Heirloom Seeds & Poultry
1878 230th Street, Calamus, IA 52729
(563) 246-2299
PEAS
Plant as early as possible in the Spring. Repeat plantings around here can be done in early August. We have many great peas we would love to offer but we have 2 big issues with seed production here in Iowa, rabbits and hot weather. We have so much going on in the Spring we frequently miss the narrow window when it goes from winter to summer when they need to be planted to get the best seed. Issue two is rabbits devour most of our plantings as this appears to be one of their favorite plants. In 2018 we went from frozen ground and snow on April 18 to near 90 a week later. UPDATED FOR 2023.​
EDIBLE PODDED PEAS
Cascade
Cascade - 65 days- A snap pea that gets about 5 feet tall. Productive even when it gets hot. Sweet flavor with juicy thick walled shells has been replaced by the newer bush Cascadia. Thanks to Curt Burroughs for saving this from extinction. UNAVAILABLE FOR 2023
Dwarf Grey Sugar
Dwarf Grey Sugar- 65 days- 30 inches tall, very productive, small size, edible podded pea. Ideal for stir fries. 2 oz. Pkt. $2.00
Golden Sweet
Golden Sweet - 70 days - Gregor Mendel’s work on genetics fascinated me from the first time I saw it in a Middle School science book. I set out to collect material he worked with only to search for years for a yellow podded variety of peas. This variety is an excellent snow pea with beautiful, pale yellow pods on plants up to 6 feet tall. 1 oz. Pkt. $3.00
Green Beauty
Green Beauty- 70 days- a beautiful purple flowered snow pea that gets 6-8 feet tall with vigorous vines.. Nice sized green podded snow pea. 1 oz. Pkt. $3.00
Magnolia Blossom
Magnolia Blossom- 75 days- Sugar snap type developed by Dr. Alan Kapular. 5-8 foot vines,beautiful bicolor flowers. String on the pods turns reddish when the peas become overly mature. 1 oz Pkt. $3.00
Mammoth Melting Sugar
Mammoth Melting Sugar- 75 days- Tall 4 to 6 foot plants with loads of edible podded peas. 2 oz. Pkt. - $2.25; 2 Pkts. $4.00
Opal Creek
Opal Creek-75 days- a very colorful and tasty lemon yellow podded sugar snap pea. With cool temperatures the pea pods are more yellow in heat they are more of a greenish. Another Dr. Kapular introduction. 1 oz pkt. $3.00
Oregon Giant
Oregon Giant - 60 days - 3 to 4 feet tall, larger pods than Oregon Sugar Pod. 2 oz. Pkt. $2.00
Oregon Sugar Pod
Oregon Sugar Pod- 65 days- Early excellent tasting and highest yields. Excellent heat tolerance. Edible podded peas. 2 oz. Pkt. $2.00
Spring Blush
Spring Blush- 75 days- a gorgeous two tones podded sugar snap type pea. Pods are pale green with a purplish cast. Plants get 5-6 feet tall . Some non two tone pods are still showing up. 1 oz Pkt. $3.00
Sugar Magnolia
Sugar Magnolia- 75 days- another of Dr. Kapular’s introductions. This is a purple podded sugar snap UNAVAILABLE FOR 2023
Sugar Snap
Sugar Snap- 60 days- Superb combination of peas and pod. Has a flavor different than regular or edible podded peas. Just great to eat fresh in the garden. This is unlike edible podded where the pod is fiber free and tastier than the inside and regular peas where the peas are good and the pod isn’t. This is the best of both worlds. 2 oz. Pkt. $2.25; 2 Pkts $4.00
Yakumo Giant
Yakumo Giant - 65 days - Large flat pods, tall vines, Japanese variety, superb quality. UNAVAILABLE FOR 2023
SHELL PEAS
SHELL PEAS
Alaska
Alaska- 53 days- The foliage is a pale green. The pods are short but have very tender, sweet, small peas when picked young. Left to dry, they make a wonderful pea for split pea soup. 2 oz. Pkt. $2.25; 2 Pkts $4.00
Green Arrow
Green Arrow- 65 days- Our highest yielding type. Plants need minimal support. Heavy cropper all at one time. 2 oz. Pkt. $2.25
Alderman (Tall Telephone)
Alderman (Tall Telephone)- 75 days- I remember how much I enjoyed growing this variety in the cooler Springs in the Northwest. There it would reach 6 feet tall and be loaded with pods. Our rapidly changing climate here makes them shorter. 2 oz. Pkt. $2.25
Champion of England
Champion of England: 70 days. First introduced in 1846. Grows 5 to 8 feet tall, pods are large and contain 8 to 10 seeds. 1 oz. Pkt. $3.00
Glory of Devon
Glory of Devon: 60 days. Introduced in 1895. Plants are 2 to 3 feet tall. Another old English variety. 1 oz. Pkt. $3.00
Little Marvel
Little Marvel - 60 days - Bushy, 1.5 foot tall plants, introduced about 1900. 2 oz. Pkt. $2.25
Mayfair
Mayfair - 70 days - 3 foot vines, 4 inch double pods. UNAVAILABLE FOR 2023
Tom Thumb
Tom Thumb - 55 days - Short, 6 inch plants produce several pods. Great for container growing. 1 oz. Pkt. $2.50
Thomas Laxton
Thomas Laxton- 62 days - Slightly curved, plump pods containing 7 to 9 peas. Resists Fusarium Wilt. 2 oz. Pkt. $2.25
Wando
Wando- 70 days- One of the best for hot weather. Pods are broad and have large peas. 2 oz. Pkt. $2.25
SOUP OR PEAS USED IN THE DRY STAGE
Blue Pod Capucijner
Blue Pod Capucijner- 70 days - Best used as a soup pea and colorful ornamental. Plants grow to 5 feet tall and are loaded with deep purple pods. We offer this in small packets for small gardeners to grow something special and beautiful. UNAVAILABLE FOR 2023
Dundale
Dundale- 70 days. small round soup pea, also best used for producing green cover crops 2 oz pkt. $3.00
Dutch Fork
Dutch Fork- 70 days. small round soup pea. Pkt. $3.00 ( 35 seeds)
Magnus
Magnus- 70 days. small round soup pea also very good for producing green cover crop. 2 oz.Pkt. $3.00