Survival Foraging for Prickly Pear Fruits!

[@dylanstoecker4101]

My wife and I harvested fruits from this same canyon a few years back and made margaritas haha. Hidden gem of San Diego for sure, they are everywhere.

[@epicgardening]

Totally...shhh ;)

[@wchiwinky]

PP margaritas are my faves!

[@BrainStormAcres]

Great forage trip. We use kitchen tongs to pick the fruit. We found that even using gloves we ended up with the almost invisible spines somewhere in our hands or lower arms. The tongs pretty much eliminated getting those spines. Hope we have a good harvest this year here in Northern Arizona.

[@epicgardening]

Yeah, it's really really hard to avoid them haha

[@BrainStormAcres]

Epic Gardening we’ve used very sticky tape to grab those that are translucent. Duct tape would work, but it removes some skin. 🥴😂😱

[@VelvetandToads]

BrainStormAcres I use tongs to pick them in the South of France (I’m based in Paris) but it never occurred to me to use rape for the fine spines. Will try!

[@gohawks3571]

Excellent! My dog causes me to need to walk with tongs anyway (ever try to get a cactus ball off a dog freaking out? Yeah....). Yeah, my dog is kinda dumb. I guess I must be too...

[@Growmap]

Yes, I just use long tongs to pick them. And I don't bother to burn the glochids off. Just grab one with the tongs, cut off the small end, slice in half lengthwise, and then scoop the fruit out with a spoon. I guess I pick mine younger as the seeds were never too hard to eat.

[@richardwilliams3497]

I live in San Diego too. I picked some the other week and sprouted the seeds. They are growing nicely!

[@epicgardening]

NICE!

[@unstoppabledoris]

Neat idea, i will follow your lead and sprout some too

[@hertert7710]

@@unstoppabledoris if you take a pad and stick it in the ground it will root, it's faster than planting it from seed.

[@delucastudios3097]

@@hertert7710 right away? How do you water etc

[@hertert7710]

@@delucastudios3097 i live in a humid climate, so i only watered it once when i planted it. In a dry climate it would be different. Maybe check out the soil every 2 weeks, and if it's completely dry give it some water.

[@yagoa]

you can use a tiny jet torch to clear the spines, much easier imo since you need to cut them later anyway

[@juniorgc8]

I grew up in Mexico and in then in the US again when moved. They are delicious and good for you, you can also eat the younger cactus leaves themselves delicious sources of food too

[@jiiri1175]

Harvested a few of these last year that grew around the local honey stand. The skins make a fantastic paint/dye 💜

[@yairvsync]

I'm from Israel and we have a lot of those, some purple inside, some yellow, some green. Those plants were imported over a hundred years ago from South America to use as barriers dividing farming fields, keeping away unwanted "guests". Before even those days, it was used mostly for its strong purple color, for coloring cloths although it's free to pick anywhere and very common, it's sold at extremely high price at the supermarket. I personally pick without gloves, but with a "smart" long stick I bought which has 2 clips at the end and a handle at the beginning for pressong those clips and then i can pick fruits anywhere without getting near. I also wash them in water and scrub lightly to remove thorns. works very well and fast. the way we open them there isn't like you've showed, I was actually shocked to see the way you did it. We cut off both ends and then make thin cuts across the ends, all around, about 4-5 of them, and peel it.

[@samartinez1988]

Gardeners are more important than people realize. Thanks again, Brother.

[@stardustgirl2904]

I have been watching Depression cooking, with Clara and she said her family made it through the Depression, because her Father had a garden!!! I think it would be very helpful, if we could start gardening more,especially in the current situation we are all currently in!

[@samartinez1988]

@@stardustgirl2904 you're definitely on the right track

[@epicgardening]

Appreciate you

[@epicgardening]

Couldn't agree more

[@stardustgirl2904]

@@epicgardening The only thing is all my older family members have passed on now! So it's left to me to try and figure all this out! It's a bit overwhelming at time's! My uncle died last Christmas,he was the last of the gardeners of my family!😭When I plant something or water a planet I feel closer to him!👍🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷

[@sarahmccary7987]

I was born in Oceaside and traveled to San Diego often as a child. Now I live all the way in South Georgia and I miss that Southern California weather. Nothing like it. Never had an opportunity to taste Prickly Pear Fruit

[@simplifygardening]

Wow Kevin. What a great resource to have close by to you

[@epicgardening]

Yeah I'm stoked!

[@victorscof5464]

Damn dude stop giving away all my apocalypse tricks

[@epicgardening]

Sorry brotha

[@tshephard2793]

Hi Kevin, great video. Was told by my Dr once ( who was Italian decent) that prickly pears are very healthy. In fact they are well known to drop your blood sugar levels quite alot. So a word of warning for diabetics that you need to compensate your sugar levels if eating these fruits. (Avoiding consumption maybe easier)

[@epicgardening]

No way - didn't know this! Will have to research

[@tshephard2793]

They are super healthy man. I'm in Australia, and the ppl that mainly grow/ eat them are of European heritage. They are considered a noxious weed over here when not in there controlled environment, but they are definitely worth growing if you have the room. A friend of mine even has a yellow flesh variety which is tasty !

[@pompey333]

I love prickly pear they even grow here in Wisconsin! Although you rarely see them reach that size as the wild life here loves to eat them. Some people i know have grown them outdoors and put fences around them and they have gotten about 3 to 4 ft tall. Delicious fruit prickly pear and meyers lemons make a great lemonade.

[@LuiGeeOnline]

We usually put these in the fridge to cool down and especially during summer is like eating a cold watermelon slice, also the best way to peel these is by cutting both ends and slicing the skin down the middle and peel, it will come right off :)

[@epicgardening]

Oh that's smart!

[@Growmap]

@@epicgardening That seems like more work to me. I don't even bother burning or rubbing the spines off. Just grab one with the tongs, cut off the small end, slice in half lengthwise, hold a half with the tongs and scoop out the fruit with a spoon. In the summer, I'd put the scooped out pieces into a canning jar and refrigerate them to snack on easily later.

[@slowpoke4557]

I'm trying to get my prickly pear garden going and am turning to several resources, like you, for help. I think you were the 1st KZbin video I saw on dragon fruit.... so THANK YOU!

[@BubbaStew]

Yeaaaahhh man!!! I’m surrounded with prickly pear! Made a nice mead last year with them! Such a treat!

[@epicgardening]

Mead...NICE!

[@marydoogan2486]

As always, I totally love the info you share with us. Also very impressed how you maintain politeness with the trolling and negativity. 😊👍🏻

[@epicgardening]

Appreciute it, Mary :)

[@M..M.M.]

Nice bro , the content give me nostalgia . When I was 7 living back in the south , I use to take a stick or rocks and bring the prickly pears down to the ground then whit the same stick I " clean " them by shaking it on the grass and after I open them whit my hands ... I always get a few spikes on me but those purple Tunas are worth it . Good video , Cheers

[@epicgardening]

Amazing - glad to bring back the nostalgia

[@nadianaturally8792]

That canyon was gorgeous 😍

[@delucastudios3097]

Right

[@ameliatribeofissachar7311]

Thank you for taking me on this tour with you. That was soooooo awesome!!! Loved it. You are a blessing

[@epicgardening]

Thnk you!

[@RecyclingMama]

I have never burned off those needles, great tip. I just stick a fork into the middle, cut the top and bottom off, score the peel (just to the flesh) . Then you can just roll the flesh from the peel. These are so awesome on hot day, they cool and hydrate your body instantly!

[@epicgardening]

LOL ouch. Yeah so hydrating!

[@gohawks3571]

Yummy, made me hungry 😂 If I planted a prickly pear, are they the kind of plant that spreads all over? It would be cool to have one- 1!

[@VelvetandToads]

I’ve lived in Paris for years but grew up in San Diego and can’t stop thinking about all the wild (urban...) edibles I used to walk right past unaware! I now pick prickly pears and nasturtiums whenever in the South of France. Just waiting out the pandemic to head back down. I make jam already but would love to learn how to make that drink element you mentioned! Love your channel. Makes me homesick.

[@epicgardening]

Yeah, so many around! Glad you are finding them in France :)

[@M4NNHEIM]

Kevin, if you have the bandwidth, I think it would be cool if you could do a tutorial on extracting and sowing the seeds. It might be a cool little project to cure some COVID-19 blues.

[@epicgardening]

I will see if I can make it happen but no promises!

[@javierguzman7929]

Those are calle tunas and the plants are called Nopales

[@ashtonnie]

Two questions (1) How do you know when the pears are ripe? (2) When will you do videos on prickly pear recipes? Would love to know how to make a jam 😁

[@epicgardening]

They're quite full looking and take on a richer color, plus they're plump to the touch

[@markhambrook167]

Still discovering so many of your fabulous vidoes!!!! This one quite the throwback!! lol : )

[@doodahgurlie]

How awesome to just be able to wander around and pick off prickly pears! I love eating them because they have this cooling effect during the warm months. They taste very much like the red fleshed dragon fruits, but with a heckuva lot bigger seeds (odd since it's smaller than the dragon fruit).

[@epicgardening]

Yeah they really do! Cacti fruits are so interesting

[@redherringbone]

My Gramm put me on to these while on a neighborhood walk. The taste of this fruit is out of this world. True, you have to just roll it around in your mouth to eat it. Those seeds will crack a tooth!

[@epicgardening]

Yeah the seeds are HARD

[@simonebourgeois9544]

🤣I found out the hard way when I was in high school 🤦‍♀️ Tip: if your hand turns into a cactus after grabbing the fruit with out gloves rub Elmer's Glue over hands & pull the glue off & wahala.

[@VelvetandToads]

Simone Bourgeois Wow, great tip! Taking note.

[@epicgardening]

Smart!

[@lemusiciensolitaire8792]

Those cacti are sooooooooo beautiful ♡♡♡♡♡ I want them in my room😅😅

[@lynnsey9343]

Yum, I'm in Texas, hoping my seeds grow so I can use them for both foods on the plant as well as decorating property and giving back to wildlife.

[@mahnamahna3252]

I love that you stressed how you took only what you could use. NOT all of them. Yeah sustainability 👊😎

[@tinamarie7831]

I love prickly pears they also have good benefits to your health and you can also eat the new cactus when they grow out, in Spanish there called nopalitos, they have them in some super markets. My grandmother made them with eggs....😋

[@epicgardening]

Yeah they are soooo good

[@tinamarie7831]

And healthy for you!

[@extanegautham8950]

yeah, nasturiums flowers are excellent in salad and have an old home made wine book, they made it into wine in england, and i imagine you could cook the leaves.

[@downunderfulla6001]

It makes awesome jam. Unique flavour

[@epicgardening]

One of my favs on pancakes

[@christinahutchison3967]

I live in zone five and I had a huge stand of the prickly Pear cactus that wooden flower and have fruit. It’s amazing how well they do in below freezing temperatures.

[@epicgardening]

Wow in zone 5 huh? That's amazing

[@wildedibles819]

I enjoyed that it's the only cacti you can find in Canada... I have one from Alberta... I have a variety found in th US growing too I hope one day I can taste their fruits... We get them in the store sometimes but never had to burn the hair off b4... It would increase the sweetness like grapes do roasted yumyum ty

[@epicgardening]

Glad you guys get some up there!

[@pkendall99]

I turn prickly pear into a syrup and use it in Kombucha and Soda water

[@gardenlady1293]

When I lived OK long ago I made a juice with prickly pear and sumac which is sort of lemon-flavored. Delicious

[@epicgardening]

Oh sumac is so good! Great for drinks

[@aimeegramblin1051]

Those nasturtiums are beautiful! I am growing a thornless prickly pear but haven't tried it to eat yet.

[@jamtea388]

Your area is so beautiful! And so many nasturtiums. I have some little opuntia as houseplants and I always end up handling them without gloves and then just picking the thorns out after. Mostly because my hands are weirdly square and I can never find gloves that fit.

[@passionsofacowgirl7048]

these make the most amazing wine!! I eat the tuna's as well call them here in TExas, on my salad instead of tomato's! They stain like the dickens but so worth it!!

[@rebelpepper7397]

I miss harvesting these. My grandmother had tons on her property. She used to make all kinds of goodies. Also, saguaro cactus fruit. They ripen in late June early July though.

[@epicgardening]

I'll be on the lookout this July :)

[@riyadhmodel7766]

Can you please advice on the appropriate size for the container I should use for growing Prickly Pears ?

[@beinggreen24]

Yummy. Thanks for showing us how's it's done.

[@epicgardening]

You're welcome!

[@ivanpadilla1936]

Those palm trees near by also grow super small, but super sweet dates. I call them desert grapes.

[@shoulders-of-giants]

Those are my favorite fruit.

[@epicgardening]

They're up on my list too :)

[@nancywells5626]

I have some in my yard in Central Florida, east coast. Protective gloves are a must. Those prickly things are hard to see, but your flesh will let you know they are there.

[@ltlbnsgarden]

Great find! I love prickly pear. They are super sweet 😋

[@queenSummerKeli]

Love love prickly pears!!!

[@chuezo8225]

thank you for the tip!! now i can go and get some too!!!

[@unstoppabledoris]

Que hermosura! Absolutely lovely!

[@sdreefsurf]

I haven't hiked here but I know the spot lol It's safe with me bc I know of other more off the beaten spots. Those miner's lettuce are great though! I'm starting to see some out on trails too. And I'll take a few to add to my tacos or whatever. Good video!

[@lavernebufmack5091]

Thank you!

[@lemusiciensolitaire8792]

Hello!!! I just saw your vlog/article on the coral cactus. Are you making a video on it soon? I'd like to know if I should buy one for me. Is it bound to die given than it's grafted? Or does it live and thrive like a normal cactus? Many thanks handsome!

[@dw9671]

Peace from Bermuda...We have lots of these growing wild on island.

[@epicgardening]

Love it!

[@TheThrivingLady]

Looks yummy! Thank you for sharing your adventure. I'd be too scared to walk across that bridge, let alone pick cacti. I'm pretty tame, so I have to live vicariously through people like you! Great video.

[@epicgardening]

Hahah well glad to provide some adventure!

[@curlyswirly]

Foraging is my dream! I think it's the Asian in me. LOL. There's something so exciting about stumbling upon stuff you can pick out in the wild! I was taking a walk around my apartment complex and found a whole ass olive tree! All the fruits were over ripped but now I know that there's an olive tree around! BTW, can you talk about natal plums in one of your videos??

[@johnnypatrickhaus890]

Good foraging advice. "When you pick a Paw Paw, or a Prickly Pear, and you prick your paw paw, next time beware" Good advice from a bear 🐾🐻👍

[@epicgardening]

:P

[@meofamerica811]

Johnny Patrickhaus thanks mogli

[@meofamerica811]

Johnny Patrickhaus or baloo

[@RichardCMongler]

Do you ever go out and plant some cool stuff like that for other people to find?

[@epicgardening]

I've got enough on my hands in my own garden!

[@RichardCMongler]

@@epicgardening haha fair enough

[@shoulders-of-giants]

You can plant the seeds.

[@yedid914]

You can plant a leave also, greetings! 👍🏻

[@memejeff]

Damn, I have never tried them super fresh. They looks so tasty and juicy.

[@samuelmcdaniel4499]

You should make a video of growing your own prickly pear fruit

[@lotuswrites8905]

Those look so delicious! I haven't had some in a while. Lol I've never "roasted" mine first😂 Maybe next time I'll try it. 💜💜

[@epicgardening]

It's a bit extreme, but guarantee no spikes!

[@yedid914]

Ha ha ha I agree with you, it's funny way to do, if you're Mexican (which is my case) can't stop laughing 🤣🤣🤣🤣✋🏻 greetings!

[@renaea.1695]

You can also eat the cactus leaves I guess you could call it the big green ones they taste like lemon

[@epicgardening]

Yup! Great as a vegetarian taco filling

[@WhatWeDoChannel]

That was very interesting! That was a very scenic area! Klaus

[@epicgardening]

Very much so!

[@castandspear]

The EPIC Forager!

[@epicgardening]

New channel :P

[@juhgfdsapiyhhnnxc3517]

Light watermelon and blackberry flavor

[@dream.fiiend]

Sweeet cutting board!

[@epicgardening]

Boos Blocks for life!

[@wingnox]

In Florida it grows wild off the florida trail we eat them as we go

[@mikekeller61]

I recognized that bridge immediately, but have never been on that trail. Going to have to take a meander down there and see if you (or anyone else from the area that recognized it) have left any behind.

[@epicgardening]

Still some left - and Maple Canyon is a GREAT walk!

[@Susanna79.]

Yuuuuuuuuum the red ones are my favourite 💜💜💜

[@lyssbeth]

If you make a vertical cut (deep enough for all of the skin) you can peel it off

[@MsJeanneMarie]

Wow, California is so lush!! I know is this obvious but it’s still sort of a stark contrast to Virginia foliage.

[@billyd7628]

nah its march so just after the rainy season. if it was the middle of summer you would see just dead dry plants.

[@mattv5281]

Can you do a review of those gloves? They look awesome, but are they worth the price?

[@epicgardening]

I will do it if there's enough interest!

[@minedustry]

Totally interested if they can stand up to blackberry thorns as well

[@randihester4981]

It's like a very spiky red kiwi

[@meestamonsieur5357]

Will you grow these from the seeds in the fruits you collected?

[@RekhakarkiKhati]

I would atleast get 100 Of them, blend them after peeling with water and sieve the mixture to extract juice, theyre so healthy

[@ZonaFigs]

Epic as always Eric... 😂 mean Kevin

[@extanegautham8950]

minute i saw the palm tree i knew exactly which canyon this is b/c i have photographed those trees and cactus. ....gonna get some gloves. and then as you were walking i recognized the houses and the law office, my old neighborhood. let's keep it a secret!

[@jamesmaruca3437]

So jealous. Of course those don’t grow in Canada.... but I can find them at the Italian market sometimes 👍🏻😁🤞🏻

[@billyd7628]

they do grow in canada actually. there are some really cold tolerant opuntia that grow in your country.

[@fignewton0000]

New drinking game 1 shot for every time he says "come through"

[@epicgardening]

Be safe out there

[@shotblocker34]

Ha! I know that bridge/canyon 😁👍🏼

[@epicgardening]

;)

[@padronopusx6460]

I think I saw some date palms in the background. Are you ever gonna do a date palm episode?

[@sintay8002]

Hey, I’ve been there, wasn’t sure if I could just harvest anything but that’s cool

[@claudiasalinas7203]

Can we grow these at home or no? I want some, where I’m from we eat all the plant. 😊

[@TheBisexualMess]

Did you ever take a pad with you to grow on your property?

[@Shane-zl9ry]

I have a bunch of these in my backyard, but I never pick them. ha!

[@epicgardening]

Time to start!

[@umichgal1]

Use them! :)

[@angelaharvey4506]

We roll them in the dirt and the pricklys automatically fall off than u cut both ends off than a split down across than peel off that's how we do them in Mexico

[@epicgardening]

Oh no way, smart!

[@mariazavala8845]

My cactus is getting Yello from a spot anyone know why and what do I do to avoid it

[@katieb710]

How do you know when they are ripe?

[@werftv4580]

those pears are probably leftovers from late fall.. nice work man..

[@killerjdog51]

Can you grow Prickly Pears in pots/gardens?

[@raydurganjr3226]

how is that fruiting now?i have one in my garden and its empty

[@epicgardening]

Climate!

[@SeededandRooted]

So rich in color tfs

[@Spacecowboy1101]

Nopales great for diabetes and also in smoothies

[@Californiagent]

How can we grow it

[@dannyleonidas4328]

Dont want to eat too many because a friend if mine ended up in the hospital with serious constipation from the seeds backing him up.

[@tacooflove6175]

I used to just rub them on rocks to get rid of the spikes then bite into them 🙂 they are very yummy 🤤