These are the source seeds. They are tenacious as hell. Props to Botanical Interests.

The Seed Saver Exchange, an organization that does just what the name states and with the authority deserving of proper noun status, has 4,000 types of bean in its collection.  Among these is the Pencil Pod Yellow Wax heirloom variety.  Pencil Pods are bush beans, meaning they don’t need the high vertical supports string beans and other pole beans do.  They were developed around 1900, soon after folks started trying to breed the pesky “string” fiber out of beans (Check out Monday’s post) and are best raw or lightly steamed.  They also have little black seeds nestled in golden flesh, giving the bean a cool bumblebee color scheme or—if you happen to be appreciate your Christian Hair Metal—making it a fine tribute to Stryper.Because of our love for bumblebees and rather embarrassing recollection of Stryper, we decided to celebrate/atone by planting a few Pencil Pods just up the hill from those Laxton Shell Peas we set at the base of the Manhattan Bridge.  On your way back down from the City into Sweet Brooklyn, look for our sign, pick a few, and take them home.

Then tell us who you shared them with.