are actually called Sugar Ann Snap Peas. Just ask someone where you buy them if they are the Sugar Snap Bush Peas and they can usually tell you. If you live around the South Salt Lake or Utah County areas I really like to get my seeds from a place called Carpenter's Seeds or Cook's is another great place to get them. Generally you want to have them in the ground around the first couple of weeks in March. If you find yourself a bit behind then soak them for anywhere from an hour to a couple of days. They can also be planted in the Fall for a second harvest around September. My Dad loves these peas and we have had them in our gardens for as long as I can remember. So I will give you a tip from my Dad. Dig a trench about an inch deep and just kind of throw them in there broadcast style. They will work beautifully. I don't even thin mine just throw them in there and let them grow. This year for the first time I actually followed the directions on the seed packet and I was disappointed with the results. Turns out my Dad did know best.





Peas are not just a Spring time treat for you, but they are a treat for your soil also. Peas are legumes which means that they put nitrogen into your soil. So make sure that when you pull them up that you add them to your compost pile or you can even just till them into the ground. But as for us they are packed with vitamins, antioxidants and flavor. They can be either eaten raw right off of the bush, in salads, stirfrys or my personal favorite sauteed. Here is how I do it.

2 C.Peas

1 Tbsp. Butter

1 Tsp Fresh Lemon Thyme

Salt and Pepper

(Serves about 4)

I know that this recipe is not perfectly exact but many times when you are cooking from your garden they won't be. So consider this recipe a push in the right direction more than a ridged list of ingredients. If you are not familiar with Lemon Thyme let me introduce you. I love this stuff! It is has the great characteristics of Thyme but with a fresh lemon hint to it. This is not a herb that you will find in the store but in your local nursery. And if I haven't said it enough one of the best things that you can do for cooking at home is to grow your own herbs! They are so easy to grow and SO much cheaper. If space is of the issue they do great in container gardens. Here is my beautiful Lemon Thyme.

This is a very easy recipe that can be made in minutes. The first thing that you want to do after picking your peas is to wash them and take off the stems. Then in a saute pan melt your butter and add your lemon thyme. Then when your pan is hot add your peas generously salt and pepper to taste and stir them until they turn bright green when this happens I usually cook them for about 30 seconds to 1 minute longer and then take them off of the heat and serve. You want them to still have some crunch to them so don't over cook them. I hope that you love them as much as I do. Stay tuned throughout the summer and fall for more Gardening Delights!