Reminds me the story of the 3 coal miners. But maybe it's too PG rated to be said here. lol.
My father was an expert at cracking hickory nuts. I miss a hickory nut cake.We snapped green beans, and peas, and cracked and picked pecans, though a lot of pecans got eaten instead of going into the keep bowl.
When I grew up, green beans and peas came from a box in the freezer or a can in the cupboard!