With summers end, mature beans turn brown and brittle and break away from the vine. Paper-thin pod compartments litter the forest floor and decompose to reveal a surprise - treasure hidden inside! Like a pearl nestled in its shell, each pod is home to a single beautiful seed. Brown and shiny, the seeds have a smooth warm texture that is playful and relaxing to hold. Exotic and unique each seed has its own individual characteristics of size, shape and texture making no two alike. Some seeds are round, oblong, and irregular while the most prized are almost perfectly heart shaped!

Small seeds are about 1 inch in diameter and large seeds measure 3 times that size. A deep rich mahogany nutshell protects an inner vegetable embryo from being eaten by insects and it also prevents moisture from entering and germinating the seed. The ivory colored embryo inside is bitter and can be POISON, however, when properly prepared, the substance can be used medicinally as a poultice and a purgative and can also be drunk and used like coffee.