Saguaro and Ironwood Harvest

2400 East Chandler Boulevard,Phoenix AZ 85048

18 July, 2021

Description

Saguaro and Ironwood Harvesting You are invited to a summer harvest event this Sunday, July 18, at 3:30 p.m. Ironwood tree beans are shown in the photo. They are ripe when they turn brown. They taste similar to soy beans, peanuts, or hazelwood nuts, and contain about 32% protein. They are native to the Sonoran Desert, with gray bark and lavender blossoms in spring, and can live for over 1000 years. We'll meet near 2400 E. Chandler Blvd. at my home. I will email you the exact location after your tickets are purchased. We will meet at my home in Ahwatukee to: Learn how to process mesquite beans for storage Learn how to make mesquite flour with a home machine Learn how to prepare, roast, and store ironwood beansLearn how to prepare and store saguaro fruits and seeds Enjoy a tasting of wild desert foods including paloverde, ironwood, and mesquite beans. We will harvest native desert tobacco (Nicotiana obtusifolia) in my yard as well as elephant food (originating in Africa and a common Phoenix landscaping plant--Portulacaria afra) leaves. At approximately 5:00 we will caravan to a nearby neighborhood to learn: How to harvest saguaro cactus fruits. You will each have the opportunity to harvest one or two fruits with a retractable pole. This is done in the spirit of honoring the local tribal communities that have been harvesting these unique and beautiful plants for centuries. We will then caravan to an ironwood tree in another nearby neighborhood and harvest some of its beans. Children are welcome to attend if they have shown a strong interest in plants. I will have products such as mesquite flour, prickly pear syrup, and pickled yucca blossoms available for sale.