Products — Peas
Church of Bures is actively involved in the production of 19 different varieties and supply over 40 different varieties of peas each year.
Traditionally Maro has been the forerunner in terms of total tonnage. As maintainers of the variety the company grows the Breeders seed in single acre plots which are inspected and rogued four times during the crop's development. This enables us to produce and supply some of the cleanest stocks of Maro available in the world. This past year has seen Maro leaving the farm at almost three times the price of feed.
Church of Bures is the UK agent for Pure Line Seeds Inc. Pure Line are plant breeders who have been producing world-class quality vining peas for over 60 years. As well as importing the seed from the USA, we also produce seed in the UK. Growing contracts for vining pea seed are available and have proven to be a very lucrative break crop.
Church of Bures are the owners and maintainers of Minerva maple peas. We have been growing this variety for many years and together with our involvement with the marketing of Swift maple peas our market share is now considerable in the pigeon pea seed industry.
Canning Peas
MARO
This is the only pea that can be used for virtually every use processors have for marrowfat peas. There is an excellent market for the paler samples as the grocery trade select Maro over every other variety of marrowfat.
Maro particularly excels in the export market and most Japanese trading houses prefer it to any other variety. It is always asked for by name when forward contracts are being made.
Higher premiums are paid by merchants for Maro than any other marrowfat and as the variety maintainers, Church of Bures will ensure you get the purest and highest quality seed available in the country.
Maple Peas
MINERVA
This is a Church of Bures variety. It is a purple flowered brown skinned pea which produces high yields, is early to mature and seed of good shape and colour. It is still the preferred variety for feeding to pigeons which makes it a valuable commodity. It is also ideal in various green forage and silage mixtures and the brown seeded peas can be sold into the feed market for grinding and inclusion into animal feed. Its popularity has increased steadily over recent years due to its value to organic farmers as green manure or as a deep-rooting full-foliage legume.
SWIFT
This semi-leafless maple pea yields higher and is easier to harvest than existing varieties. Swift is now an established variety for the pigeon trade.
Picking Peas
AMBASSADOR
A maincrop variety with dark green blunt ended pods. Heavy yielder. Height 30"/75 cm.
EARLY ONWARD
This variety is similar in characteristics to Onward although the pods and foliage are a darker green. A heavy yielder which matures 7 - 10 days earlier than Onward. Height 20"/50 cm.
FELTHAM FIRST
A vigorous early pea that gives a good crop of large, well-filled pods and matures earlier than most other picking peas. Height 18"/45 cm.
GREENSHAFT
Good yielding maincrop variety with long, curved, pointed pods. Height 28"/70 cm.
KELVEDON WONDER
First early with dark green medium-sized pods. Strong popular variety which is robust and ideal for market growers. Height 18"/45 cm.
ONWARD
One of the most popular varieties in use today. It boasts a robust habit and produces a heavy crop year after year. Ideal for market growers. Height 2'/60 cm.
Oregon Sugar Pod
Edible podded variety with tender pods which should be eaten when young.
Height 40"/1.1 m.
Vining Peas
AMBASSADOR
A solid maincrop variety that matures eleven days afterAvola. Majority of peas are medium to large and have good colour. Has good resistance to Powdery Mildew. The long pods make this variety suitable for picking.
AVOLA
Industry standard variety early freezer also used for the fresh market. Large seeded, full foliage, first early.
BANFF
This is now a Church of Bures maintained variety. Excellent double podding early variety combining good yield and quality with excellent pea to vine ratio. Thrives on lighter soils.
LEGACY
A high yielding, triple pod, full foliage variety that has good powdery mildew resistance. Early maincrop.
MISTY
This variety produces high quality medium green peas. Large sieve, high yielding type for stronger soils. Yield ability is exceptional with an excellent pea to vine ratio.
Peawee 65
This is the newest petit-pois variety on the market from Pure Line, which has created much excitement with the freezers. It is high yielding late main crop, maturing 1 -2 days later than Waverex.
SERGE
A maincrop variety. Exceptional yields and quality. Produces consistent uniform sample. Double pointed pods, with 10 - 11 seeds per pod.
SKYE
This is a very exciting semi-leafless variety from Pure Line Seeds Inc with enormous potential. It is an early pea which matures 6 days later than Avola.
STYLE
A very high yielding semi-leafless variety that produces 10 - 11 peas per pod. It stands well and the quality and colour are both good. Style has yielded over seven tonnes per hectare for canning. Prefers heavier highly fertile soils.
Pea Seed Treatments
THIRAM
(Single Purpose) - For the prevention of Damping Off.
WAKIL XL
(Triple Purpose) - This triple purpose treatment from Syngenta is an outstanding product for control of Damping Off, Ascochyta and Downy-mildew.