Agave & Cactus Talk
Talking about Agave & Cactus from farms to products. I will cover using permaculture practices on farms for the new industry of California Agave & Cactus, such as the use of animals & biomimicry. California Agave today is mainly being used for spirits, and cactus fruit is mainly being used for consumption or wine. I farm both agave & cactus in Hi Vista & Lancaster, which are cities in Northeast Los Angeles County, & in the Western Mojave Desert. I will talk about my experiences, observations, opinions & tips on Agave & Cactus farming in California. I will cover what i believe the future is for these 2 plant families in california, what products i believe they most will be used for, and exciting plants. Some examples of agave products can include fiber, food, inulin, spirits, or syrup. Cactus products can be animal forage, fruit, jams, juices, & wine. Both agave and Cactus can be great plants to add for fire protection as their leaves are full of water. I will also cover the use of animals such as goats on my farms, and various systems i use to improve it, such as rainwater collection. If you have any topics you would like me to cover, or any questions feel free to leave a comment.
Episodes

Friday Jan 24, 2025
Friday Jan 24, 2025
Today, i talk about cactus farming in Tunisia. I mention some of the problems they are encountering and some lessons that California and global Cactus can learn from this particular problem. As more farmers around the world begin to plant cactus, they should learn from case studies in tunisia, mexico, and brazil. Much like in agave, Africa is a large cactus producing region, so it was interesting for me to brainstorm how I'd attack this issue in Tunisia as well if they called me one day. If you have questions, as always, hit me up here with a comment or on IG(farmingandgardeningcalifornia) or Youtube (Agavero Californiano).

Saturday Jan 18, 2025
Saturday Jan 18, 2025
This episode is me talking about what lessons i believe can be learned from my loss of agave genetics in the Eaton fire in Altadena, CA. What lessons may be applied to you and the larger goal of preserving agave genetics.

Thursday Jan 16, 2025
Thursday Jan 16, 2025
Talking about different trees I plant with my agave and cactus, why I am planting them and what uses I have for them or what direction I’m exploring with them. Trees and agave can coexist well for added value and profitability and this small list is just a primer. Use it to see what useful trees you can use in your agave and cactus fields. **Reuploaded bc wind and road noise was bothering me, so i used an AI to strip the background noise out**

Monday Dec 30, 2024
Monday Dec 30, 2024
Today i talked about a very interesting article i read talking about tequila overproduction and the drop in sales. It was called "Mexico left with 500 mn liter tequila lake after demand slows" coming out of the financial times and written by Madeleine Speed and Christine Murray. I talk about opinions, implications and observations of the tequila industry with this article in perspective. Lots to talk about here with reference to agave, agave farming and california agave. Enjoy! Happy new year to everyone!

Thursday Dec 26, 2024
Thursday Dec 26, 2024
Today I talk about a very interesting article titled : The agave beverage with antioxidant properties backed by Tex Researchers, published by the tecscience news arm of the universidad tecnológico de Monterey. I wanted to highlight this amazing article and talk a little about why more people should be researching and crafting agave syrup of many different agave species.

Monday Dec 23, 2024
Monday Dec 23, 2024
Today i talk about Brazil and how Indigenous brazilians are using native brazilian cactus, such as mandacaru, to combat the loss of the dry forrest ecosystem. I also talk about cactus farming in brazil in general. Brazil is one of the most influential countries in cactus research and farming, so i found it fun to talk about them on the podcast.

Monday Dec 23, 2024
Monday Dec 23, 2024
Today we are talking about cactus farming in Italy and my recommendation for the country. I hope to see a diverse cactus polyculture, not a copycat of the world problems with a opuntia ficus indica monoculture. Lessons Italy must learn and implications of Italy succeeding for Europe.

Sunday Dec 22, 2024
Sunday Dec 22, 2024
Top 10 list of my biggest issues with agave farming in Mexico and around the world. This podcast is so that new agave farmers globally do not make the same mistakes and they learn to avoid them. As many countries start and expand the cultivation of agave we want them to take inspiration from the ecologically sound farms that are biodiverse and care about culture and people, not the big ag, monoculture & heavy machinery systems. Lots to learn from and improve on.

Saturday Dec 21, 2024
Saturday Dec 21, 2024
Today I go into 5 cold hardy agaves that may be planted around the United States, as they are super cold hardy(-22F-10F) and can take snow, wind, high elevation and drought. They are Agave Utahensis, Agave Parryi, Agave Montana, Agave Chrysantha & Agave Havardiana. I give some info on their potential for use in the USA and why I love them.

Monday Dec 09, 2024
Monday Dec 09, 2024
Agave & Cactus Talk # 7 - Chatting about agave and tequila with my friend. We go into Agave and Mexican culture, CA Agave spirits, global agave, agave business and how farmers/distillers can succeed, how we can help small brands, and even a little about nopales and cactus farming. Very interesting questions and conversation. You dont want to miss it. Have a Great day everyone, and make sure to follow el tequilero 90 on Instagram for more tequila content.
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