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Field Peas
By Kevin Mitchell and David S. Shields
Published 2021
South Carolina’s favorite field peas. While sea island red peas—the traditional Lowcountry component of Hoppin’ John—and white rice peas generate the bulk of the positive comment, old favorites such as pink eye purple hull, brown crowders, whippoorwill peas, iron and clay peas, white acre, and Dixie Lee all have devoted followings. David S. Shields.
The field pea (Vigna unguiculata) is also known as the cowpea and southern pea, because it was once used to feed cattle and became a mainstay on southern tables. Varieties of field peas can be split into several categories, such as field, crowder (so named because the seeds are so jammed in the pod they have flat ends), and lady (small white) pea.