Mesquite Harvesting Time!

Learn all about mesquite harvesting this month with Desert Harvesters’ events.
photo courtesy Desert Harvesters

While accustomed mesquite pod collectors know that June marks the beginning of the harvest, they also know they generally have to find a place to store their pods for months before the Desert Harvesters’ November milling events. Alas, the storage and waiting period is over! This year, the organization is hosting several events in June to educate people about harvesting, along with offering milling.

On Thursday, June 19, separate walking (5 p.m.) and biking (6 p.m.) tours are schedule and will help participants “identify and sample the best-tasting mesquite trees, how to harvest safely, ethically, and responsibly, and cool tricks,” says the press release. That same day are bean tree processing demonstrations where attendees can learn how to “turn milled or whole desert ironwood seeds, palo verde seeds, and mesquite pods into numerous tasty dishes ranging from sprouts to edamame to desert peanuts to atole to sauces and beyond.” That runs from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Both events are based at the Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market, 100 S. Avenida del Convento (west of I-10 at Congress and Grande).

On Sunday, June 22 at Exo Roast Co., 403 N. 6th Ave., mesquite harvesters can get their pods milled from 6 a.m.-9 a.m. “Pods for milling must be clean, dry, and free of mold/fungus, stones, leaves, and other debris. Cost: $3/gallon of whole pods, with a minimum of $10.” The event also will feature: “A native wild foods demonstration, highlighting what’s in harvest season now; Exo’s mesquite-, mole-, and chiltepin-infused coffees, mesquite baked goods and cactus fruit popsicles; sale of seeds and seedlings of the best-tasting native bean trees and chiltepines—so you can plant yours in time for the rains.”

Find more information at DesertHarvesters.org.

Category: Community, DOWNTOWN / UNIVERSITY / 4TH AVE