Texas man hopes to turn farm disaster into vodka success





Click through the slideshow to see other liquors and spirits made in the Lone Star State. Texans going out for martinis could get very lucky soon, with a drink made from a New Year's Day staple, the black-eyed pea. A Texas man is distilling vodka from the crop after he says he couldn't make a living selling the peas themselves.Click through the slideshow to see other liquors and spirits made in the Lone Star State. less Texans going out for martinis could get very lucky soon, with a drink made from a New Year's Day staple, the black-eyed pea. A Texas man is distilling vodka from the crop after he says he couldn't make a living ... more Photo: Getty Creative Stock Photo: Getty Creative Stock Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close Texas man hopes to turn farm disaster into vodka success 1 / 20 Back to Gallery

Faced with too much hard work and too little pay on his family black-eyed pea farm, Muleshoe, Texas native Trey Nickels has decided to turn his peas into something more useful.

He sold his portion of the farm, moved to Fort Worth and is now distilling TreyMark Black-Eyed Vodka, made from peas he buys from his brother.

Nickel's mother, Deborah Nickels, said the move into distilling spirits was a no-brainer. "If you don't like to eat 'em, let's drink 'em," she said of the unsuccessful crop.

Nickels said the vodka, not yet on the market, has a nutty taste. Vodka is normally distilled from rye, other grains or potatoes, but Nickels said black-eyed peas work well because they are starchy.

Click through the above slideshow to read about other booze born in Texas.