In days gone by the Waimea Plains had a thriving pea-growing industry which supplied much of the Wellington market with its early peas.
Many crops were grown on the steep paddocks of the foothills with the help of a hillside plough while other steeper hills required the land to be prepared and turned over with a grubber.
The secret of these hardy farmers being early birds in the market was that peas were grown above the frost line. No frosts were experienced on the hillsides, though there were frequently very low temperatures lower down. As the season advanced the hillside crops became picked out, and good money was generally made by the growers.
Four shillings and sixpence to five shillings a peck, (around 7 to 8lbs) was not unknown by the earliest growers, but when the crops on the flats were picked the price reduced. Farmers had received a handsome return for some years.
According to one grower in 1913, even at sixpence per peck there was money in pea-growing. The pickers were able to make up to ten shillings a day which allowed families to make a substantial increase to their income -—as much as £50 for the season. Pickers were paid 1s. 3d. to 1s. 6d. per gunny bag, (burlap or hessian sack) at the beginning of the season.
The first New Zealand Pea Picking Championship was held in December of the same year, being organised by the Waimea Vegetable Growers Association, on Mr Schroeder’s property in Pughs Road.
The winner’s prize was a cup and £25 ,with the runner-up receiving £10 and third place £5. In addition to the prizes, ruling rates of pay were paid to all competitors by the grower in whose field the competition was held. Points were allotted as follows - weight picked, 150 points, full buckets, 12 points, freedom from leaves and foreign matter, 12 points, freedom from immature and/or over ripe peas, 12 points, absence of marketable peas on vines after picking, 12 points.
All competitors were to furnish evidence of having picked at least 30 two-peck buckets of peas in one working day. The paddock was taped off in strips approximately 4ft 6in wide, numbered and drawn for at the commencement of the competition. Competitors had to pick all peas in clean strips, close to the tapes at either side.
Setting out the reasons which prompted the association to inaugurate the championship, the chairman stated that with suitable pickers, pea growing was definitely an industry that could be maintained and extended in the Waimea area.
It was hoped the competition would stimulate interest in pea-picking and establish a record of what a competent picker could earn.
Once interest was aroused the association hoped to organise a competition for beginners. At the end of the day the prizes were won by three sisters, these being Valma, Joan and Ladell Patterson of Hope. Combined they picked 1285 pound of peas.
By Robyn Parkes
