What a Prick!!

[hp468]

To save time a lot of people use tongs to hold the fruit over a stove burner flame to simply burn off the microscopic spines. Skewering them to rotate them over the open flame might be even better.

Doesn't change the flavor and you throw away / filter out the skin anyway.

We tried that last year with a torch, was not impressed. Washing/scrubbing the way I've been doing it is much faster. I did good this go round, two spines got me, one in the hand and one in the side of my face (no clue how that happened). Thick gardening gloves with the rubberized hand section covered in thick dishwashing gloves seems to be the ticket.

man i'm jealous
one of the people up the road from me had a cluster bigger than that and the pears just fell and rotted every year. then they ploughed the whole thing down.
I would have been happy to have them load them in a truck and drop them off in my yard. I've got a raised "flower bed" from the previous owner that does nothing but grow weeds. It's also kidney bean shaped and impossible to get my riding mower in there. I'd load the whole area up and harvest like you... Cacti are amazing plants. especially the ones that feed you.

I'm the only person I know (locally) that does anything with the fruit of these things. Used to be a vendor that sold the pads at the Bragg Blvd flea market but i've never seen fruit sold there. If you see a house or business with one, stop and talk to them. Most likely they will let you have the fruit. That's been my experience in past years when we've wanted more than our plants could provide. Late Oct-Nov is the time to harvest.

I just wrapped up this session. The blue tub in the pic shown above is done. Subtracting container weight, fruit was 85lbs. Spent hulls after cutting/cooking/juicing weighing in at 33lbs. Juice yield looks to be right at 5-5.25 gallons. I'm happy with that.

116lb to go.

 

[SINNER]

Well they made it into the dirt today. I let them dry 7 says then planted in drain/cactus soil mix and did a light scraping with root-tone. Hopefully they take.

 

[hp468]

Well they made it into the dirt today. I let them dry 7 says then planted in drain/cactus soil mix and did a light scraping with root-tone. Hopefully they take.
View attachment 547089

Scraping and root tone is unnecessary. These things will root laying on the ground without being buried. They will be fine.

Glad your documenting the planting, I look forward to your progress and time line to fruiting.

Also, nice greenhouse!

 

[SINNER]

Scraping and root tone is unnecessary. These things will root laying on the ground without being buried. They will be fine.

Glad your documenting the planting, I look forward to your progress and time line to fruiting.

Also, nice greenhouse!

Thanks! It’s a little one I got this year. I think it’s like 12x16? 10x16? Anyway I wish it was 4 times bigger lol!

 

[kcult]

We tried that last year with a torch, was not impressed. Washing/scrubbing the way I've been doing it is much faster. I did good this go round, two spines got me, one in the hand and one in the side of my face (no clue how that happened). Thick gardening gloves with the rubberized hand section covered in thick dishwashing gloves seems to be the ticket.



I'm the only person I know (locally) that does anything with the fruit of these things. Used to be a vendor that sold the pads at the Bragg Blvd flea market but i've never seen fruit sold there. If you see a house or business with one, stop and talk to them. Most likely they will let you have the fruit. That's been my experience in past years when we've wanted more than our plants could provide. Late Oct-Nov is the time to harvest.

I just wrapped up this session. The blue tub in the pic shown above is done. Subtracting container weight, fruit was 85lbs. Spent hulls after cutting/cooking/juicing weighing in at 33lbs. Juice yield looks to be right at 5-5.25 gallons. I'm happy with that.

116lb to go.

Need a bucket?

 

[Burt Gummer]

Scraping and root tone is unnecessary. These things will root laying on the ground without being buried. They will be fine.

Glad your documenting the planting, I look forward to your progress and time line to fruiting.

Also, nice greenhouse!

The protected dunes we saw at the coast this weekend were covered in prickly pear cactuses.

 

[hp468]

The protected dunes we saw at the coast this weekend were covered in prickly pear cactuses.

View attachment 547096

I'll get a pic tomorrow but last year when we pruned one around this time, I had a slew of ears, only a few pots, so I laid the extra ears out on the ground till I could get around-toit. Well, round-toit never came. They growin now. 🤣

We buttoned up this operation tonight. Total juice processed 9.75 gallons. We'd most likely have over 11 but i'm freezing a good bit of whole fruit for wine.

Back when we were making blue berry and black berry jelly (yes jelly, not jam), I found that after freezing the fruit prior to cooking/processing the pulp processed down into almost nothing. No slimy pulp, just dry skins and seeds left in the strainer bag. We all know why that happened, cell structures were damaged while freezing aiding in them breaking down when cooked. If these act the same way, freezing before hand SHOULD result in a measurably larger juice yield.

Wine WILL be happening this year, likely a small batch. If all goes well there, maybe a bigger batch will follow. Still have grapes to process as well, never enough time to do all of this mess.

 

[Hammer12b]

Need a bucket?

I told you it was food grade if you bleached it! 🤣😂😳🤢🤮🥵

 

[Hammer12b]

I'll get a pic tomorrow but last year when we pruned one around this time, I had a slew of ears, only a few pots, so I laid the extra ears out on the ground till I could get around-toit. Well, round-toit never came. They growin now. 🤣

We buttoned up this operation tonight. Total juice processed 9.75 gallons. We'd most likely have over 11 but i'm freezing a good bit of whole fruit for wine.

Back when we were making blue berry and black berry jelly (yes jelly, not jam), I found that after freezing the fruit prior to cooking/processing the pulp processed down into almost nothing. No slimy pulp, just dry skins and seeds left in the strainer bag. We all know why that happened, cell structures were damaged while freezing aiding in them breaking down when cooked. If these act the same way, freezing before hand SHOULD result in a measurably larger juice yield.

Wine WILL be happening this year, likely a small batch. If all goes well there, maybe a bigger batch will follow. Still have grapes to process as well, never enough time to do all of this mess.

Sounds like you’re enjoying what you’re doing and that’s the key part!

 

[hp468]

Season 4 begins. Thus far our harvests have almost doubled every year, I pray we don’t have 400lbs this year.




We’re behind. Life happened and we’ve just now started working on jelly from the juice we froze in the fall. Wine didn’t happen either for the same reasons. Plenty of juice left, just have to get caught up on some stuff. I’ll likely try a small gallon batch of wine first before we break out the 5 gallon carboys.

 

[SINNER]

Season 4 begins. Thus far our harvests have almost doubled every year, I pray we don’t have 400lbs this year.


View attachment 613810

We’re behind. Life happened and we’ve just now started working on jelly from the juice we froze in the fall. Wine didn’t happen either for the same reasons. Plenty of juice left, just have to get caught up on some stuff. I’ll likely try a small gallon batch of wine first before we break out the 5 gallon carboys.

I have a bunch of youngens started up but no fruit this year I don’t think.

 

[hp468]

View attachment 613830

I have a bunch of youngens started up but no fruit this year I don’t think.

They look great!

They will likly take another year or two to fruit, maybe one more before you see any measurable amount.

 

[SINNER]

They look great!

They will likly take another year or two to fruit, maybe one more before you see any measurable amount.

I’m gonna just get them in the ground this year and worry on fruit later then!

 

[kcult]

"Jelly or no jelly?" - Cecelia @ Nannie Annie's

I just tried some of this jelly and I give it two enthusiastic thumbs up!

I liked the consistency of it and I think it has the perfect balance of sweet and tart.

Well done, @hp468 and @Barbie. This is really good stuff.

 

[Jeppo]

"Jelly or no jelly?" - Cecelia @ Nannie Annie's

I just tried some of this jelly and I give it two enthusiastic thumbs up!

I liked the consistency of it and I think it has the perfect balance of sweet and tart.

Well done, @hp468 and @Barbie. This is really good stuff.

I got into my jar yesterday. Yumalicious!!!! 😋

 

[SINNER]

I have some extra plants after planting mine if anyone wants them. Free to a good home. I have 6 left. Pick up in Holly Springs NC.

 

[SINNER]

I have some extra plants after planting mine if anyone wants them. Free to a good home. I have 6 left. Pick up in Holly Springs NC.
View attachment 628153

2 spoken for by a CFFer. Still have 4 !

 

[hp468]

We're behind. Harvest should be happening this week or next.

Still haven't made jelly or wine from the juice in the freezer. Need a few more days added to the week, or perhaps I should change over to operating on Centurion time.

@kcult tells me I need to sell this jelly. I might just try that.

Processing methods are changing this year. More on that later. I'm hoping I have a solution that will save a TON of time going from plant to juice.

 

[kcult]

We're behind. Harvest should be happening this week or next.

Still haven't made jelly or wine from the juice in the freezer. Need a few more days added to the week, or perhaps I should change over to operating on Centurion time.

@kcult tells me I need to sell this jelly. I might just try that.

Processing methods are changing this year. More on that later. I'm hoping I have a solution that will save a TON of time going from plant to juice.

Everyone that has tried it here, loves it. My daughter and her stepson want more.

In my opinion, it had the absolutest best balance of sweet and tart.

My money is waiting...

 

[cold1]

Try one batch of jelly with the low sugar pectin. We switched to that pectin a few years ago for our jellies and it made a huge difference in the flavors. Now the jellies taste more like the fruit and less like a candy.

 

[hp468]

Try one batch of jelly with the low sugar pectin. We switched to that pectin a few years ago for our jellies and it made a huge difference in the flavors. Now the jellies taste more like the fruit and less like a candy.

This fruit, when cooked down into a juice has more of a vegetable type flavor (to me anyway), when fresh its like an earthy melon. I'll entertain the idea but I'm not sure that less sugar would be a benefit in this particular instance.

 

[kcult]

This fruit, when cooked down into a juice has more of a vegetable type flavor (to me anyway), when fresh its like an earthy melon. I'll entertain the idea but I'm not sure that less sugar would be a benefit in this particular instance.

My taste buds say don't mess with success.

Ain't no one around here that's tried it complained of it being too sweet.

 

[hp468]

The Harvest of 2023 is complete.

This year was the easiest and least painful one yet. Decided to use a torch this year (harbor freight to the rescue), time will tell if any of the ears were damaged by the heat but the cactus is in dire need of pruning anyway so either way no real loss.



As it turns out, when your using what sounds like a jet engine to burn spines and glochids off cactus fruit, a neighbor might get curious and walk over. If your lucky, your neighbor might decide to help pick once the threat of spines are gone.

If your really lucky, when your done burning fruit, your dad might ask you to handle an automotive task he's been having trouble with rather than pick fruit. "If you can change the fuel filter on my truck I'll finish doing this." Uh.... bathing in gasoline vs risking cactus spines, sign me up!.

So while I was busy burning fruit, I had two folks steady picking fruit behind me, and after burning fruit I was diverted to an easy automotive task. SCORE! I felt like Tom Sawyer.

Unfortunately both my helpers were not very cautious of the unburned pads, both got eat up. I expect the past 12 hours has not been pleasant for them. These things get EVERYWHERE and you find them for months when they get in your cloths.

Anyway, i'm a fan of this torch, never had one. It might actually be TOO hot. Word of caution, they will catch ANYTHING nearby on fire. Including a large 8' tall yucca with years of old dry leaves under it. So I got to play bucket brigade shuttling 5 gallon buckets of water across the yard.



So, on to the results.



Happy to report, less fruit than last year (200+ lbs was a TON of work). We still wound up with 170lb.

I think the three cactus we pull from are now past the point of vegetation vs fruit output size wise. I suspect (like grape vines do when they get too big) the plants are having to put more energy into supporting pads than they are producing fruit. In the next month or so i'm planning to prune them down significantly. I'll be potting some more ears as well.

Today i'll start processing the fruit into juice. I've got a new contraption that I've put together for this task, we will see if it works better than my previous method of cutting pears up with a knife prior to cooking down.

More to that later.

 

[Remshooter]

Just now seeing this thread, if anyone wants plants to root or come pick the fruit (what the squirrels and mice have not eaten) hit me up. Started with one plant we called mickey mouse for its shape. Planted on a hill hoping for erosion control. In probably 15 years it has covered the whole natural area. Best to plant in an area you can contain (area has concrete on all 4 sides) because as someone else said, they will spread and root anywhere.

 

[hp468]

Just now seeing this thread, if anyone wants plants to root or come pick the fruit (what the squirrels and mice have not eaten) hit me up. Started with one plant we called mickey mouse for its shape. Planted on a hill hoping for erosion control. In probably 15 years it has covered the whole natural area. Best to plant in an area you can contain (area has concrete on all 4 sides) because as someone else said, they will spread and root anywhere.

Awful generous of you. Your right, the bigger the plants get, the more they will break, fall and root. Its amazing how fast they can spread when left unattended.

Folks LOVE the jelly, but the painful times leading up to it seem to be not worth the squeeze for all but dumb rednecks like myself.

To be honest, I have no idea why I continue to do this. Its always a busy time of the year between canning, digging taters, family mess, etc. I suppose its just become a yearly tradition for us now.

 

[Catfish]

I'm interested... what conditions do these plants like? I assume full sun, sandy soil, but how do they do in the winter?

 

[hp468]

I believe they will grow on the moon.

They seem to grow anywhere around here, they like full/mostly full sun but will grow in the shade as well. Like most cactus a soil that drains would be preferred but like I said I’ve never seen one dead or die. They are as resilient a plant as anyone could want. My grandparents have one that’s been in the ground for 25-30 years, the cold has never hurt it.

 

[hp468]

The new setup this year, I don’t recall the brand but folks on the brewing forums have been using these to grind apples for juicing and cider with great results so I figured Id give it a try.

1hp disposal (all stainless internals), piece of aluminum, plywood, and some brackets to hold it to the kitchen island via the tool box handle. Need to add a tube to feed it, it slings seeds and juice out of the intake if it’s not covered.

This thing is absolutely ridiculous for juice processing. I’m buying a slew of apples next year and making cider.




So from around 50lbs of fruit, we ended with 9lbs of skin/seeds/pulp. I suspect I could freeze it all and press it out and maybe get another quarter gal or so but IMO that’s diminishing returns.

We should have 10-12 gal of juice this year

 

[Remshooter]

I'm interested... what conditions do these plants like? I assume full sun, sandy soil, but how do they do in the winter?

As mentioned above, they will grow about anywhere. These were planted in brick hard Rockingham County red clay and have taken over. They do like the sun. In the winter they just kind of layover on themselves, I guess kind of go dormant. Come spring they stand back up and bloom like crazy with beautiful flowers which my bees love.

 

[hp468]

3 am update. DONE.

All ground up, cooked down, strained, put in jugs.

Totals this year (unless my extremely tired brain miscounted the jugs) ~170 lb of fruit gave us 10.5 gallons.

Off to bed.

Edit:
After going back over numbers, the initial stated waste from the first batch was not accurate, I had already pitched out the cut ends. Waste from that run should have been ~16lb total. So after weighing containers after processing, final total fruit amount this year was 160lb. Seems like we had a better yield than last year, which I suspect is a direct result of the disposal grinding the fruit.

Final numbers:

160lb of Fruit
49-50lb of waste pulp
10.5 gallons of juice
and a deep freezer shelf that is NOT happy. 🤣

Going to try some new stuff this year:

Prickly Pear Jalapeno Jelly/jam
Syrup
Wine
and a few cookin recipes the wife has found for muffins/cakes.

The wife looked around at juice canning info on the web. She came up short so she sent an email to Jackie Clay. She confirmed the juice can be canned using the same water bath times as grape juice and other juices. IIRC 10 Min for Quarts. Worth noting, I do not know how canning the juice will preserve the color. Most things I've read say that the juice and wine will turn an orangish brown color over time, I've noticed this with the jelly when it starts to approach 8 months to a year old. Freezing has no effect on the color what so ever.