I’m sorry but I’m not familiar with farm stands in your area.

Hi Bambi. I live in Lake City Fl, and our local market has fresh acre peas every year, around May. I’ll try to remember next year to ask if they could ship some to you. I saved this recipe so will have these comments to see. These are true acre peas. Like black eyes but light green color. I grew up with these. My momma would put them up and always gave me a bag to take back to south Florida. I think they were $8 a bag when I bought them, last summer, up I did not care ! My last bag is going to be for Thanksgiving. Try looking in Georgia. I’m surprised you can’t find these in NC. But we have them here in north Florida!

Aunt Allida,

I’ve never put sugar in field peas. I’ve heard from some cooks who feel that all vegetables benefit from a tad of sugar.

I never heard of the sugar thing either till I came across a few recipes that call for 2 tsp sugar in 1 1/2 lbs of peas, and 1/8 tsp baking soda. Shelled peas are $4/lb at my farmer’s market so I’m dubious to try it.

Hello,

I suggest you call around to some farmer markets and make a trip south to buy a few bushels to put in the freezer. It will be worth the trip. I have traveled the world world with the military and missed the South so much so I moved to Fort Mitchell Alabama to be near my family in Georgia. I went to the farmers market in Cordele Georgia just two days ago to buy several bushels of peas and okra to blanch and freeze for this coming fall and winter because I love peas so much. When you buy by The bushel it’s cheaper. I do suggest that you call around and make a trip South and see if they can hold your favorite peas for you so when you get there they won’t be out of them. I suggest you do this soon or early summer next year because they go really fast and pea season is only for short season. Best of luck!

Bacon grease is a good guess. Do you know what variety of peas she could okey? They each have a little bit of a different flavor.

Well I fancy myself a good southern cook and I’m sure I’m cooking them long enough. The idea of smokyness is intriguing. Though I’ve always looked for the pork fat cooked in beans, I don’t remember ever seeing any in her pot. So how did she flavor them. Bacon grease? Where’s the smoky in that?

Hi Linda,

The meat seasoning flavor to me that makes Southern field peas taste the best, and most like Granny’s, is smokiness. I’ve used a variety of smoked meat products, (e.g. ham hocks, bacon drippings, smoked turkey necks and wings) and as long as the meat has a good smokiness taste, the peas are exellant.
I wonder if you’re cooking them long enough. Southern field peas take a surprisingly long time to cook.

My grandmother was from Georgia and flavor of her field peas I have never been able to re-create I’ve used bacon large pork belly I can’t seem to get that flavor she had My mother said it was because she raised and butchered her own hogs and the flavor of the meet was determined by what she fed them Could that really be true ? Am I never going to taste that flavor again ?

HEY! That would be a great side business for you…to figure out how you could freeze those southern Lady peas…and send them mail order!! I’m sure I’m not the only one who would buy tons of them!!
😉

Yes! It would be great to get some of those peas. I have been searching the internet to see if any markets sell them up here. But no luck so far! Btw…sorry my first post was so long…I get caught up in the excitement of talking about my love of the deep south! AND especially the food!! HA! HA! 😉

We’d love to have you visit. Getting some good Southern peas would be a bonus for you. ❤️

Thanks, Jackie. I have tried that. The markets here are just too far away from the places that grow those kinds of peas, etc. So I guess I will just have to come for a visit down south again someday to get to enjoy them again! I have some relatives I could visit sometime downthere,. I’ll have to bring a big cooler…and load it up!! Thanks for all the great recipes!
Bambi

Hi Bambi!

It’s great to hear from you. I always love it when home folks reach out to me.

I don’t a source for you for Southern peas. You might check your local farmers markets

ANYWAY… I want to know WHERE can I get some good southern peas now, cause I live in Winston-Salem, NC?? I miss those southern peas and corn SO MUCH!! I don’t guess there is anywhere I could order them from and get them shipped up here somehow! But I sure would love to get a REAL southern meal again. I have been pinning your recipes on Pinterest and copying some from your website Syrup N Biscuits. I just want to say THANK YOU so MUCH for posting your recipes and for sharing them!! By the way I love your blog too!!

THANKS!
Bambi Setzer
(Bambi’s a nickname but my full name is Mary Ruth Wilson Setzer)

It’s amazing how much flavor we get from snaps plus the okra. That’s some good eating, right there.

Eleanor,

I bet your grandmother was a fantastic cook.