April 1: 100 Pea Project (Kindergarten Children Help Plant 100 Snap Pea Seeds)

The afternoon French immersion kindergarten class helped me plant 100 pea seeds (les "petit-pois," I love it!) in the courtyard garden. I had given the children the seeds for their 100 days of Kindergarten celebration with the intention of planting them in the garden, and Mme. Messer has been very supportive about getting the children to participate.

It was a cold and drizzley day, but the K-students toughed it out and did an excellent job planting and "tucking the seeds in" with little blankets of soil. Many of them shared stories about their favorite vegetables and bugs, and many said how much they enjoyed helping mom, dad and grandparents in the garden. A big "merci" to Mme. Messer and her pm kindergarten class!

And another big thanks to Mme. Chow's grade 7 students who helped me prepare the bed the day before. They worked really hard and helped me get the bed ready in at least half the time. What is more, they shared some fabulous ideas which I hope we can incorporate into the garden, and they came with almost more garden knowledge than myself! Thanks again!

The History of Peas

Peas are a cool weather crop and gardeners can enjoy a spring and fall harvest. They are easy to grow and a children mealtime favorite. Because of their mass appeal, peas have been grown for centuries. Their exact origin is unknown, but peas could have come from either Egypt or China.

Emperor Shu Nung, an avid plant collector, found a pea plant while wandering the Chinese countryside 5000 years ago, and began cultivating it for human consumption. Shu Nung's plant discoveries were first tested on a dog, and then on a slave, to see if they were safe enough to it.

The Norse believed that the god Thor rained pea seeds down upon them as a punishment, but the peas grew where they landed and the people began to eat them. Peas were also found in ancient Egyptian tombs, and in the Middle Ages, Europeans dried peas as a reserve in times of famine (dried peas store for a very long time). The early Americans who emigrated from Europe depended on peas to help them survive. In the 17th century, people began to eat peas fresh and they were soon considered a delicacy (the above historical information gathered from http://gardening.wsu.edu/library/vege006/vege006.htm)

And we all know the children's rhyme: "Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold..."

The peas in the Puntledge school garden are "Sugar Daddy" sugar snap peas, a semi-dwarf variety with edible pods. Peas are rich in anti-oxidants, iron, vitamin C, B 6, magnesium, and many other nutrients.