Pitaya Harvest in the Big Bend Region of Texas: A Family Tradition

Pitaya fruit (Echinocereus stramineus), or the strawberry hedgehog cactus, is sometimes known by the general public as “dragon fruit.” The fruit grows on a plant generally referred to in Spanish as bisnaga — barrel cactus — and my family has identified at least four different types of bisnagas in the area from which to harvest. This podcast focuses on the tradition of pitaya collection in La Junta, a community and cultural region shaped by the meeting of rivers, desert, and families on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. 

Producer: Dr. Koyana Flotte

Special thanks to: Gustavo Martinez & Miguel Medias

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Series credits: 

Executive Producer: Jeannelle Ramirez

Technical Producer: Lamont Jack Pearley