Throughout my life, my family has celebrated the New Year with a traditional meal to ward off bad luck! As a picky eater, I often let my family enjoy my portion of the Black-eyed peas and greens. Perhaps that explains why my luck in winning the lottery hasn't been stellar.

However, I can assure you that all these “good luck” foods can be both grown and prepared by you! Our office boasts a team of Extension Agents ready to assist you with everything from cultivating a crop of peas or greens to raising top-quality pigs and ensuring you have the best pork. If you need advice on how to cook your next New Year’s feast, we have an Extension Agent who can help with that too!

So, did you indulge in your lucky New Year’s meal featuring the following? If your answer is “Oh yes!”, then you can look forward to a prosperous 2026, if this old wives' tale holds any truth.

• Black-Eyed Peas (or Lentils/Beans): Symbolizing coins or wealth, eating these is thought to bring financial fortune.
• Greens (Collards, Cabbage, Kale): Representing paper money, the more you consume, the greater your wealth is believed to be.
• Pork (Ham, Sausage, Hog Jowl): Pigs root forward, symbolizing positive progress into the new year.
• Cornbread: Its golden color represents gold, rounding out the lucky meal.

Check out this month’s Growing Chatham Newsletter to discover what our Extension Agents have in store for the upcoming year. And remember, if you ever have questions about growing or cooking vegetables, feel free to reach out to the N.C. Cooperative Extension Chatham County Center—one of our agents will be more than happy to assist you.