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Sugar Snap Pea

Sugar Snap Pea

Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon

vegetableannual

A cool-season legume prized for its sweet, edible pods. Sugar snap peas are fast-growing (55-70 days), frost-tolerant, and suited to Zones 3-11 as a spring or fall crop. They are a nitrogen-fixing legume that improves soil health, making them an excellent rotation crop. High demand at farmers markets and strong consumer appeal drive premium fresh-market pricing.

24/30

Crop Snowflake Score

Gross Revenue
$12,000

/acre

Net Return
$3,500

/acre

Price Trend
increasing
Establishment Cost
$0

/acre

Crop Insurance
Available
Years to Production
0

years

Overview

Sugar snap peas combine the plump seeds of English peas with the edible pod of snow peas. They are a cool-season crop that performs best when daytime temperatures are 55-65°F (13-18°C) and will cease flowering above 85°F (29°C). Plants are frost-hardy and seed can be direct-sown as soon as soil is workable in spring (germination at soil temps as low as 40°F / 4°C, optimal 60-75°F). Most varieties are climbing vines (4-6 ft) requiring trellis support, though dwarf bush types (2-3 ft) are available. Popular varieties include Sugar Snap (original), Super Sugar Snap, Cascadia, and Sugar Ann (dwarf). As legumes, peas fix atmospheric nitrogen through root nodules, reducing fertilizer needs and benefiting subsequent crops. Harvest is labor-intensive and must be done by hand for fresh market. Successive plantings every 2 weeks extend the harvest window. Peas have a very short shelf life (5-7 days) so proximity to markets is important.

Growing Season

Plant
early March – mid May
Harvest
late May – mid July
Frost-free days
55+
GDD (base 50°F)
650 – 900

Yield

Typical yield
4,000 lbs/acre
Productive lifespan
1 years
Labor
630 hrs/acre
91%

Market Fit

5/6

Active Regional Buyers

1 active buyer on record purchasing this crop.

Price Trend Stable/Up

3-year price trend recorded as "increasing".

Supply Below Demand

3 of 4 documented channels rate viability "strong". Sold into regional rather than national markets, vegetable supply here generally trails that demand.

Multiple Buyer Channels

3 of 4 documented market channels rate viable or better (farmers_market, restaurant, csa). Multiple independent routes to market.

Value-Added Potential

3 viable direct-market channels (farmers_market, restaurant, csa). Supports value-added and margin capture beyond wholesale.

Market Growth Projected

Mature vegetable market; growth over a 5-year horizon is expected to track population rather than outpace it.

Market Channels

farmers_market · Premium spring crop with very high consumer demand. Sells rapidly at $4-7/lb. One of the first fresh crops of the season.
restaurant · Chefs value fresh, local snap peas for seasonal menus. Short availability window increases demand.
csa · Excellent CSA crop — popular with members, available early in the season when share variety is limited.
wholesale · Very short shelf life (5-7 days) limits wholesale distribution range. Best for local/regional wholesale only.

Climate Fit

6/6

Hardiness Zone Match

Crop tolerates zones 3-11; region spans 5-6. Overlaps.

GDD Sufficient

Crop needs 650 GDD (base 50F); region accumulates 2500+. Sufficient.

Precipitation Compatible

Crop needs ~16 in; region receives ~38 in/yr. Compatible, irrigation available as supplement.

Frost-Free Season OK

Crop needs 55 frost-free days; region provides ~180. Sufficient.

Chill Hours Met

Not applicable — annual crop has no winter chill requirement.

Climate Trend Favorable

Crop spans 9 hardiness zones (3-11). Wide adaptive range buffers against warming trend.

Fit by region

The farm matcher, run on each region's cited climate normals. Soil and site are not included here; add your own on the match page.

Match your farm
Finger Lakeszone 5b/6a · 2,200 GDD · 145 frost-free days · 38.29" rain

Limited by high-severity risks. 5 criteria evaluated; 40% cited.

Strong fit
89/100
Heat accumulation (GDD base 50F)Frost-free seasonRainfallHigh-severity risksKnown buyers
Lake Erie Concord Grape Beltzone 6a/6b/7a · 2,923 GDD · 185 frost-free days · 41.09" rain

Limited by high-severity risks. 5 criteria evaluated; 40% cited.

Strong fit
89/100
Heat accumulation (GDD base 50F)Frost-free seasonRainfallHigh-severity risksKnown buyers
Chautauqua Uplands (Allegheny Plateau)zone 6a · 2,364 GDD · 158 frost-free days · 45.93" rain

Limited by high-severity risks. 5 criteria evaluated; 40% cited.

Strong fit
89/100
Heat accumulation (GDD base 50F)Frost-free seasonRainfallHigh-severity risksKnown buyers

Climate envelope & site

What the farm matcher compares your conditions against.

Climate envelope

Hardiness zone
n/a
Frost-free season
55+ days
Heat (GDD base 50°F)
650+
Winter chill
n/a
Rainfall
31.5–98.4 in/yr

Below the minimum, irrigation is needed; above the maximum the crop fails.

Soil pH target
6.0–7.5

Extension lime target; within 1.0 of it is correctable.

Site & structure

Spring frost at bloom
n/a
Needs cold-air drainage
n/a
Shade tolerance
none — full sun
Mature height
not yet recorded
Rooting depth
not yet recorded
Wind exposure tolerance
not yet recorded
Workable slope
not yet recorded

Height, rooting depth and shade tolerance are the inputs an alley or guild layout needs.

Soil Compatibility

Soil Texture

loam (ideal)sandy_loam (ideal)silt_loam (ideal)sand (marginal)clay_loam (marginal)clay (marginal)loamy_sand (suitable)sandy_clay_loam (marginal)silty_clay_loam (marginal)silty_clay (poor)

Drainage

well_drained (ideal)poorly_drained (marginal)moderately_well_drained (marginal)excessively_drained (marginal)somewhat_excessively_drained (suitable)somewhat_poorly_drained (poor)very_poorly_drained (poor)

Infrastructure Fit

4/6

Equipment Compatible

2 of 4 documented equipment items are crop-specific (50%) against a catalog median of 29%. Above-median share of purpose-built equipment, implying real capital outlay.

Storage Available

2 documented storage routes; at least one (Fresh cold storage) is reachable with conventional on-farm or third-party facilities.

Irrigation Compatible

Requires ~16 in. Deliverable with conventional drip or overhead irrigation.

Field Layout Suitable

Suited to the small-to-mid-size fragmented parcels typical of the region.

Labor Availability

350 labor hr/ac vs catalog 75th percentile 250 hr/ac. Labor-intensive — competes for scarce seasonal labor.

Processing Proximity

1 processor/cooperative buyer on record for this crop, 1 within NY/PA/OH.

Equipment Requirements

planting

Row SeederRequired

Standard push seeder or tractor-mounted seeder for 2-3 inch in-row spacing.

$1,500

general

Trellis System (T-posts + Netting)Required Specialized

Required for vining varieties (4-6 ft). Not needed for dwarf bush types. Reusable netting reduces annual cost.

$1,500

harvesting

Harvest Containers (Lugs/Bins)Required

Shallow harvesting lugs to prevent crushing. Hand harvest only for fresh market quality.

$300

post_harvest

Forced-Air CoolerOptional Specialized

Rapid post-harvest cooling is critical. Field heat removal within 1-2 hours of harvest doubles storage life.

$4,000

Storage Requirements

Fresh cold storage

Temperature

32–34°F

Humidity

90–95%

Max Storage

7 days

Frozen

Temperature

0–0°F

Max Storage

365 days

Financial Return

4/6

Revenue Above Average

Gross revenue $12,000/ac vs catalog median $6,000/ac. Above median.

Input Costs Acceptable

Total input cost $8,500/ac vs catalog 75th percentile $6,300/ac. Above the top quartile.

Payback Period OK

Reaches full production in 0 years. Acceptable payback.

Insurance Available

Federal crop insurance or an equivalent risk product is available.

Revenue Per Labor Hour

Net return per labor hour $10.00 ($3,500/ac over 350 hr/ac) vs catalog median $13.16. Below median.

Grants/Subsidies

Vegetable crops are eligible under the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

Economics Breakdown

Avg Price/Unit$5/lb
Gross Revenue/Acre$12,000
Annual Operating Cost$8,500/acre
Establishment Cost$0/acre
Total Input Cost$8,500/acre
Net Return/Acre$3,500
Revenue/Labor Hour—
Crop Insurance Available

Source: UMN Extension, NC State Extension, Purdue Farmers Market Price Reports (2025)

Risk Profile

5/6

Manageable Pest/Disease

3 of 4 documented risks are high-severity (75%) against a catalog median of 36%. Above-median concentration of high-severity risk, demanding intensive management.

Market Diversified

3 viable market channels of 4 documented, plus 1 named buyer. Not dependent on a single outlet.

Low Establishment Risk

0 years to full production at $0/ac establishment cost. Low establishment exposure.

Climate Resilient

Tolerates zones 3-11 (9 zones). Broad tolerance indicates resilience to seasonal variability.

Regulatory Burden Low

No crop-specific licensing or reporting regime beyond standard food-safety and pesticide rules.

Diversifies Portfolio

Adds a vegetable revenue stream distinct from the region's grape-dominated base.

Known Risks

disease

Powdery Mildew (Erysiphe pisi)high

Most common pea disease. White powdery fungal growth on leaves and pods. Reduces pod quality and yield. Appears most commonly in late season as temperatures rise and humidity increases.

Root Rot Complex (Fusarium, Pythium, Aphanomyces)high

Complex of soilborne pathogens causing yellowing, wilting, and death of plants. Favored by cool, wet soil conditions, especially in poorly drained fields. Can devastate stands.

pest

Pea Aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum)moderate

Green aphids that colonize growing tips and pods. Transmit pea enation mosaic virus and other viral diseases. Can reduce yield and pod quality at high populations.

environmental

Heat Stresshigh

Peas cease flowering and pod set when temperatures consistently exceed 85°F (29°C). Crops planted too late will have dramatically reduced yields as summer heat arrives. This is the primary yield-limiting factor.

Nutritional Yield

USDA FoodData Central
Profile based on Peas, edible-podded, raw (pod form)
Edible mass per acre1,724 kg
Computed: 4,000 lbs × 0.45 kg/unit × 95% edible

Macronutrients

NutrientPer 100 gPer acre
Calories42 kcal723,930 kcal
Protein2.8 g48,262 g
Total fat0.2 g3,447 g
Carbohydrates7.5 g130,135 g
Fiber2.6 g44,815 g
Sugar4 g68,946 g

Key micronutrients

Iron
2.1 mg /100g
35,852 mg / acre
Calcium
43 mg /100g
741,166 mg / acre
Potassium
200 mg /100g
3,447,284 mg / acre
Vitamin C
60 mg /100g
1,034,185 mg / acre
Vitamin A
1,087 IU /100g
18,735,989 IU / acre
Folate
42 mcg /100g
723,930 mcg / acre

Uncertainty: Per-acre values are estimates that compound the yield range, edible-fraction assumption, and a single representative nutrient panel. Treat them as order-of-magnitude planning numbers, not nutritional advice. Confidence: high.

Ecosystem Services

Ecosystem service data pending.

The next research-agent rotation will document this crop's contributions to pollinator support, soil health, water quality, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration.

Cultivars

Named varieties and what the sources say sets each apart. A cultivar-specific zone, chill or maturity figure overrides the species value above.

No cultivars recorded yet for this crop.

Grows With / Avoid Near

Documented interactions with other catalog crops — shared pests, allelopathy, rotation effects, alley and understory pairings — for companion, guild and rotation planning. Plan a combination with Sugar Snap Pea →

Avoid near, or plan around (28)

Grows with (10)

Tolerates (1)

Direction matters: a rotation benefit of A before B says nothing about B before A. Interactions are documented pairs only; absence is a research gap, not a clean bill.

Nearby Buyers

Radius from Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt:

Eden Valley Growers

Eden, NY · 30.0 mi

cooperative
Accepts contracts

Data Sources

Every data point on this page is traceable to its source. Below you'll find the complete provenance trail — which sources were used, when data was last verified, and a full change history.

Primary sources: UMN Extension, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Cornell Cooperative Extension, NC State Extension, Oregon State Extension

Economics data year: 2025 · Basis: lake erie View economics source →

50 tracked changes across 9 data categories

Crop Interactions

Washington State University Extension
Oct 9, 20261 entry

Core Crop Data

Aug 17, 20261 entry

Storage Requirements

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Your Location

  • Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt
  • NY / PA
  • United States
  • Zone 6a

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Experimental research database. AI-assisted, may contain errors. Not formal agricultural, financial, or planting advice. Verify with your local extension service before making decisions.

© 2026 Every.Farm · Data for informational purposes only.