Stephen Albert
Fresh peas in July!
About two weeks after peas blossom, their pods become full. In the next two weeks, the harvest is on. If the sun has been strong in your area the past week or two, the best peas of the season will be at the farm market this week.
Peas will be sweet to the taste as soon as their pods have grown large enough to eat. Add fresh peas to a salad or serve them just barely steamed with butter. They will never be sweeter.
Here are some of the crops you will find at the farm market this week:
First-of-season: Boysenberries, corn, cucumbers, dill, snow peas, shelling peas, yellow waxed beans, green beans, melons, snow peas, new potatoes, squash blossoms, red onions, sweet yellow onions, garlic, radishes, scallions, summer squash, table grapes, tomatoes, watermelons, zucchini.
Peak-of-season: Apricots, arugula, avocados, basil, beets, blueberries, broccoli, bok choy, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chard, chipotles, cilantro, collards, dried fruit, eggplants, figs, garlic, green onions, herb starts, honey, lavender, leaf lettuce, leeks, mushrooms, nectarines, nopalitos, olive oil, green onions, yellow and white peaches, plums, salad mix, spinach, strawberries, string beans, summer squash, apple cider vinegars, and fresh herbs including chives, dill, French tarragon, garlic chives, marjoram, parsley, rosemary, Russian tarragon, sage, oregano and culinary bay leaves.
End-of-season: Apples, apricots, broccoli, celery, cherries, fava beans, lemons, scallions, Valencia oranges, nectarines, peaches, grapefruit, turnips, vegetable plant starts.
