Growing peas in the midwest

71ford100 · Mar 25, 2009

Does anyone have any experience growing peas or a pea oat mix for hay? I have been thinking of ways to make better use of our summer fallow here in SEWY and I think that growing some hay for our cattle would be a great way to lower production costs but no one I know of in our area grows peas....most just leave it bare all summer instead of growing something other than wheat. I have printed off several bullitiens but would like to hear from anyone that has practical experience growing them....also where would a place be to look for seed?

paul · Mar 25, 2009

I've planted some with oats as more of a plow-down. Sorta stumbled into it, but my oats yield seems to be up - the peas kick out N about the time the oats is heading, it seems.

Would be hard to dry for hay, tho your climate might work. I think most do silage who put up oats/pea mix for livestock.

By the time I swath & combine the oats, a fair number of peas go through the combine & reseed the field - they got as far as blossoming the 2nd time here before the frost got them in Minnesota.

My cattle enjoy grazing them all winter, along with the rest of the stuff I put out there.

alseed.com has them, but a far ways from you.

Don't think i helped you too much, with your different climate & needs....

--->Paul

jack harmon · Mar 25, 2009

we used to grow them for hay as a kid,cowpeas(blackeyed peas) need NO COLD whatsoever,very little fertilizer,can get by on little rain,makes excellent hay,or if you can graze it if you watch closely for bloat.not much to growing them here in okla,they would be good for a cover crop and should help quite a bit on your fertilizer.I might wonder about how long your season is that far north,but even if you cant let them seed out they should make good hay.dont recall any problems with them.lot of people still plant them every year with oats on further south.Could probably use your wheat drill to plant them lots of folks have here.as for seed its pretty common here,but the limiting factor where you are could be cold and the shorter growing season.hope this helps a little.your co-op could order you some seed in i'm sure.

jack harmon · Mar 25, 2009

one thing I just thought of,if you have a lot of residual nitrogen that might set them back some,legumes generally fall off somewhat the more n you have.I believe I'd buy a 50 pound saack of seed and try it.

71ford100 · Mar 25, 2009

We just started farming this place last year and I know the previous people who farmed it never fertilized, sprayed, or anything else. This is certified organic ground as well. I'm sure the O.M. content is way below where it should be as well as the N P and probably K. I have a meeting tomorrow with my advisor here at the college and will ask him if he knows who I should talk to about growing them.

I did some more research and found some varieties that are meant and were developed in this area so I'm sure I can find a producer who is doing what I want to do.....

Animal · Mar 27, 2009

Just planted 2 acres of austrian winter peas Wednesday, seed came from Idaho, they like the cold weather, supposed to plant them in late fall for a cover crop or spring for a seed crop. The claim is that they will fix 80 up to 200 lbs. nitrogen to the acre...Seed came from local mfa.

Growing peas in the midwest

71ford100

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paul

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jack harmon

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jack harmon

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71ford100

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Animal

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