I grew up on these and we ate them frequently at home as my grandparents grew them in the garden, and they also bought them from other people who had farms. I just don't see them anymore and the ones I saw at the Farmers Markets were crazy expensive. I grew up with a friend who had 70 acres of peas and he saiid the deer would just destroy them and he had all kinds of permits to shoot them.

Does anybody else see them anymore?

Used to be sort of a family tradition for us. My grandparents knew several farmers around Lamesa that would invite us to come pick whatever we wanted. We'd go out with all the kids and fill up about a dozen paper grocery sacks. Then Granny would put out sheets to cover the living room floor and the couches and chairs. We would shell the peas while watching football after Thanksgiving Dinner.

It is a fond memory of family time, but honestly I've never been a fan of eating them.

Haven't seen any of these in the field since I saw some about 15 years ago near Fort Smith.

I like them, but it has been a while since I have seen fresh ones.

The good old days...

shelled many a bushel when I was a kid. my grandparents grew them by the acre, and sold them on the side of the road.

i grow'm every year and have'm n my freezer rite now...that's the good thang about havin' a garden...fresh produce...BTW, now's the time 2 plant

I can’t say I’ve ever tried them, but I would

with red onion and cornbread....aint much better.

Never heard of them... Dan

These will do in a pinch when you don’t have fresh.

Spent many a summer in my childhood with purple thumbs .

TDawg, They are a lot like black eyed peas but less gritty...
Now if you have pink eyed purple hulls and you are between me and them best move aside (kinda like being between Jerrah and a TV camera)...

Field peas, crowder peas, butter beans, rattlesnake green beans... I love all that stuff

Great stuff, yummy good good

I've grown them (I have a few up in my garden now), picked them, shelled them and ate them.

I grew and picked about a bushel last year. I have an old electric sheller and shelled with that. Easy way to put them up without blanching them or canning is once shelled put them in a pillow case and freeze them(don't wash them). They'll keep for several years like that and just go scoop out what you want to cook.

They are very similar to black eyed peas. When I was in HS and lived with my grandparents my grandfather would usually plant 10-20 400' rows. Of course when I said he'd plant I meant we'd plant. Picking time you got up and was picking with good light. Could have as many as 25 bushels and he'd go sell them. Worst thing is you'd be picking like a wild man trying to get done and inadvertently stick your hand in a bull-nettle. Set you on fire for 20-30 minutes or until you peed on it.

We built a deer-proof fence around our garden (5-6 acres) and this was in the 1970's before the long t-posts were around.