Fen Peas

Looking around you feel that you should be doing something on the land, but it's cold, early and still very dry. One thing that is up for this time of year is the soil temperature,so baring some true winter weather, when we do start next month the peas will get away quickly.

The "Pod Squad" team is not inactive at this time of year. Two are in the southern hemisphere combing away, they just love big machinery! Others are in far flung places around the globe, whilst some just keep putting another log on the fire.

Seed is ordered, some has already arrived, so if conditions are good overhead battle will commence possibly in the middle of next month.

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The viners return to their winter nesting ground having had their winter overhaul. Two are home whilst the other one is plying its trade in the Med hoping to harvest the Menorcan peas on its way past. Even though it is now feeling very damp each morning, it is still very dry.

Local sources suggest that we have had only 50% of our normal rainfall. Some local becks are not running and reservoirs are struggling to be filled. Looking further east things seem just as desperate. The river Danube is at its lowest level in living memory, with some vessels stranded up river unable to move due to the low volume of water.

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During recent weeks Fen Peas Ltd have expanded their operations overseas. Having seen a period of some dormancy our Menorcan outpost has finally been drilling peas. These peas were drilled on 24th September and despite lack of rain will be ready to harvest in time for Christmas. Here's hoping for a bumper crop!

It is obviously not economically viable to dispatch a harvester so I am afraid it will be a case of employing the local "Manager" to harvest the peas!

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It will not have escaped your attention that there have been no posts since the middle of last month. Two good reasons, lack of time and lack of camera. We have recently completed our longest season ever, 66 days. We would normally expect to be running around the fields of Lincolnshire for 50 days.

After what was a lean start in terms of yield, the rains came just right and the late peas went some way to make up the lack of yield from the early peas. By the end men and machines were tired and ready for a well earned rest. The length of the season means that for the first time for a number of years we have nothing to combine, which means we can turn our attention to 2012 straight away. Below are various images from the season. There will be more to follow as we update our website, which should be complete next month.

We were reminded what things used to be like!

Is there an Hernandez there some where?

We hosted a fact finding visit for industry representatives.

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Fen Peas was featured in a 2 page article of The Foodie on August 10th. Please click here to download the article accompanied by a couple of great pea recipes.

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Not a great picture, but on arrival at the field this morning at 3am, the Boys were greeted with a rave in full progress. The police were there trying to sort it out, but it was pretty difficult to make anything of those attending, I understand! Not the same as the usual wildlife you might see.

We have now completed the Geneva in Holbeach Marsh and will be on the road to Whaplode Fen to start the Markardo. A busy front end of the week, then there may be a stop. The week will also see a number of field visits taking place from customers and interested parties from the industry.

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The temperature rose, but the peas did not move any quicker so we found ourselves having to stop and wait again. It may be that this is a feature of the 2011 season. No good for us, and no good for our customers.

The plan made in the winter is to drill the peas so that we continue 24hrs a day for just over 40 days. That is however, based on average temperatures and rainfall, which this growing season has not seen as we all know. No doubt it will be the case that the peas will be ready again at the weekend!

Message for Jake. We should be in Bannister's peas early next week.

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The boilers are now stoked up again and the peas are ready north of Boston, so it's full steam ahead for a few days.

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Tonight saw us complete the peas at Tattershall, and with the Fen not reading high enough we will be stopping for a few days. At Cereals last week Sally Elkington of Lincs FM was talking to me about the pea harvest and an impromtu interview took place. Can't remember all that I said, but the results will be broadcast this Sunday on the Lincs FM Farming programme at 7am. The Pod Squad will be tunned in!

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Harvesting at Patrick Dean's Farm near Lincoln, who just happen to be hosting Cereals this year. You could never plan that this would happen! With such a huge volume of traffic expected there were various road closures in the area which could have proved to be a bit of a challenge, but the local law enforcement agency were more than happy to let us go where we wanted as long as we stayed clear of the A15.

We are harvesting Style which is a variety that looks like it is well passed it's best before you harvest it, but the peas are going in as A and B grade which is spot on. As for Cereals, great event, lots of impressive machinery and trial plots, and the above. Maybe we will modify a pea viner in the winter!

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