On Edgar farms our summer specialty is sweet garden peas. All our peas are handpicked and chilled in ice cold water very quickly after picking. This chilling process keeps the sugars from turning to bitter tasting starch, thus retaining that fresh from the garden sweetness.

We are able to have a consistent supply of peas from mid July through until the first hard frost in the fall. Over the years we have perfected the timing of the numerous plantings of early, mid season and late maturing varieties that we plant every spring.

Along with our peas we also grow
Sugar Snap Peas – these are the ones that have a much thicker pod wall and develop round and firm at maturity. Pods “snap” just like a fresh green bean. These peas are excellent eaten pod and all, our preference is raw, but they can be cooked as well
Snow Peas – are another of our crops, they differ from sugar snap peas in that they are picked when the pods are quite flat and the peas are just starting to form.
Pea Tendrils – are the young leaves and shoots of snow pea plants. They taste like a cross between peas and spinach. The Chinese call them dau miu, and often use them in soups and stir-fries. Look for them every year in June.  They  also make an excellent addition to salads.

Pea Tendrils with Crimini Mushrooms and Leeks
3 Tbsp. butter
1 cup thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 1 medium)
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
8 cups pea tendrils, left intact

Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add leek; cover and cook until leek is soft but not brown, stirring often. Increase heat to medium high; add garlic and mushrooms and sauté until mushrooms begin to brown. Add pea tendrils; cook until pea tendrils just begin to wilt, tossing often, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy.

Broad Beans are the oldest of all our beans, dating back to stone age times. This wonderful hard little bean offers such a robust flavor and is highly nutritious, full of phosphorous, vitamin A and C and is notably rich in protein. Broad Beans are harvested from mid July through until the first hard frost in the fall.  Shell, boil lightly and serve with a little butter, salt and pepper. We enjoy the flavor of shelled broad beans in our homemade stews. 
Yellow and Green Beans usually will be ready for harvest around August 5 and we will pick until the first hard frost in the fall. Beans freeze very well, we do recommend blanching them first.
French Filet Beans are a delicacy not to be confused with regular green and yellow beans. They are much smaller, extra fine and tender. We enjoy them whole, lightly boiled and served with a few roasted slivered almonds – delicious.  Freezing is not recommended for the French filet beans. They will be ready for harvest at about the same time as the regular yellow and green beans.