Harvest Time: Prickly Pear
Harvesting prickly pear from the cacti field on the farm 🌵
Harvesting connects you with the experience of momma Gaia’s rhythms and exploring her cycles, her magick, her seasons, her healing. It’s watching the pollinators dance among the flowers and fruits as they float from place to place, methodically and playfully aligning with the mission of the collective. It’s observing the deep connection you have with Mother Nature as your intuition leads you to know what is ready to harvest and what requires a bit more time. The cycles of nature remind us that life is not linear and forward moving at all even though the calendar might try to convince us otherwise. But rather a shifting of a cycle that will always begin once again. Offering opportunities to renew and rebirth and refresh.
The fall season is the time of slowing down and breathing in the crisp rewards of yet another successful cycle. I am feeling nourished by using this time to slow down and feel the grass under my feet, the wind on my skin, watching the sun dip below the horizon a little earlier each evening as the colors illuminate the sky. I feel a sense of deep release. And embodying the groundedness of Mother Nature’s healing remedies. Getting my hands dirty. Feeling the earth. Letting my heart beat in tune with her soft, slowing rhythm. Letting the days unfold as they do, releasing the agendas and bustle of the bright buzz of summer. Accepting the days when I don’t feel inclined to write or read or learn. But instead, sinking softly into what it means to just be. In her delicate autumn light. To gather. To restore. To create from my heart, mixing and muddling and harvesting and stirring the delightful, fresh ingredients into something earthy and magikal. Feeling into the ingredients, feeling their essence, and crafting something special and unique. It’s an art. A ritual. A blessing. It’s an experience, something to become totally wrapped up and delighted and enamored by.
Reflection: What’s something you absolutely love crafting with your hands that brings you home to yourself?
The Prickly Pear:
>> Disclaimer: this is a lengthy process. This isn’t like lemonade where you juice a few lemons, pluck out a few seeds, and you’re good to go. Expect to spend a few hours harvesting, blending, straining, picking needles out of your fingers, straining some more, and then cleaning the prickly pear juices off your clothes (this is why we don’t wear white after labor day ;) ). Don’t be discouraged — it’s fun, though! For people who enjoy the experience and the art of cooking - you’re going to love it!
A note on harvesting: if you’re not getting your prickly pear from a farmer or a market but rather harvesting them from the cactus, be careful of the pears you’re picking. They attract bees who hollow out the pears and make mini bee hives. It’s fascinating to watch, but also dangerous if you disturb a hive. The bees don’t bother you if you flow with them, just be mindful to check thoroughly before picking. Respect the bees and they respect you 🐝
A ripe prickly pear is easily picked off the cactus with tongs. It’s almost completely purple with little to no green. A good rule of thumb: if the pear isn’t easily released free from the cactus, it’s not ready to let go yet. Let her mature a little longer and find a different one.
The Process:
Remember to be safe, the prickly pear is named after it’s sharp, tiny prickles that are very difficult to see. Wear gloves or use tongs.
How many prickly pears does it take to make one cup of juice: about 6-8 juicy, ripe pears
Once you have your prickly pears harvested, soak in water with a fruit spray (or a non-toxic dish soap) for a few minutes to cleanse the skin of the fruit; you might not be eating the skin, but the knife is slicing through it, so we want it to be fresh and clean.
It can be helpful to use a brush to scrub off the needles. I didn’t do that because I didn’t have a potato brush, but if you have one - it’s a great idea!
Once the skin is thoroughly cleaned, cut the ends of the prickly pear off and slice down the middle. Scoop out the delectable, juicy fruit.
Pulse the fruit in a blender with a splash of water. You want the fruit to be pureed but the seeds to remain whole so they are easily separated in the straining process.
Then the fun begins! I strain the juice twice to be sure I’ve captured all the seeds and impurities before bottling.
Prickly pear: the delightful hangover healer
Making prickly pear water, or mixing the juice into cocktails, hydrates and revitalizes the body. While traditional drinking experiences strip the body of her golden healing esscense, prickly pear infuses her with natural healing elements (like electrolytes and magnesium) to ease you into feeling rejuvenated, instead of depleated
As you may know, if you’ve followed along my journey for a while, I believe in intentions and healing from embodiment and mindset practices. I believe that the way the food is prepared, the place it’s sourced from, and the mindset as you indulge are much more important than the item’s nutritional content by itself. Cheese can be nourishing and delight the senses while you savor each delectable bite. And alcohol can be a healing experience if the intention is set while preparing and sipping a beverage. Are you drinking to get wasted and drown your sorrows? Or are you preparing a cocktail as a form of art, to explore the unique essences and flavors that Momma Gaia gifts us with each season, exploring the range and variety we experience through the taste buds we are blessed with for the short time we are in our human forms.
The Art of the Prickly Pear:
Now that you’ve gone through the whole process of cultivating the thick, sweet, syrup of the prickly pear - it’s time to enjoy it!
A simple and easy place to start is the classic prickly pear cocktail:
2oz mezcal
3/4 oz prickly pear syrup (recipe below)
3/4oz fresh lime juice
Shake and pour over ice. Garnish glass with a classic salt rim or a spiced salt rim.
Prickly pear syrup:
1c prickly pear juice
1c water
1 cinnamon stick
6 allspice berries
Simmer ingredients on low for 20 minutes. Refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Voila 💋
