Pea-ka-boo

I’m a field botanist not a farmer, preferring plants that take care of themselves, especially here in Zone 1A, “the coldest mountain and intermountain areas of the contiguous states” (Sunset Climate Zones).  Even so, I can’t resist ... there’s something really satisfying about growing one's own food.  On June 5, I started my simple veggie garden.  As always, it is a happy day when the peas first peek through the soil.

The over-achiever pea.  Ten days after planting,
this guy is in the lead.

It's easy to grow peas here -- they are hardy, tolerate late frosts, don't need hot days, feed themselves by fixing nitrogen, and have confirmed year after year that they are content with the alluvial soil of the floodplain.

Just a block down the street, my neighbor has been harvesting peas for over a month now! Here's the trick: