Do you sell small amounts of spineless cactus pads. I have a baby Sri Lanka star tortoise and I would like to get some cactus pads for him. I’ve been told that the cactus pads are very good food for him. He does not eat a whole lot though since he is small and I don’t want to buy a bunch and have it go bad on me. Let me know what amounts you sell and how much. What other items would be good for my tortoise that you sell.
Here’s my response,
I see you joined our mailing list… that is a good first start. When we have availability issues, the folks on the mailing list get first dibs at everything. Only when we are sure of supply do we open the leaves to the open world on the site.
It turns out we’re releasing an e-mail in two days, that will start the season off.
Our smallest batch is five pounds…. this is because shipping is the same for smaller batches using the Priority Mail, and we have to put packing material into the box to sell smaller amounts. So it’s not worth it to anyone to ship 2 lb batches. Most people see they get some three to four weeks storage for their leaves… just keep the box under a counter or something… folks are amazed how long they last.
This brings up the issue of monthly shipments… we give a discount for signing up for monthly shipments… and you don’t have to remember to order. Most people say if they still have cactus left over from the previous month, it is still good.
You could also eat a bit yourself from time to time. We grow it really for people to eat… but have found that marketing to tort people gives us more sales. There are many people who say that cactus is very healthy for people also.
Our five pound package will be selling for $25… shipping is included. Our five pound monthly subscription package will be selling for $23.
We don’t sell anything but cactus. And we grow all of the cactus we sell, and sell none but what we grow.
The mailing should go out Wednesday, and we’ll be picking and shipping before the weekend.
“All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today. – Chinese proverb”
“You cannot help men permanently by doing what they could and should do for themselves. You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred. You cannot build character and courage by taking away man’s initiative and independence.”
often attributed to Abraham Lincoln…. but I’m not sure if one of the greatest Presidents in US history actually said this… but it’s all really good words, thoughts and concepts
Here’s what I say….
An economy should be run like we would grow a plant… good soil is the key. Don’t worry about feeding your plants, feed the soil… the soil is the key. Jobs is the soil of an economy….. products and services are the grains of soil and humus (media in ag-speak), anything that reduces the free movement of goods and services is just like improper soil moisture or PH levels interfering in cation exchange on the soil molecular level. If protons are not being exchanged the soil will not be able to provide those nutrients to the plant roots. If products and services are not moving from producer to consumer then the system starts to break down.
While any government wants to have a hand on what is being exchanged, so it can claim some of the profit… a government that seems to claim the right to abrogate contracts, to forcibly renegotiate agreements can cause fear among the people with the pens to write the next generation of contracts. Business likes to have the future mapped out…. uncertainty leads to paralysis.
Chapter 57
Rule the kingdom with justice. Use surprise tactics to fight a war.
But it takes letting go to win and hold the world.
How do I know it is so? Through this: -
The more restrictive the laws in the kingdom, the poorer the people will be.
The more sharp weapons the people have, the more troubled and chaotic the state will be
and the less secure the people will be.
The more clever and advanced the people, the stranger the contrivances they will invent.
Law after law promulgates robbers and thieves.
Therefore the Master says: “I will let go of the law,
and the people will act rightly of their own accord,
I will love tranquility and the people will act with righteousness.”
“I will make no effort, and the people will prosper.
I will let go of all of my desires, and the people will return to native simplicity.”
Chapter 72
When the people have no more fear of oppression;
that is when oppressive forces will overtake them.
Do not restrict the people in their dwellings.
Do not oppress the people with heavy taxes and burdens.
If you do not wear the people out, they will not weary of you.
Therefore it is that sages know themselves well,
but this self-knowledge is not displayed for all to see.
The sage respects himself, but does not try to become admired.
He will choose self-knowledge and love, and set conceit and opinion aside.
Chapter 75
When the nation is in want of food,
it can be seen that the government officials are eating too much of the grain in excessive taxes.
And why are the people restive and hard to govern?
They are in a state of near rebellion due to the intrusive machinations of the government.
The people learn to make light of death when they strive to obtain goods and extravagant items.
They are relentlessly working to acquire more,
and look to death as a release from pursuit of material gain.
In this wise it is easy to not place too high a price on life.
Chapter 80
I see a small country of small population.
A simple folk, who even if highly skilled work simply and easily.
Tools are seldom used. They do not bother to invent time-saving appliances.
They would dearly love life, and would take care to avoid death.
Since they would love their homes and land, they would not care to wander.
Even with their horses, boats and carts, they do not wish to travel about.
Though they may have armor and weapons, these are kept out of sight.
These people would return to simple techniques for record keeping.
Their food would be tasty but simple;
their clothing would be unpretentious.
They would be content with their simple homes,
and the simple pleasures and customs of a simple people.
And even though there might be a neighboring land within sight,
so that the crowing of roosters and the barking of dogs can be heard from it;
these people will have lived their entire life without ever having gone to that country.
Government…. just pull back a bit and let the people work this out….
but keep yer hands out of our businesses and pockets.
Some of our best soil is in the little arroyo where we grow many of our plants. The nutrient-rich clay particles tend to unravel from the rock strata, and work their way into the arroyo where the rich gravelly soil provides the perfect blend of nutrients and moisture conditions.
But life doesn’t always lay everything you want at your feet, sometimes you need to go up that hill and work.
So, I build terraces on the hillside. The native soil on the hill is still very good for cactus. I just need to make it a bit better, and get water to it. there is a danger however in working hilly land. Newly disturbed soil is very prone to washing or blowing away… and this risk is increased exponentially with the degree of slope involved. For this reason, it is good to make a series of flat areas on the hillside, these are referred to as terraces.
Each terrace will provide a level and firm area that I will be able to get equipment onto to maintain the ground, add amendments, run irrigation and harvest from comfortably and safely.
The terrace will also help reduce soil and moisture loss. Ideally, when it rains the terraces will hold the water allowing it to infiltrate into the soil, adding to the groundwater, and making up for some of what I pull from the ground with the well pump. Under the best conditions, this hillside should have no water run off.
There are many ways to build terraces, and I have used several of them. We’ve built terraces using chicken wire and re-bar to hold the soil, we’ve also used galvanized metal as backing, and we’ve made terraces using tens of tons of waste concrete pieces from demo projects. But now as I work my way higher up the hill, carting tons of concrete uphill by hand is seeming like less a viable option. So now I am building the terraces with themselves. Yes, the ground alone will provide the backing for these structures.
Building in such a way is slower than using concrete or other backing material. You must allow the soil to heal after disturbance and placement… you should allow the local grasses to dig their roots into the terrace to help stabilize it. It is best done a bit at a time, over the course of a few years. This will give you the time to till the soil yearly, letting the grasses grow thick and strong locking the soil into place, then you come and till along the growing spots, leaving the structural areas of the terrace undisturbed. Year by year, this tiling can be done, allowing the soil to become more suitable to plant growth, until the time comes that you wish to plant. I think five years is a good time to consider proper from initial building, to the final planting of the crops. If necessary of course, a person could plant sooner, but that would be best done with many inputs to improve the soil. Since I am working so high up the hill, away from inputs, I prefer to work slow, with one tilling yearly as the soil slowly grows healthier, and one day, when I need the growing ground, we can easily plant and increase our harvest.
This is one terrace we cut into the hill some four years ago. We let the native grasses grow thick on this soil, and we till a strip down the center every spring. This will improve the soil where we will plant a row of cactus (someday). The grasses getting tilled in will slowly rot and release humic acid. The acids will etch the native shale rock, helping to break them down. I will then weed-whack the grasses on both sides in such a way that the grasses lay down over the exposed and vulnerable soil, acting as a protective mulch to prevent the wind from ripping along the hillside carrying away the soil I work so hard to build up. Year by year this soil becomes more amenable to planting…. I could plant cactus into this soil at any time I need the extra space.
terrace building
This is the same terrace with the weeds cut down to lay a protective blanket over the open soil. This soil will now sit through the summer, the weeds slowly rotting into the ground and some laying over the top. When the rains come again in the winter, the weeds will quickly grow in this improved soil, and we will repeat the process.
terrace building
This is the next terrace up the hill.
It is important that the native plants, and later introduced plants be allowed to fully colonize the soil with their roots. the plants are a large part of what keeps such a soil together.
Terraces much be maintained…. there are many places in the world where the young people have walked from their remote villages to make their fortunes in the cities, and now the world of terraces is full of old folks who cannot properly maintain the terraces that in some cases might be thousands of years old.
My thinking is that in this age of rising population, and scarcer resources, small hand-built terraces will again be seen as a viable agricultural alternative.
This is a low spine cactus… but it does still have spines.
The fruit is also relatively spiny… but it has a great texture and taste.
Opuntia ficus-indica 'Vandy alba'
We call this one ‘Vandy alba’. It has a very large white fruit of exceptional sweetness.
The leaves of this plant are far too spiny to try to eat….
but the fruit makes it all worthwhile
it is my favorite
I got this one on an old long-abandoned home site.
It had lasted about fifty years without being watered.
We’ve had it for about ten years and have only watered it once in the last three years.
Still it gives buckets of very good fruit.
This is a plant that makes the most of what it is given
Many in the world acknowledge the greatness of Tao,
but since it is so vast and far-reaching its greatness is difficult to comprehend.
But as it has been examined and studied for so long,
if it were not so great it would long ago have seemed smaller.
I have three great treasures that I cherish and hold fast to.
The first is compassion.
The second is simplicity,
And the third is not trying to be first in anything.
Having compassion I can demonstrate the noblest of courage.
With simple thinking and methods I am able to easily see the heart of things.
And daring to not be first in anything,
I can develop my abilities to the situation and accomplish much.
But courage without compassion leads to death,
looking deep into matters without simplicity will bog one down,
and developing ones abilities without taking the time
to allow them to adequately mature will result in immature actions.
But all who exhibit compassion in all matters will find their way guarded by the Tao.
Even the mighty warrior will find compassion to be his greatest ally.
Those whom heaven wishes to help are naturally provided with compassion,
this is your greatest treasure.
We had someone today ask us what the dimensions of the robusta are… so since a picture says a thousand words, I went out and took some photos…
Chapter 2
It is the world of man that defines ugly by comparing it with that which man calls beautiful.
Skillful is considered such by comparison to that which is called ‘without skill’.
Alive and non-alive are delineated by nature.
Difficult and easy are abstracted by our perception.
Long and short are defined by the one against the other.
High and low are reckoned so by the contrast of the one with the other.
Music is seen as pleasing if the notes and tones are recognized as being harmonious with each other. One in front, and one behind are recognized as one following the other.
It is for this reason that the sage lives in the condition of wu-wei
(unattached action, or; doing-not doing),
And teaches without words. He knows that names and images are fleeting, and all things will transform.
One who seems to follow tonight might lead another time.
He sees all that is done as neither large nor small.
All things are neither grand nor miniscule.
Actions are neither difficult, nor done with ease. He acts without expectation.
Things spring up around him, and he accepts them, but does not possess them.
Things go away, and he recognizes their departure without grief or joy.
When the work is done he leaves it be.
Because he does not dwell in it, it will last.
Opuntia robusta... spineless
I’ve had comments on the photos I show that display the sometimes odd bark structure of cactus. This photo is one such, sometimes the older leaves will develop a corking matter on them, other times this will peel off leaving odd shapes in the surface of the leaves. We don’t sell the leaves that have such patterns, but any leaf that is a few years old might display such characteristics.
It is much the same as an apple tree… the orchard manager might decide to show only the fruit… the old nobbly, gnarled and twisted tree might not be very attractive… but it is the fruit that counts.
Chapter 20
Discard relentless learning, and put an end to the anxiety in your harried mind.
What is the difference between yes and no?
What is the distinction between success and failure?
Must the sage fear what all others fear?
How preposterous,
these questions can be asked for as long as one seeks enlightenment.
It is to the sage’s advantage that he need not fear what others fear.
But it is to the advantage of most that they can enjoy the feast,
and celebrate in the terraced parks in the springtime.
I alone seem tranquil and still amidst the smiling revelers.
I am as expressionless as an infant before it learns to smile.
I do not know the minds of other people,
My mind is that of a fool, muddied and cloudy.
I am alone, with no true home.
Other people have enough and to spare,
I alone seem to have lost everything.
Other people enjoy all they need and more,
I alone have left everything behind.
Other people appear bright;
I alone seem wrapped in darkness.
Other people seem razor-sharp;
I alone am dull.
Other people are lucid,
I alone am obscure.
Everyone seems to know everything,
I alone have no knowledge.
I am like a wave on the ocean;
blowing as aimlessly as the wind, with no place to rest.
Others have purpose, taste and a sphere of action:
I alone am purposeless, unrefined and uncentered.
I do not share the fears of the people,
For creation nourishes me.
Opuntia robusta… spineless
This leaf has a young leaf on top of it, it is also starting to put out flowers…. the scarring is caused by ants last summer, they will bite into the skin of the leaf… the honeydew that comes out is harvested by the ants. We have a regular summertime ‘ant control’ campaign every summer. We go about with little jars of Safer’s Ant and Roach Killing Powder. Several times through the summer we will replace those with new bait stations that get moved about. The scarring is only cosmetic…. still, when people are buying leaves for planting, we try to pick out the nicer ones with the nicest shapes, sizes and minimal scarring.
Chapter 29
Do you wish to change the world?
If you wish to change the world,
and adjust it to your desires,
you cannot succeed.
The world is shaped by the Way;
the self cannot shape it.
If you tamper with it, you’ll ruin it.
If you treat it like an object, you’ll lose it.
The world is as it is, so;
Some will be leaders;
while others will be followers.
Some will be warm, others cold.
Some will be strong, others weak.
Some will get where they are going,
While others will fall by the side of the road.
The Master sees things as they are,
without trying to control them.
He lets them go their own way,
and resides at the center of the path.
Opuntia robusta... spineless
This patch is harvested yearly, the new leaves from the previous year are taken off and sold most years…
The leaves below the harvest-able leaves are perhaps some ten years old.
Robusta is an interesting plant, it has good quality leaves as young growth… and is quite an impressive plant when mature. It is also referred to as ‘Dinner-Plate Cactus’ for obvious reasons.
Chapter 48
Common learning consists in adding something new each day,
In pursuit of the Tao, every day something is dropped.
Day after day something else is lost,
until one reaches the point where one is able to do much by doing nothing.
Less and less you know and desire, until you reach the state of non-action.
By not striving to control the world, it offers itself to you.
You cannot master the world by trying to enforce change on it.
This is an homage to my Dad’s maternal Grandpa, a true Irishman (who’s last name was Gregory), he married a Cherokee woman…. which might be an explosive combination. May they both be happy in Fiddler’s Green and the Happy Hunting Ground
~Barney McKenna & The Dubliners~
‘Fiddler’s Green’
As I walked by the dockside one evening so rare
To view the still waters and take the salt air
I heard an old fisherman singing this song,
Oh take me away boys, me time is not long
Lock me up in me oilskins and jumper
No more on the docks I’ll be seen
Just tell me old shipmates I’m takin a trip mates
I’ll see you someday in Fiddler’s Green
Oh in Fiddler’s Green is a place I’ve heard tell
Where sailormen go if they don’t go to hell
Where the weather is fair and the dolphins do play
And the cold coast of Greenland is far far away
Where the skies are all clear and there’s never a gale
And the fish jump on board with a swish of their tails
Where you lie at your leisure – there’s no work to do
And the skipper’s below making tea for the crew
Oh and when you are docked and the long trip is through
There’s pubs and there’s clubs and there’s lassies there too
Where the girls are all pretty and the beer is all free
And there’s bottles of rum growin off every tree
Oh I don’t want a harp nor a halo, not me
Just give me a breeze and a good rollin sea
And I’ll play me auld squeezebox as we sail along
With the wind in the riggin’ to sing me this song
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And the classic Irish Sentimental Ballad
‘A Song For Ireland’
which has become an unofficial National Anthem….
Walking all the day, near tall towers
where falcons build their nests
Siver winged they fly,
they know the call of freedom in their breasts
Saw Black Head against the sky
with twisted rocks that run down to the sea
Living on your western shore,
saw summer sunsets, asked for more
I stood by your Atlantic sea
and sang a song for Ireland
Talking all the day with true friends
who try to make you stay
Telling jokes and news,
singing songs to pass the night away
Watched the Galway salmon run
like silver dancing, darting in the sun
Living on your western shore
saw summer sunsets, asked for more
I stood by your Atlantic sea
and sang a song for Ireland
Drinking all the day in old pubs
where fiddlers love to play
Someone touched the bow,
he played a reel
it seemed so fine and gay
Stood on Dingle beach and cast
in wild foam we found Atlantic bass
Living on your western shore,
saw summer sunsets asked for more
I stood by your Atlantic sea
and sang a song for Ireland
Dreaming in the night I saw a land
where no man had to fight
Waking in your dawn
I saw you crying in the morning light
Lying where the falcons fly,
they twist and turn all in your air-blue sky
Living on your western shore,
saw summer sunsets asked for more
I stood by your Atlantic sea
and sang a song for Ireland
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And the most classic of all Irish Ballads
‘Danny Boy’
~Michael Londra~
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Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
from glen to glen, and down the mountainside
The summer’s gone, and all the flowers are dying
‘Tis you, ’tis you must go, and I must bide
But come ye back when summer’s in the meadow
Or when the valley’s hushed and white with snow
‘Tis I’ll be here in sunshine or in shadow
Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so.
And if you come, when all the flowers are dying
And I am dead, as dead I well may be
You’ll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an “Ave” there for me.
And I shall hear, tho’ soft you tread above me
And all my dreams will warm and sweeter be
If you’ll not fail to tell me that you love me
I’ll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.
I’ll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.
Peace is such a hard thing to hold on to. God bless all who seek it.
