Topography/Harvest Cocoa Beans !!

The story of the cocoa bean. In countries such as West Africa , cocoa trees produce pods all year round. This whole process ( harvest ) takes about 6 months. The first step is to cut down the pods off the tree, farmers usually use machetes or long bamboo poles with a knife attached. Then they split open the pods and scoop the beans out. After all beans are collected in a big pile, they are covered with banana leaves to keep in the heat and protect them from rain. The tempature of the cocoa beans can go as high as 50 degrees, which effects the flavour of the cocoa beans. After three to five days, the beans turn a nice brown coular. Then left in the sun to dry for about a week, but need to be turned often. After they are dried they are packed into sacks to be sold.