Search
Kerry’s seed increase work shifted in 2025 from a public demonstration garden at Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo in Monroe to the LSU AgCenter’s Sweet Potato Research Station in Chase.The facility was established in 1949 by Dr. Julian C. Miller, the country’s first sweet potato breeder. While we miss the wonderful compost and interactions with the public at the zoo, we’re excited to have so much more space at the Sweet Potato Station.
Varieties we’re growing out at Sweet Potato this year include The Mummy Bean, a half-runner snapbean from southcentral North Carolina, Calhoun Crowder Pea, Weinberg’s Rose Hill Cream Pea from Texas, McClain’s Black Crowder Pea from Richland Parish, a black crowder pea from the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and New Orleans Market Eggplant.
Calhoun Gray Watermelon and an okra that has become naturalized in old cotton fields in Red River Parish have most recently been planted. As summer progresses, more field peas, such as The Unknown Pea of Washington Parish and Paw’s Old Gray Pea, also from Washington Parish, will be added. Other field pea varieties may go in as space becomes available.
We gratefully acknowledge Dr. Cole Gregorie and the staff at the Sweet Potato Research Station for their knowledge, assistance, patience, and enthusiasm for this project.
Perfect rows are laid out for seed increase work at the LSU AgCenter’s Sweet Potato Research Station.
Most varieties, like these black crowder peas from the Eastern Shore of Virginia, are started in seed trays then transplanted into a row.
The Mummy Bean, a half runner snap bean from North Carolina, loaded up. Beans pictured here are almost at the shell out stage.
The Eastern Shore Black Crowder pea grows vigorously in the fertile soils of the Sweet Potato Research Station.
New Orleans Market Eggplant transplants should thrive in the summer sun and the loamy soil at the Sweet Potato Research Station.
McClain’s Black Crowder Pea from Richland Parish has a trellis to climb on and is already producing peas.
This bucket of Mummy Beans should yield a good number of seeds! Some pods are at the shell out stage, which is fine. The seeds are just as viable at that stage as if the pod dried a little longer.
McClain’s Black Crowder Pea should produce through the hot, humid Louisiana summer.
Ninock Plantation Okra is filling out and should produce pods until the first frosts.
