Picking Purple Hull Peas

[LankoszFarm]

Hi, I'm fairly new here, but have been a member of BYC for a bit. I've searched the internet and can't find the answer to this, hope you can help.
Yesterday I picked the rest of my purple hull peas. Some were dry and were not yet. I was just planning on separating them- freezing the fresh ones, and storing the dried ones. BUT I got busy last night and left the 5 gallon bucket on my back porch. This morning the ones that were "dry" are not so much anymore. I live in eastern NC and it's pretty humid. Should I leave them out in the sun today and see if they "re dry" or did I mess up big time? This is my first year growing them so I have no clue! Thanks in advance!

 

[seedcorn]

Beans will share moisture. Spread them out, they will dry.

 

[LankoszFarm]

Beans will share moisture. Spread them out, they will dry.

Thanks, does it matter of they are inside or outside? One better than the other? And I'm assuming leave them in the shell?

 

[seedcorn]

Sorry, thought they were shelled.

 

[baymule]

Shell them out, separate the dry from the fresh. Let the dry peas dry in a cool spot out of direct sunlight. You can put them in the shade outside or in the house.

For the future, fresh vegetables will heat up when piles in a heap or left in a bucket. If you can't deal with them at that moment, spread them out where they won't be rained on and they will be ok for a short time, like a day. To keep them longer, spread them out in the house where it is cooler.

Welcome to the forum, we are glad to have you here!

 

[LankoszFarm]

Shell them out, separate the dry from the fresh. Let the dry peas dry in a cool spot out of direct sunlight. You can put them in the shade outside or in the house.

For the future, fresh vegetables will heat up when piles in a heap or left in a bucket. If you can't deal with them at that moment, spread them out where they won't be rained on and they will be ok for a short time, like a day. To keep them longer, spread them out in the house where it is cooler.

Welcome to the forum, we are glad to have you here!

Got it! Thank you!

 

[baymule]

@LankoszFarm you might want to put your general location in your avatar. Gardening can vary widely in different parts of the country. So if you need advice, a general location will help. Hope you stick around and post pictures of your garden! We love pictures!

 

[LankoszFarm]

@LankoszFarm you might want to put your general location in your avatar. Gardening can vary widely in different parts of the country. So if you need advice, a general location will help. Hope you stick around and post pictures of your garden! We love pictures!

Will Do! Thanks again!

 

[baymule]

 

[Ridgerunner]

When I grow purple hulls I find if I keep them picked they keep producing until frost. I get a lot of peas from them.

I try to pick them just as the pod starts turning color. It takes some practice to learn when and I don't always get it right. If I get them before the pod dries they cook up pretty well, it's the way my wife prefers them. But if they are really dry they still cook up well, it just takes longer.

I try really hard to hull the moist ones the day I pick them, no later than the next day. I leave them in 4 gallon buckets overnight if I have to. As somebody said, since they are moist they can go bad pretty quickly. If you spread them out though they will dry without spoiling but I find the quality of the dried peas aren't great until they reach a certain level of maturity.

I generally don't hull out the ones that are "dry" immediately. I dry them out really well in the hull. They generally hull easier that way plus they will keep in a quart jar forever if they are really dried out. I treat the dried ones much like I treat my dried beans, whether I'm saving seeds or using them as dried beans. After I hull them I dry them even more. I dry them out of the sun in a workshop.

I made some drying racks out of 2x4's and some window screen. That's the first photo below. This photo is my black turtle beans after hulling and as they continue to dry. Before I hull them I put the pods on here and let them dry. Eventually I look the beans or peas carefully and put them in quart jars. That frame is elevated a little so air can get under it and I stir the beans or peas regularly.

I don't know how many peas you have but for the smaller quantities of the bans I grow out for Russ I made a frame with small divisions or I Dry them in old coffee cans.

For the peas that have not dried out I look them closely after hulling, blanche them, and freeze them in vacuum bags. Those are as good as fresh.