There are two common varieties of peas, green garden peas that need shelling and edible-pod peas that are eaten whole. Snow peas, sugar snap peas, chinese pea pods and many others fall into the later category. They are low fiber pods with small wrinkled peas inside.

Green garden peas are legumes just like dried peas, except they are eaten at the immature stage.

Peas should be refrigerated; if kept at room temperature, half their sugar content will turn to starch within a few hours. Low temperatures also help preserve the texture and nutrient content.

North Carolina Green Pea Growers/Shipper List

Cooling/Storage Requirements of North Carolina Green Peas