Hey Mikey!
Prickly pear is to the Southwest what kudzu is to the South. If you don’t want it to grow, don’t let it touch the ground. You haven’t worked a lot with prickly pear? You’re in for a real treat. ;) It’s not really the long, obvious sharp spine you have to worry about, although those are really annoying when they stick you and break off under your skin… but those are fairly easy to avoid. It’s the little “fuzzy” looking things down at the base of those spines that you have to watch for. Once they’re in your skin they’re almost impossible to get out and they’ll irritate you for several days…like having 100 little paper cuts. Don’t use cloth gloves. Good, heavy leather gloves will work. The spines and little stickers can be burned off but since you’re after the juice that probably wouldn’t be a good idea.
You asked about the valuable part of the prickly pear? Weeeeeellll…..I guess that all depends on your perspective. ;) It’s valuable *entertainment* for me…I douse it with lots of combustible material and light up the sky while waiting with my shotgun for snakes to come zooming out. GREAT entertainment. But that’s probably not what you were asking, was it. ;) All parts of the prickly pear (with the exception of the spines) are edible and parts are medicinal. There’s really a lot of enthusiasm these days for a treatment for diabetics since what the Mexican people have known for probably centuries has recently been proven that the prickly pear will help the pancreas produce insulin. You can cook prickly pear like squash, thicken stews with it, make wine & jelly with the fruit, or eat it raw (after you’ve peeled it). If you want recipes to eat them, let me know or there’s lots of recipes on the ‘net.
I found an old article that I’d saved about prickly pear whitewash. Since it’s an old article from before the days of multi-gig hard drives I didn’t save all of it like who wrote it or where it was published. Synopsis follows:
The prickly pear is used in making a highly effective water-proof paint for homes. The technique originated in Mexican rural areas and is probably pre-Columbian. It was mostly used in the 16th to 18th centuries for painting churches and convents and the smooth paint gave a shiny, silk-like finish if egg whites were added to the mixture. A type of whitewashing is also excellent for animal housing (chicken coops, stables, etc…) because it acts as a germicide and sealer, which prevents the formation of bacteria and the nesting of insects. Stables, hen and rabbit houses should be whitewashed at least two times a year.
The waterproofing substance is made by adding water to chopped paddles of the cactus, lime and salt in the right proportions. About 25 gallons of water is added to 20 chopped stems of the prickly pear cactus (with or without the spines).
Chopped stems should be soaked in water for 24 to 48 hours. The mixture is then strained to remove the chopped stems, leaving only the slimy water. To this decanted fluid is added a mixture of about 40# of lime and 4# common salt.
A thick white paint will form, and it is then used for painting. It is recommended that at least two coats of this paint should be applied within a minimal interval of 24 hours. This paint gives an intense white color to any kind of wall. Painting ferro-cement structures with this special whitewash seals the cracks that may have formed in the setting of the cement. The waterproofing effect is 100 per cent. The whitewash also results in better lighting, as white reflects light in the inside of the buildings. The paint on the outside results in the reflection of sunlight and thus diminishes heat
Thought that might interest you. Good luck and keep those little stickers out of your hands & clothes!
Pat
From:
Sent: Monday, July 02, 2007 9:36 AM
To:
Subject: [papercreters] prickly pear
I've been offered large amounts of prickly pear from a nearby farm that
is doing some landscaping. I don't know much about using it with
papercrete, but I bet some folks on this list do.
Here is what I've found so far about prickly pear and papercrete.
- cement substitute in plaster - quicklime (slack it) add the prickly
pear cactus gel.
- sealing papercrete - applying prickly pear mucilage.
- cement substitute in papercrete - no recipe found.
Questions:
1. What part of the prickly pear is valuable? The paddles or the fruit, or
both?
2. How do I Break down prickly pear? Tow behind? In my usual stucco or
block mix?
3. How do I spray prickly pear mucilage? Airless paint sprayer or
tirolessa?
4. Recipes?
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