Welcome to the seventh, and final, Harvest of the Month: Snap pea!

Snap pea will be available at your school on Monday, May 17th.

What to do?

  1. Contact your teacher to schedule a time for your tasting.
  2. Check with your teacher if any students have food allergies.
  3. Take the Harvest of the Month home and prepare them for your tasting! There are many recipe ideas included in the handouts, but you can always keep it simple.
  4. Look over the curriculum and plan key education nuggets you think your class will enjoy.
  5. Return the green canvas bag the produce came in to the pick up location.

Resources

Let’s talk snap peasSnap peas diagram labeling pea pod, see, and pedicel

  • Can you eat the whole snap pea pod?
  • What sound might you hear when you bite the snappy crunch?
  • Do snap peas grow on a tree, a bush, or a vine?

Botanical facts

  • Scientific name: Pisum Sativum Var. Macrocarpum
  • Family: Fabaceae
  • Classification: Legumes

Reasons to eat

  • Snap peas have vitamin C, K, A, iron, fiber, and folate.
  • They contain both soluble and insoluble fiber.
  • Vitamin K helps with blood clotting and bone health.

Produce tips

  • Keep snap peas dry and unwashed in the refrigerator crisper for up to 10 days.
  • Use a perforated plastic bag or a loosely sealed container lined with a paper towel so air can flow while moisture is retained.

How do snap peas grow?

  • Snap peas like cool weather.
  • 60–70 degrees is ideal.
  • Give them 6–8 hours of sun.
  • Harvest after 50–70 days, when pods are thick, crisp, and plump.
  • In cooler zones, sow 4–6 weeks before the last frost.
  • In warmer zones, plant in late summer.

Snap pea fun facts

  • Snap peas are also called sugar snap peas—and you can eat the whole pod!
  • They are climbers that can reach 3 to 6.5 feet.
  • They are sweet, with a snappy crunch.
  • They can grow in containers.
  • Dr. Calvin Lamborn developed the modern snap pea in 1979 by crossing a shelling pea with a snow pea. The first variety was called “Sugar Snap.”
  • Snap peas trace back over 2,000 years to ancient China.
  • In California, they are small-scale specialty crops, often grown in smaller acreages and mixed vegetable rotations.
  • 2 Peas in a Pod in Arroyo Grande has produced premium snap peas since 1988.

Snap pea recipes

Snap Pea Rainbow Crunch

  • fresh snap peas,
  • carrot sticks or cucumber slices
  • hummus or yogurt dip

Directions:

  1. An adult rinses the snap peas.
  2. Arrange the snap peas and vegetables on a plate.
  3. Dip and crunch!

Ask an adult to help with rinsing and cutting.