Edible Desert Plants with Kathy & Tom McDonald
Kathy and Tom McDonald share their knowledge about native plants as they lead a walk up the Curandero Trail at Boyce Thompson Arboretum at 8 a.m. July 24.
Florence Reminder
SUPERIOR — Mesquite pods, jojoba seeds and cactus fruit ripen during July. Local desert plant enthusiasts Kathy and Tom McDonald will take a morning out of their summer harvest time to share their knowledge about native plants, guiding a Sunday walk up the Curandero Trail at Boyce Thompson Arboretum, starting at 8 a.m. July 24.
Their walk is included with daily admission of $10. No pre-registration is needed.
edible, the tricks and tips to cooking with them will be revealed,” says Kathy. “For one example, the secret to successfully converting your favorite cookie recipe to incorporate mesquite flour is easy … once you know the appropriate ratio of mesquite to regular flour. And, how simple it is to roast up those jojoba nuts with a drizzle of honey and sea salt to make a tasty trail snack. Summertime in the McDonald house always calls for our favorite treat: prickly pear coconut sorbet. Recipes will be shared!”
Inspired by the Arboretum’s edible-medicinal desert plant trail and guided tours, Tom and Kathy created their own Curandero Trail circling the 2.5-acre perimeter of their Gold Canyon home and business, Smiling Dog Landscapes. Fall and winter they host free interpretive tours; to be on their email list for their winter events, send a friendly “ADD ME, please” note to [email protected] .
Following the edible desert plant walk, Arboretum visitors can cool-off in the lecture room where Apache Junction residents Jim and Dana Warnecke will present a slideshow and talk explaining how to find edible wild mushrooms in Arizona. Copies of their informative DVD will be on sale, too.
