Pea seed

[Billy Fussell]

Does anyone know what a John Brown pea is? It looks like a black eye and cream cross. It is not a hybred because the person I got them from has been saving seed for years. Also, my mother in law used to plant what she called Big Boy peas. It looked like a big black eye pea. We lost the Big Boy seed, and can't find any locally. I have Googled both peas with no answer that satisfies me. The John Brown pea got one hit while the info on Big Boy is condrictory. One place says Big Boy is a crowder type, which it isn't, and others say it is a cream pea, which I don't think it is.

Billy

[Pete1941]

Billy, don't know about the John Brown pea because I've never heard of it. I suspect it is a name of someone who grew them, liked them, and saved the seed over many years, hence, John Brown. Here in my neck of the woods I have a dark navy blue, almost black bean with a cream colored eye named Emma Thompson bean for the lady like I mentioned above. Out here the Big Boy is known as a crowder and is still available, or was last year. It is a big pea, fat, and very tasty. The best of all is one that I have been looking for, but can't find, is the old time sugar crowder. Now that is a fine pea, we used to grow them but have lost seed to them since my Grandad died. He did all the seed saving, but sure wish I could find a few to get seed started back. I will ask around about the John Brown for you and see if I can locate anything. Pete
p.s. we finally are getting a little rain!!!!

[Don McCombs]

Check here.

http://www.cooperseeds.com/pages/vegetables/Peas.html

[Pete1941]

Thanks Don, Cooper seeds is right here in my back door, Lawerenceville, GA. Will book mark and save for next year! They don't show the Sugar Crowder that I was looking for, so I will contact them and ask about it.

[Billy Fussell]

Thanks Don, I may have to contact them before next year. Pete, you may be right about the name of the John Brown pea. I kind of suspect it may be what they call an heirloom seed. I got them from and elderly man on my wife's side of the house. Her grandmother's people came from Lauderdale Co. Ala to Shelby Co. Tex. in 1854, and brought enough seed to plant a crop, both a cash crop and food crop. Even brought cuttings from peach and fig trees. They saved seed from year to year to re-plant. In 1960, Uncle Bib Belsha, who was the last of the farmers in the family, lost a crop of corn. It was the shoe peg variety that they brought to Texas in 1854. I think this pea seed may be some of that Alabama seed, seeing as how they all saved their seed. I will ask Toy Belsha, who I got the seed from, if he knows its history. Thanks all for the help.

Billy

[Norstar Farms]

John Brown peas are a heirloom field pea and unfortunately they are only available for purchace from someone who has kept seed from year to year for replanting. They are nearly extinct now. The good news is, if you are still wanting them that is, I have those seeds and am willing to sell them. I have a facebook page, Norstar Farms or you can email me for details. I like to see the older varities of vegetables make a comeback and they are really hardy and great producers.
Mary Norstar Farms

[Michael Beck]

This sounds like what I may have. I grew up with purple hull but had a elderly neighbor who always grew a pea similiar to this. When he could no longer plant I started planting some for him. He called them mawmaw Lucille peas after his grandmother because all he could remember was that his grandmother grew them when he was a kid and they had always saved seed. He passed away several years ago at the age of 86. This pea matures a little later than a purple hull but will produce peas until frost here in Alabama and also grows bigger than a purple hull. Does this sound like a John Brown pea. Also is there anyway to properly identify this pea. Thanks Just went and looked and these peas have more of a brown eye than black.