How many of you have planted and tended a vegetable garden? It’s a lot of work, but, as I’ve said before, there’s nothing more rewarding (or tastier) than growing and eating your own veggies.

Many things go into making your garden successful. It needs good soil; the right amount of sun, food, and water; and no (or few) weeds, harmful pests, or blights. Whether starting with seeds or seedlings, you also need to know how to plant them—depth in the soil, distance between plants, and any other special instructions.

Black-Eyed Peas

Did you know black-eyed peas are not peas? They’re legumes or beans. High in potassium, iron, and fiber, low in sodium and fat, and containing no cholesterol, they’re very good for you. (They’re even believed to bring good luck if you eat them on New Year’s Day.)

Even better, black-eyed peas are an extremely easy crop to plant and grow…usually.

Did you know a half-cup of cooked black-eyed peas equals one ounce of lean meat?

Once Upon a Time

Back in the 1930s, a young married couple moved to West Texas. The man worked in the oil industry. I’ll call him Mr. J. (Short for Joker because he loved to play practical jokes.  And no, I’m not talking about my dad. Not that he wouldn’t have done this, had he thought of it.)

The couple took a room in a local boarding house, a common occurrence in those days. The man asked his landlady if he could use an area of her yard to grow black-eyed peas. She had a large vegetable garden, but no black-eyed peas. She didn’t even know what they were. He assured her she’d like them, and he was right. Months later, when he harvested his first crop, he shelled the peas, and she cooked them, following his instructions. She liked them so much she wanted to plant them in her garden. So at the end of the season, he gave her some to dry and plant the next year.

Time passed. Fall turned into winter and winter gave way to spring. Finally, it was time to prepare and plant. She hired a man and his mule to plow her garden. Then she set to work. When Mr. J returned that evening, he found her on her knees, planting the last of the black-eyed peas he’d given her.

For several long moments, he stood there, watching her. He said nothing, but when she looked up, he shook his head.

She stilled. “What’s wrong?”

“Look at one of those peas,” he said. “See the black eye?”

She looked from him to the pea in her hand and back to him. “Yes.”

“Are you planting it with the black-eye facing up? If not, the plant will grow down and it won’t survive.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry I didn’t think to tell you before you planted. But don’t worry, I’m sure at least some of the peas you’ve planted will come up.” Then, with a shrug, he left.

As he headed to the boarding house, he glanced back and laughed softly. She was on her hands and knees, digging up the seeds she’d already planted, making sure each “black-eye” was facing up.

The Moral of the Story

I struggled with how to end this Did You Know. It’s a true story—the couple retired to my hometown, and I knew them growing up. And while it’s funny, in today’s world, some might consider Mr. J’s prank mean. (Even though there’s more to the story than I’ve written here.) However you choose to view it, my advice is this…

• Do your homework before you start any new project.
• Don’t believe everything you hear.
• Know and trust the source of your information.

And get to know the people in your life. Mr. J and his wife had lived in her boarding house for more than a year, yet she didn’t know him well enough to know he was a habitual jokester.