Rarámuri (Chicharos) Pea is a soup pea with deep roots in the high desert farming traditions of northern Mexico, grown for centuries by the Rarámuri people alongside beans and corn in the Sierra Madre at 7,220 feet elevation. This frost-tolerant variety thrives when planted in late fall or early spring in warmer climates, making it an excellent choice for gardeners seeking both cultural heritage and practical productivity. Space plants 3 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart, and germinate seeds in temperatures between 45 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
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This is a pea with genuine history rooted in indigenous agriculture, not a modern breeding project. The Rarámuri have cultivated these peas for generations as a reliable crop in the challenging high-altitude conditions of the Sierra Madre, and the variety carries with it the accumulated knowledge of adapting to desert and mountain farming. Its frost tolerance and preference for cool-season planting make it naturally suited to autumn and early spring gardens, following the seasonal wisdom of its origins.
Rarámuri (Chicharos) Pea is primarily used as a soup pea, valued for its role in hearty, traditional preparations. The dried peas provide protein and substance to soups and stews, reflecting the practical, nutritious cooking of high-altitude desert communities where preserved foods sustain families through seasons when fresh produce is scarce.
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Direct sow seeds in late fall or early spring depending on your climate zone. In warmer regions, plant in fall so the peas mature during cool weather. Space seeds 3 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart, germinating in soil temperatures between 45 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Harvest mature dried peas when pods have completely dried on the plant and turn brown. Pods should feel papery and brittle. Remove entire pods from the plant and shell out the dry peas for storage and later use in soups and stews.
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“Rarámuri (Chicharos) Pea comes from the Sierra Madre in northern Mexico, where the Rarámuri people have grown it for generations. The variety was traditionally planted along the edges of Rarámuri bean and corn fields as part of a integrated cropping system refined over centuries of high-altitude desert farming. Native Seeds/SEARCH preserved this variety as part of their Seed Bank Collection, ensuring that this important cultural and agricultural heritage remains available to gardeners and farmers today.”