First Peas to the Table by Susan Grigsby
This is the perfect book if you have your own home garden or if you are a teacher and you have a garden at your school. The teacher in this story tell the students about how Thomas Jefferson and his friends had a contest each year to see who could fill a bowl full of peas first using the peas grown from their own gardens. Thomas Jefferson learned that there were a lot of different types of peas and some grew bigger and faster than others.
The students in this story end up having the same contest amongst themselves in their classroom. They learn about different pea varieties, the effect weather can have on growing and good sportsmanship. Eventually someone does win the crown for the first bowlful of peas.