One upon a time . . there was a prince . . an Italian prince. He wore green shirts with holes in them. He wore them til his wife, who probably was not a princess, threw them in the trash. She buried them deeply in the trash, beneath gross kitchen garbage, so the prince would not find them!
The prince made a lovely garden for his wife and she planted all kinds of peas and beans. OK . . enough of this story. Here’s the real story!
My garden is as big as I want it to be. This year, I planted too many varieties of peas and beans. With so many different types, it was hard to get enough of any one type to can them. I’d have to pick a few each day and save them til I got enough to fill the canner. I had cream peas, purple hull peas, green beans, lima beans and pinto beans. Next year, the plan is to plant one or maybe two types of beans or peas. I had pretty much narrowed it down to either cream peas or purple hull peas. Last night for dinner, we had a taste test.
We had stewed okra, from the garden, stuffed pork chops, purple hull peas and cream peas, both from the garden. Vince tasted and re-tasted and decided he likes the purple hull peas better than the cream peas. He liked the cream peas but thought the purple hull had more flavor. So . . next year, we’ll have at least four rows of purple hull peas.
What’s your favorite home grown veggies? I love them all. Those first home grown tomatoes are so good. I love being able to go out and pick what we’re having for dinner, whether it’s peas, beans, okra, cucumbers, onions . . it’s so nice having it all out back.
Annette says
Judy, I love purple hull peas because they make dark pot-liker (is the the right spelling?) and I love fried okra, which I never make, but have to order it when it’s available. I enjoy your blog very much. Always wondering what Vince is up to next!
Annette
Judy Laquidara says
I love okra any way. My favorite may be just plain stewed but Vince likes it better with tomatoes. I have fried it some but don’t fry much of anything any more. Like you, when we’re out and they have fried okra as a side, I usually get it.
Gwen says
I see why you needed the taste test! Cream peas are my favorite and purple hulls are DH’s! We don’t have a garden but my sister has a bushel of each in the freezer for us to pick up in a couple of weeks!
Judy Laquidara says
Nice! A bushel of each is great! I like having a variety but with a small garden, it’s going to work out better to do just one type and looks like it will be purple hulls for us next year.
Debbie Rhodes says
After years of trying to convince my stubborn husband to we need to plant enough of one (green beans corn etc) to have enough to can from one picking. A couple years ago he finally got it. No more saving up enough to do a canners worth!!! only took me 20 years to convince him… Ha ha
Christine says
One of the things I miss about having a brick and mortar home is having a garden to watch over. Every bit of it from the planning, tilling, planting and picking and canning was a joy to me. Even the weeding. I’ll have it again someday but now I live vicariously through you. In late summer I would always say I am planting less but come winter and the seed catalogs come…. you know what I am saying.
Sandy in Canada says
Patty pan squash –hands down!
Becky G says
Hmmm favorites… Veges. 1st: brandywine tomatoes; 2nd lettuces; 3rd Dragon’s Tongue green beans; 4 th Asparagus
Fruits: heritage Raspberries; Triple crown Blackberries; blueberries. Yummo! Thanks for updating us on your garden!
Vivian says
I wish my DH was as good as yours in regards to veggies. He hates most everything except corn & lettuce. He wouldn’t have eaten ANY of the veggies you offered. We can’t plant a garden anymore anyway, since we have heavy metals in the soil…. just a few plants here and there in raised areas. Enjoy your veggies!!! I wish I could!
Ann says
Peas in the pod!!! I only plant snow peas and sugar snap because I don’t have to shell them. Beets are a close second to my favorite. roasted on the grill they are divine!!
Ann
Doe in Mi says
Asparagus, I grew up with a 20 acre field of it on Dads farm. And after having it every day when in season, and helping to pick it every day I STILL LOVE it.
Betty Edwards says
Well you asked! lol We love Purple Hull Peas also! Had them Tuesday night along with corn-on-the-cob(another favorite-but alas from the store) and cornbread. We love our peas over rice, we are from the South! lol Stewed okra and tomotoes is our favorite or fried okra. My son had the garden this year and we just finished a large bag of the best tomatoes and a large bag of cucumbers. Those cucumbers had the best taste. He did good! His grandfather would be so proud.
Kim West says
I miss collard/mustard greens from my grandma’s garden. Also, the cucumbers, yellow squash, and snap beans ( i dont remember what they were, green beans probably, but i remember sitting there snapping them to get them ready to cook). I have a black thumb, so no garden for me.
Diane says
I could make myself sick with purple hull peas and tomatoes! Add that to some cornbread and I would have a feast! YUM!
Sandy in IL says
Tomatoes fresh from the garden are my favorite. I have never tasted purple hull peas but since I do love peas, I imagine they would be good. Love the fairy tale you started out with. Is Vince King of his castle? Is any man? LOL LOL
pdudgeon says
fresh silver queen corn, green beans, grapes, strawberries, blackeberies, and acorn squash for me. Now my oldest son on the other hand—i never sent him to pick bell peppers, because half of them would be in his stomach before he hit the back porch!
loralie says
does watermelon count as a veggie? that’s my favorite garden produce. hmmm….favorite veggie. probably corn.
JanetB says
DH loves purple hull peas. I’m more a green bean gal. We had a bumper crop of tomatoes this year so I canned some. We have a very small garden. Through the generosity of neighbors, we had a mess of fried okra last night. It was very yummy.
barbara woods says
we planted purple hull peas this year, 3 rows and today we got nearly a bushel. tomorrow we shell and they in the freezer
Gale says
Butter beans and tomatoes.
Kathy C says
tomatoes and pole beans
carol c says
tomatos
Sheryl says
My fave veggie we grow would be English Peas. For field peas, I like crowder’s best….especially black crowders because they make really dark juice. I’m not crazy about cream peas. Lady Fingers are pretty good but they take so darned many to get enough to do anything with.
Dawn in East Texas says
Hi Judy,
Here’s what I did and will do again next year. I planted one row each of purple hull, cream, and zipper cream. I just pick them, shell them, and mix them all together before freezing. We love the taste of the different varieties together.
Marlene says
I LOVE purple hull peas, okra, tomatoes, and pinto beans. If I could have a garden that would be the most of what I would plant…along with corn if I had room. And I’d love to have watermelon and cantaloupes. We’re not coming back to the mission next summer (switching to February) so maybe a small garden will be in my future. 🙂 blessings, marlene
Trish says
Black Eyed Peas 🙂 More work, though they look so fascinating in the garden!!