Dry peas—the kind that are used in split pea soup and pea protein —are part of the family of pulse crops that also include lentils, chickpeas and dried beans. Most of the world’s dry peas are grown in Canada, primarily in the Prairie provinces, where the weather and soil types are ideal for growing pulse crops. Many farmers like growing peas because they help to take nitrogen from the air and fix it in the soil, improving the soil for future crops. Also, including pulses in crop rotations helps to naturally control disease and insect pressures.
The main types of dry pea grown in Canada are yellow and green. They both have similar nutritional content and cooking time, but green peas tend to be a bit sweeter while yellow peas are more starchy and have a more earthy flavour.
We spoke with Trent Richards, a farmer from Saskatchewan to learn more about how peas are grown.

Tell us about your farm.
Trent: Our farm is in southern Saskatchewan and we’re now in our fourth generation. We grow yellow peas, durum wheat, green lentils, chickpeas, flax, mustard, canola and spices.
What is involved in planting your pea crop?
Trent: Yellow peas are one of the first crops we seed, usually at the end of April each year. During the process of planting the peas, we use what’s called a ‘precision no-till drill’. This planting system places the seed and fertilizer for the peas exactly where it’s needed to ensure the most optimal crop. The precision drill also doesn’t disturb the soil very much, which reduces erosion and is more environmentally friendly. Shortly after the seeds are in the ground, we use a large roller to flatten out the ground, which pushes things like rocks into the soil to avoid issues with picking up the crop later on during harvesting.

You often hear that peas are a sustainable crop. Why is that?
Trent: Peas use less water and fertilizer than other crops. This means peas can take advantage of spring moisture and can grow in dryer climates, like here on the Prairies. They also fix their own nitrogen, which means that you don’t need to use as much fertilizer to produce the crop.
Peas, like other pulse crops (lentils, chickpeas), actually have a negative carbon footprint because more carbon is “sunk” or sequestered in the soil than is emitted through the process of growing them. That makes the entire system more sustainable in the long-run.
Can you explain crop rotation and why it is important?
Trent: Farmers make a plan for the sequence of crops they will grow on specific fields over several years. By changing the type of crop on a certain field each year, it allows farmers to grow different crops. It also minimizes disease, insect and weed problems because these pests have a hard time gaining a foothold when the crops are always changing. By rotating crops each growing season, different root structures are established, which helps soil health. Over time, more and more organic matter builds in the soil, making it healthier and more robust, and this helps future crops to be more productive.
What else do you do to protect the soil and improve sustainability?
Trent: On our farm, we plant trees to use as wind protection for our fields. We’re also very conscious of the times we drive in fields, so that we disturb the soil as little as possible. We use drones to visually inspect fields and we carefully assess our rotations to manage the crop residue left on fields.
The ‘no-till’ planting practices we use to place the seed directly into the residue of the previous crop. We don’t plow or turn over the soil and this protects it against wind and soil erosion.



Tell us about harvesting peas. Are they hard to harvest?
Trent: Peas are on average about 1.5 to 2 feet tall when actively growing. As they get closer to maturing, they start to turn brown and the pods fill with anywhere from two to eight peas in a pod. When the crop is mature with 18 percent seed moisture, they are ready for harvest. Peas are easy to harvest. We usually harvest the pea crop in August because there is less risk of environmental issues like frost or rain at that time of year. The combine harvester cuts the crop and threshes, removing the peas from the pods and stem. The cutter bar on the front flexes (called a flex header) throughout the field to ensure all the peas are harvested. Peas might be cut at ground level or possibly a bit higher, so that’s why it’s best to have a flex header. You have to be conscious of peas that may split or crack through the harvesting process.
Technology is rapidly changing in many of industries. How has it changed farming?
Trent: Since the beginning of my farming career, technology has given me the opportunity to grow more crops. Better planting systems and more options to control weeds allow us to reduce our carbon footprint. The advanced equipment we have today allows for precise and accurate seed placement and application of fertilizer and pesticides when they are needed. We can ensure that we’re not over-applying where it’s not needed.
What do you think the future of farming holds for you and your family?
Trent: The future looks bright! There are interesting developments in terms of new autonomous equipment and the ability to put the right products in the right place. Also, continued discoveries in plant breeding are producing new crops and providing new opportunities to feed more people and solve problems like climate change, nutritional deficiencies and food waste.