Colorado Pea is a traditional Spanish soup variety with deep roots in the high desert, brought to Colorado generations ago and now preserved through careful seed saving. The mostly smooth peas range from tan to pale green, offering reliable productivity even in challenging growing conditions. This frost-tolerant crop thrives in cool-season gardens, germinating readily between 45 and 75°F and performing particularly well in low desert winters where many other crops struggle.
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Moderate
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Purchased at a market in Espanola, New Mexico in the early 1990s, this variety carries the story of Spanish agricultural traditions adapted to high desert life. The tan and pale green peas are primarily smooth-seeded, a trait that speaks to centuries of selection for soup-making and storage. Recent seed bank trials in 2024 demonstrated strong productivity, confirming its value as a reliable producer for gardeners seeking authentic heritage varieties with proven performance.
Colorado Pea is grown primarily for dried soup peas, where its smooth character and tan to pale green color make it well-suited for traditional Spanish soups and stews. The peas can be used fresh when young, though they are especially valued in their mature, dried form for long-term storage and winter cooking. This variety excels in dishes requiring extended cooking times, where its texture holds up well and flavors deepen.
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Direct sow Colorado Pea seeds into the garden when soil temperatures are between 45 and 75°F. In cold climates, sow as soon as soil can be worked in spring. In low desert regions, sow in fall for winter harvest. Plant seeds 3 inches apart in rows spaced 18 inches apart. Press seeds firmly into soil to ensure good contact.
Harvest Colorado Pea pods when they are full and firm, typically when the peas inside are visible through the pod but before they become too hard. For fresh eating, pick pods while still tender and bright green. For dried soup peas, allow pods to remain on the plant until completely dry and brittle, then harvest and thresh to extract the mature peas. The smooth-seeded character makes threshing straightforward. Store dried peas in a cool, dry location for extended use.
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“Colorado Pea arrived in the American Southwest through Spanish agricultural traditions, eventually establishing itself as a staple crop in the high desert regions of Colorado and northern New Mexico. The variety was commercially available at regional markets in Espanola, New Mexico in the early 1990s, where it was sourced for preservation and propagation. Now housed in a formal seed bank collection, this cultivar represents the kind of locally-adapted crop that might have been lost without intentional conservation, bridging the gap between subsistence farming practices and modern seed saving movements.”