Posted By FarmerJ on November 11, 2009

I’m not sure why or how it turned out this way, but in our gardening adventures this summer, there were certain things that ‘belonged’ to Darling Husbie ~ like the potatoes, sweet potatoes and corn ~ and things that ‘belonged’ to me.  The beans and peas were mine, and I got to pick out whatever variety I wanted.

Well, not knowing a whole lot about any variety, I decided to use a fool proof method.  Darling Husbie’s always dazzled me with those amazing green eyes, so I thought it only appropriate we grow green-eyed peas.  Success!  Why spend all that money on Farmer’s Almanacs and how-to books when there’s sure fire methods like this to rely on?!

The peas were amazingly easy to grow.  Since we were learning and experimenting, we planted two rows about 8 feet long.  We stuck the seeds in the ground, provided a sturdy trellis, and basically left them to do their thing ~ and do their thing they did very well.  The vines flourished and flowers bloomed…and pea pods grew.  When the pods dried, we picked them.

Now comes the fun part; shelling the hundreds of pods.  I’ve tried a couple of different methods and came to the same conclusion ~ it’s a tedious yet monotonous task.  Then I remembered reading something in the Vegetable Gardener’s Bible about shelling dried peas.  I thought I’d give it a try, but with a couple of minor changes.

All you need is an old pillow case, a large platter, baking sheet or something similar and the pea pods, of course.  And, time.  I turned my pillow case inside out so that the pod ‘crumbs’ wouldn’t get stuck in the seams ~ I know…it probably doesn’t really make that much of a difference.

Next, fill the pillow case full of pods.  Then, let the fun begin.  Squash that bag-o-pods in any way your heart desires.  Sit on it; pounce on it; roll on it; kneel on it; or even drop a bowling ball on it.  The idea is to break those pods up so those peas become separated.  It really goes quickly if you can enlist the help of a big, strong 240 lb man wearing a size 13 boot.  Just be careful he keeps his balance and doesn’t step on your hand as you hold the pillow case top closed.

Once the pods are good and broken, put a few handfuls on the platter and begin the treasure hunt.  You can easily pick out the large pieces of shell and you’re quickly left with the smaller pieces and the precious gems themselves.

After a couple of platters full, you’ll have a system down that works for you.  Shake it a little; toss the pile like a salad every now and then bringing the larger pieces to the top; tilt the plate and run your fingers through the pile; or even hen peck the peas from the pile for a change of pace.

Make sure you’re comfortable and have something good on the TV to keep you entertained while you’re pickin’ the peas.  The Walton’s; Little House On the Prairie; Storm Chasers or The Deadliest Catch are all good choices.

I’ve come to realize that no matter what method you choose to shell dried peas, it’s still going to be tedious and monotonous ~ but at least this one is going a little quicker than the other two I’ve tried.

Before you know it, you’ll end up with a pile of precious peas ~ amazing green eyes lookin’ right at ya!

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