I don't mind pickin beans.

Weekend_Sawyer · July 12, 2007, 07:14:49 AM

Night before last, The Lovely Miss Celest and I picked a grocery bag full of black eyed peas.
In my mind there is no better dish than fresh black eye peas. We don't have alot of spare time, so for the past 2 nights we have been shelling them. I cooked a pot of them for supper last night with some ham and a pot of rice on the side. MMMMman were they good. This was the first picking, Black eye peas keep producing all summer. I am hopeing to put up many quarts of peas this year.

For me it is a pleasure to work in our 1/4 acre garden. I like planting, picking, hulling/shucking and putting up veggies. I'm not too much for weeding but I do some anyway.

Our early corn is almost ready and the late corn is about 2' tall. We have crook neck squash all over and green tomatoes on the vine. I am really hopeing my lima's will do good this year too.

I had to put an 8' tall fence around the garden this year as the deer were destroying it. They were even eating the young corn as it came out of the ground. We definatley have too many deer in our area. I'm going to do my part again this year to help releive the problem.

Jon

thurlow · July 12, 2007, 07:43:33 AM

Have you ever grown purple-hull peas? In the Mid-South, they're the ones against which all others are judged. As for butter beans..............DanG, I used to hate to pick those things. My Dad figured out a better way; he'd plant about 3 times as many as usual (old 4-row planter; acreage wasn't a problem on the farm); when most were 'right'; we'd pull the whole plant and throw into piles; take a pitchfork and throw 'em into truck or trailer. Back up under a shade tree and 'pick' 'em at leisure.

woodbowl · July 12, 2007, 08:17:35 AM

QuoteI had to put an 8' tall fence around the garden this year as the deer were destroying it.

I had the same problem, they ate my peas down to the ground and pulled up the peanuts. I've always heard to hang aluminum pie plates and it would keep them out. I never used them untill this year because it sounded too simple. Instead I made several scare crows, hung dial soap on the fence and was ready to spray everything with cheap perfume when I decided to give the pie pans a try.

I couldn't believe it ...... we haven't had a deer to even cross the garden. Someone told me that a deer can't stand moving reflections like that. It all makes sense now, they prefer wet leaves instead of dry crackling leaves to walk on and like to be stealthy and tip toe around. I wish I had tried it sooner.

ely · July 12, 2007, 11:25:21 AM

nothing and i mean nothing but a tall fence will keep the deer out of our garden here. i have a jack russel terrier at home and even he gets stomped down a few times a week trying to extricate the deer.

dad put up a two cattle panel high fence on his garden and they have no problems. i on the other hand being too lazy to build a fence, have a whipped up dog and plenty of deer meat in the freezer.

Don K · July 12, 2007, 03:22:22 PM

Woodbowl, put up a stick where the breeze will make the piepan bump against it. They can't stand the sudden noises. Also scatter moth balls down the rows, burns their sensitive noses.
Also I heard that shiny old CD's will work too.

Don

Onthesauk · July 12, 2007, 09:03:38 PM

We have deer around the garden almost every night. Seldom bother anything until this Spring they trimmed off about half the foilage on my strawberry plants. I strung two pieces of mono fishing line at each end of the patch, 2 foot and 4 foot high and haven't had a problem since. Have been told they can't see the line but feel it and won't go through it.

Weekend_Sawyer · July 13, 2007, 01:49:17 AM

Are those Purple hull beans also called Hyacinth beans? I planted some this year but... you may have guessed it, the deer ate them before they could produce. Going to try a late planting and see how it goes.

When the deer were not so plentyful I didn't mind planting a little extra but my white peas where almost whiped out. THIS IS WAR. come mid september, that's when bow season comes in.

Jon

CLL · July 13, 2007, 03:15:21 PM

I have noticed from several experiences, deer very seldom will get inside a board fence. We had about 7 acres of clover and have counted as high as 20 deer in it at one time. We put 4 board fence up and the deer have stayed out of it ever since. Don't know why, maybe the fence bothers them, your guess is good as mine.

Quartlow · July 13, 2007, 03:50:03 PM

I don't have problems with deer. The pup on the other hand won't stay outa the strawberries or tomatos

Weekend_Sawyer · August 07, 2007, 09:04:24 AM

Bumper crop of white peas and black eye's I picked 5 gal of each last night, and have been shellin ever since. The black eyes are almost done, sofar we have picked seven 5 gal buckets of blackeyes with 28 quart bags in the freezer and counting! The whites are just really taking off only about 5 quart bags frozen so far. Limas are still flowering and just starting to produce. Tomatoes are coming in and my late corn is just about ready. This is the best producing garden we have had in a long time.

Jon

rebocardo · August 07, 2007, 05:48:22 PM

> Don't know why, maybe the fence bothers them, your guess is good as mine.

My guess is the solid fence bothers them because they can't see into where they are jumping, a big unknown. Plus, it blocks scent maybe.

I know a measly six foot tall chain link is no obstacle to a deer.

thurlow · August 07, 2007, 06:14:21 PM

Quote from: Weekend_Sawyer on July 13, 2007, 01:49:17 AM
Are those Purple hull beans also called Hyacinth beans?
Jon

Nah..........they's peas; look quite similar to black-eyes when shelled, but IMHO, better tasting.

JAMES G · August 07, 2007, 09:40:41 PM

great post we live here in north florida and I am preparing to plant a fall garden. I put my peas in around the last weekend in august and start picking around the end of october.Did this last year and had the best crop I ever had few bugs and picked in cool weather cant beat it.Going to try something new this year this past spring was way to warm and my red potatoes were a very poor harvest so I saved a bunch of potatoes for seed potatoes and will plant them around middle of sept.along with some snap beans. With a little luck they will come in just in time for thanksgiving.Didnt plant much this past spring mainly watermelons and had a good crop enough to sell and turn a little profit.Love the feeling you get when your done planting and can set back and look at what you have done.

lmbeachy · August 08, 2007, 03:18:25 PM

I have had the same problem with deer coming up and eating my sweet potatoes. They walk through a quater mile of corn to get to my garden. My son in law gets his share of them but they seem to multiply faster than he can shoot. It has been really dry here this summer, so I have had to water every thing in order to get any kind of crop. Most every thing has done real good, but I am looking forward to some pole beans. Hope they make this year and no bad storm comes up to blow them over.

Weekend_Sawyer · August 09, 2007, 07:56:43 AM

Last night we put up another 4 quarts of Blackeyes and 6 quarts of Whites and it looks like I can pick whites again tonight.

Our neighbor actually laughed at me putting up my fence and now he is complaining about the deer eating his garden. Think I'll offer to help him put up a better fence. ;)

Jon

Fla._Deadheader · August 09, 2007, 08:03:57 AM

I would wait until I had my supply all put up, and then sell the neighbor what's left ??? ??? :D :D

Modat22 · August 09, 2007, 04:06:05 PM

I love black eyed peas fried up with hot sausage and mixed in long grain rice. Love that stuff. We call it "Hoppin John"

Weekend_Sawyer · August 10, 2007, 01:32:01 PM

Good Idea Harrold :D

I have heard it called Hoppin John too. We fry some bacon or ham in the preassure cooker then add the beans, water, salt, pepper and butter. Takes about 45 minutes that way.
Always served over rice. Sticky rice too, not 5 minute rice.

Jon