I wouldn't worry about them. In the commercial operations, the peas are washed and tumbled and all that, which knocks them off.

I don't think Little Marvel are edible podded peas. You may want to check.

I've eaten them.

There isn't a problem with those little stems, I eat them all the time, raw and straight out of the pod when I can get them.

Little Marvel has been around since the early 1900s, I think I read 1908 somewhere. Anyway, the pods are technically edible, in that they won't hurt you if you eat them, they aren't poisonous or toxic. However, they are tough, fibrous, not of a texture that makes people want to eat them, so they are not sold as edible pod peas.

It's kind of like corn husks. You can eat them, if you want to, but most people would prefer not.

Annie

When I'm washing the peas after shelling, I give them a light rubbing between my palms when in the water. this takes off most of the little stems, and they'll generally float so they're easy to separate.

As others have said, Little Marvels are shelling peas. You can eat the outside and it's actually sweet and crispy, but there's a sort of plastic-y membrane between the inside of the pea shell, and the tender, crisp outside portion. I usually feed the shells to my dog after peeling off the membrane.

I tried plain 'ol Sugar Daddy sugarsnap peas this winter/spring to compliment my shelling peas (Utrillo, that I got from a local farmer who grows them as a cash and cover crop), and they were super duper productive. And these are the ones that have outsides that were meant to be eaten. In fact, just when I thought they were all done producing, half of my patch started putting out flowers again.

Pea pods make a good pea-tasting soup if, like me, you can't bear to throw them on the compost pile after you've shelled the peas.

2lb fresh pea pods
1 lettuce
handful chopped parsley
1 chopped onion
3 pts stock
salt & pepper
1 tsp sugar
1oz butter
1 tbsp flour
1/4 - 1/2 pt cream

Wash and destring the pods. Put in a pan with lettuce, parsley, onion stock, salt pepper and sugar. Bring to boil then simmer til tender. Put thru food mill or blend and sieve. Make a roux with the butter and flour. Stir in the thin pea puree. Reheat and stir in the cream.