The mesquite pods have been starting to fall off the trees and I finally had a chance today to start picking some. The key is to pick them when they are completely dry, wash them, dry them again, and keep them in a breathable container until it is time to mill. Milling is a tricky business because the high sugar content of the pods will gum up regular grinders. What is needed is a hammer mill which prevents this problem. This year, as in years previously, we’ll have a Mesquite Festival around the end of October which feature mesquite pancakes with prickly pear syrup and a chance for people to bring their pods in to be milled. It feels good to “live in place”.