Hey Everyone! Greetings from Tucson!
Last week someone told me about finding some chiltepin plants with ripe berries at a local nature park that happens to be three miles from my home. So, yesterday I took a stroll through the park!
Before entering the park, there were a couple of chiltepin bushes out front. Of course, I had to sample a few of the berries. There was a couple coming up from behind me, so I asked them if they liked chilies. They said yes, so I had them sample one.
I paid my entrance fee of $8 (outrageous!) and immediately began looking for chiltepins. I didn't have to look too hard. They were everywhere. Talk about chiltepin heaven! I was like a kid in a candy shop set loose while the parents aren't looking. Every once in a while I would bump into a volunteer while...sampling, yeah, that's what I was doing! I ended up eating a good number. But I was also able to light a few volunteers up when I suggested that they try one and they did! The funny thing is, it was a cold day (low 70's), but I was sweating and the volunteers said my face was red.
When I got home, I did a count. I had collected 266 ripe chiltepins (and a few cherry tomatoes, a calamandon orange, and two kumquats).
Check out the pictures. I also included a picture of a lemon tree and a pomegranite bush. And I included a picture of the 12 chiltepin seeds I planted a week ago that I had collected on Nov. 1st. Notice how fast they sprouted. I collected the seeds while the berries were fresh. Maybe that made a difference.
Note: Five pictures per post, so I'll keep posting until they're all up!
Entrance to the park:
More to come!
Page 2: Inside The Park
So many bushes....
Did I come at the right time or what?...
Last week someone told me about finding some chiltepin plants with ripe berries at a local nature park that happens to be three miles from my home. So, yesterday I took a stroll through the park!
Before entering the park, there were a couple of chiltepin bushes out front. Of course, I had to sample a few of the berries. There was a couple coming up from behind me, so I asked them if they liked chilies. They said yes, so I had them sample one.
I paid my entrance fee of $8 (outrageous!) and immediately began looking for chiltepins. I didn't have to look too hard. They were everywhere. Talk about chiltepin heaven! I was like a kid in a candy shop set loose while the parents aren't looking. Every once in a while I would bump into a volunteer while...sampling, yeah, that's what I was doing! I ended up eating a good number. But I was also able to light a few volunteers up when I suggested that they try one and they did! The funny thing is, it was a cold day (low 70's), but I was sweating and the volunteers said my face was red.
When I got home, I did a count. I had collected 266 ripe chiltepins (and a few cherry tomatoes, a calamandon orange, and two kumquats).
Check out the pictures. I also included a picture of a lemon tree and a pomegranite bush. And I included a picture of the 12 chiltepin seeds I planted a week ago that I had collected on Nov. 1st. Notice how fast they sprouted. I collected the seeds while the berries were fresh. Maybe that made a difference.
Note: Five pictures per post, so I'll keep posting until they're all up!
Entrance to the park:
More to come!
Page 2: Inside The Park
So many bushes....
Did I come at the right time or what?...
