agave & cactus talk by steve sanchez
Last Updated: April 9, 2026
Talking about Agave and Cactus from farms to products. Will cover using permaculture practices on farms for the new industry of California Agave Spirits & California Cactus fruit & 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.
Different resources for learning about agave farming in California
in this podcast I discuss some of my favorite resources for farming agave and cactus in California
how many agave do I need to plant every acre?
in this podcast I discuss what seems like a simple question, how many agave do I need for every acre I am planting? This is actually a complex question like almost everything in farming lol. I try to answer it in this short podcast i did while I sorted seeds, but as you see, the answer is - It varies, and it varies alot ! Anyways enjoy this podcast and have a great day. If you have anyone you would like to be on the podcast, a topic you want me to discuss, or you want to be on the podcast, leave a comment or hit me up. Peace yall !
Why i am excited about Prickly Pear Seed oil & why i think Cactus farmers should pursue oil production
in this podcast I discuss a little bit about cactus seed oils and why I think cactus farmers in california and globally should begin to start prickly pear oil at a craft level to be ready to take advantage of a booming industry that is developing in the United states and globally. Prickly pear seed oils are increasingly being used in cosmetics, food processing and for other benefits which may include medicinal uses. This is something im definitely exploring on my farm and hopefully others get involved with as well. Have a good one, enjoy!
5 big misconceptions about agave from new agave farmers in CA
in this podcast I discuss the 5 biggest misconceptions i am seeing with new farmers of agave in california. These are pretty dangerous misconceptions and I definitely encourage caution to any farmer that believes one of them to be true. They can set you up for failure, so listen to this podcast and hopefully avoid believing them. Have a great day, hope yall enjoy!
What agave are native to CA?
In this podcast I discuss what Agave are confirmed Native to California, some which are naturalized and some that have been created here. We have 6 confirmed and 3 possibile california native agaves, several dozen naturalized agave, and potentially thousands created by backyard breeders, collectors, farmers, tissue culturalists, university and garden institutions. Lots of potential from California agave, and they are some of the strongest agave in the family, so they deserve to be at the center of Californias agave industry and its development. Hopefully this podcast helps you with that, because you cant grow em if you dont know em lol. Anyways have a good one, 2nd pod for today peace.
Why every agave farm in CA should grow CA Natives
in this podcast I discuss why every agave farm in California should be growing their CA Native Plants that are hyperlocal to them. I talk about how I am doing this and why I see it as a huge aid to any agave farm. Native plants can be farmed and im doing it. You can do it also and it can improve & save your ecosystem. Many remove their virginity land, or strip till for a clean slate, and hopefully this podcast makes you never have that idea again, the natives should not be destroyed, we need to ally with them, proliferate them and see how to improve our agave farms with them.
Dealing with rattlesnakes on an agave & cactus farm
in this podcast I discuss why having a plan to deal with rattlesnakes is great for your farm. Rattlesnakes can live in simbiosis with farmers and proving many positive benefits such as rodent control, disease control, seed dispersal, & aeration. Rattlesnakes in balance can significantly boost the number of agave and cactus that live on your farm and boost overall plant health. Much like my ground squirrel podcast, the Rattlesnakes are no longer seen as an enemy, but as an ally. Many times allying with nature solves your problems and makes you work less.
How you can fertilize/improve soil for your agave or cactus with no synthetic chemicals
Today we talk about different methods of fertilizing or improving the soil for your agave and cactus. All these ways are natural, non synthetic chemical methods that will not only aid your agave & cactus, but also make you more profitable and adaptable. Copying nature often results in alot less work as well. Enjoy todays podcast.
How & why to boost burrowing owls on your farm
Todays episode is on how to boost the burrowing owls on your farm, such as making suitable habitat for them, and why you want more burrowing owls. They can be an important part of pest managment and can be wonderful wildlife addition to your property. Funny enough dogs play a crucial part in attracting burrowing owls. Anyways have a greay day!
Agave Saponins & how they are a potential disruptor for the Multi billion dollar chemical spraying industry
Today we are talking about how saponins from agaves could potentially be a huge disruptor in the chemical industry globally and the usa. The industrial spraying of herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, anti bacterial, & anti viral chemicals can potentially be replaced by agave saponins. They are natural plant chemicals already found in natural settings and possess many anti viral, bacterial, fungal and pest fighting capabilities. It also is biodegradable and will not stay in your soil & bioaccumulate. This is just a primer and there is still alot of research to be done on agave saponins, but they hold alot of promise.
Planting some Fruit and Leguminous Trees for my agave & cactus farm
In this pod I talk about some of the recently planted fruit and leguminous trees that me and Nori have added to the farm. They each have some great benefits for an agave and cactus farm so i talk a little about what I love about all of them and each one individually. The trees i talk about are:
Different Columnar Cacti you can farm
Today I talk about several of the different columnar cacti I grow on my farm for forage, fruits, flowers etc. Most of them are very drought, cold, & wind hardy. Its been a huge surprise to me none of them have been commercialized because of their enormous potential. Hope yall enjoy, this was kind of a long one haha.
Chat with Nativo Texas #2
Season 2 Episode 41 of Agave & Cactus Talk. A conversation on Agave with my friend Chris from @nativotexas . We chat about our agave farms and some of the things we have been implementing! Merry Xmas to everyone 🎄
Agave as a building material
Todays episode is a primer on beginning to think of agave as a building material. It has been used for lots of different building solutions from foundations, floors, walls, roofing, and as replacement studs among other uses. Enjoy the podcast, and have a great day!
Capturing Rainwater & Sunshine
Todays episode is on why having rainwater capture systems and solar energy on your farm can be beneficial and how it can make you a more adaptive, profitable, and sustainable farmer. I think energy and water systems can easily be compromised by corporations or the government and you should seek to be as independent as possible to always make sure your farm is running. Enjoy the podcast, and have a great day!
Choosing a piece of land to farm
Hey everyone, today's podcast is on choosing a piece of land to farm. Mainly I'll be talking today about how I chose my piece of land to farm agave & cactus, and hopefully you'll learn some lessons that you can apply to the search of your land that you want to utilize to farm. Enjoy the podcast!
When do i plant agave & cactus if I want to dryfarm?
In this episode I talk about when I choose to plant to dryfarm my agave and cactus and some advice and tips for your area so you may so the same. Dryfarming has to start during s certain time and you have to be vigilant to not let the windows skip you by. in California that windows has already started as we have gotten some great storms. So we plant!! Enjoy the podcast and if you have any topics you want me to cover let me know. Have a great day!
Chinese grown cactus & prickly pears
In this podcast i dive into an article called "cactus cultivation boosts rural development in SW China" by CGTN . It was a very interesting article full of implications, lessons and interesting facts that can help us farmers around the world be better cactus farmers and entrepreneurs. I dive into the article through my view and it really brought me alot of excitement as a cactus farmer, consultant, and farm developer. Hope you enjoy!
We are building an adobe/stone hybrid oven for agave, bread & pizza
Today I talk about an Adobe & stone hybrid oven i am building with my girlfriend Nory. Her style is Adobe, mine stone, so we combined the two to make something special. The base will be all native stone, & the top will be an adobe oven inside a step pyramid. We are about halfway finished & are now preparing to make adobe bricks. These smaller ovens can be very useful to cook food like bread and pizza or roast agave piñas, so it will serve many purposes. it is also positioned in a planting area to give heat to the young plants. Enjoy the podcast!
Agave Ovatifolia: Why I am doubling down on growing this cold hardy agave
Today I talk about an agave that has been getting alot of my attention lately. The last time I had mature agave Ovatifolia, I used them for spirits and was very surprised by what they put out. I thought then, I need to mass propogate and grow this agave for myself. Since it was unavailable or extremly expensive, it was not feasible for a farm. Now by harvesting the mature flower stalks and saving all the seed i have an affordable option to mass grow these as well as offer them to the industry here in CA at prices that arent robbery. I had to give up making them into a spirit in exchange for having tens of thousands of them potentially able to be made into spirits in the future. I also talk about why seed starting agave is so important for farmers and agave genetics. Enjoy the podcast and have a great day!
Planting a quarter million agave & cactus
Todays episode is me talking about a project i have been working on for a bit, why im planting so much, how im doing it, and just random thoughts as I discuss planting.
Opuntia Littoralis, or California Prickly Pear; an excellent CA Native plant to farm in California
Todays podcast is on Opuntia Littoralis, also known as Coastal Prickly Pear & California prickly pear. Its one of my strongest cactus that i grow, it is a california native, drought tolerant, cold hardy, and fast growing with 1000+ uses. It is among my favorites! I hope today you learn about opuntia littoralis and get excited enough to grow it or other opuntias or cactus. Alot of potential in the cactus family for dryfarm crops. Lots of products to make as well.
A conversation with an aspiring agave farmer, Q&A
Todays episode is my conversation with my friend Qanwar. He is a local to Lancaster, CA, where i farm and he reached out to me wanting to learn about agave, so i told him to come help me plant and as we did that we could discuss his questions in depth. He planted lots of agave and i answered alot of his questions. This is an hour of me answering some questions, and these are questions many beginner farmers will have as well, so i thought it would be useful knowledge for everyone on agave & cactus talk too. Enjoy the conversation, and let me know in the comments if you have other topics on agave or cactus you would like me to discuss. Have a good one everyone!
Why i love Amolé/Agave Vilmoriniana
Talking about Agave Vilmoriniana and why I think it has alot of potential in various industries. It is my favorite agave and it has been one of the strongest agaves that i have dryfarmed. Amolé is one of my favorite agaves to distill and it also is helping me get rid of pests on other agaves. Maybe it holds the key to agave being used as medicine.
Agave & Cactus Pests
What type of roasting pit am i building?
In this episode I discuss the agave roasting oven i am currently working on building, as well as various other aboveground and underground ovens i have built and utilized.
A guide on choosing what agave to farm, Part 2
Hey everyone, welcome back to the podcast. Today is the 2nd part of maybe a 3 or 4 part series on choosing what agave to farm, whether in California or elsewhere. There are alot of factors that can affect how your agave grow or what agave you can grow, and while i dont go through everything, this podcast series should be an excellent primer to get you started on the right foot farming agave. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me or leave a comment. If you want to get in contact with me or buy agave, feel free to contact me anywhere below:
A guide on choosing what agave to farm, Part 1
Hey everyone, welcome back to the podcast. Today is the begining of maybe a 3 or 4 part series on choosing what agave to farm, whether in California or elsewhere. There are alot of factors that can affect how your agave grow or what agave you can grow, and while i dont go through everything, this podcast series should be an excellent primer to get you started on the right foot farming agave. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me or leave a comment. If you want to get in contact with me or buy agave, feel free to contact me anywhere below:
Farming Agave Desmettiana Variegata in California
Talking about my experiences growing agave desmettiana variegata in california and observations ive made about the plant, how it grows, and what its potential uses are. It is an agave that is becoming one of my favorites as it is in the top 5 of agaves i cultivate in terms of numbers. Currently have over 20k of them planted. If you have any questions about agave desmettiana variegata or want to purchase any plants for your farm/garden, feel free to contact me anywhere below or leave a comment
Why furcraea foetida mediopicta is a sweet crop for California/ USA Agriculture
Walking the goats and talking why I love to cultivate and utilize Furcraea. In the same family as agave, Asparagaceae, Furcraea has an insane amount of potential, just like agave and cactus, to be dryfarmed and utilized for hundreds of different applications. If you need any Furcraea Foetida Mediopicta plants hit me up at any of my socials below. If you are one of my agave or cactus farms i consult for and want more info on Furcraea, just call me homies.
Can HesperoYucca Whipplei be dryfarmed like an agave?
In this episode I am driving through the LA National Forrest and talking about Chapparal Yucca aka Quixote aka Spanish bayonet, latin name hesperoyucca whipplei. Great plant!
California Native Cactus that have potential to be a crop
Talking about 8 CA Native Cacti, and why I think they have significant potential to be dryfarmed in California. I discuss how you may profit off them, how ive profited from them, and how ive utilized them. I also mention 1 Naturalized and 1 usa Native Cactus. Use this podcast as a primer for farming California Native cactus and creating a framework to farm natives in your local. Here are the 10 plants i mentioned today:
Se deberia continuar la exportacion de agave de mexico? (Español)
Un poco de discusión sobre esta tema y mi opinión
Agaves y Nopales (Español)
Hablando de unas de las razones porque me encanta crecer agaves y Nopales juntos. Los dos se complementan mucho. Gracias por escuchar.
Agaves y Chivas (Español)
Hablando un poco de como crecer agave y Chivas a la misma vez es algo beneficioso para el sembrador.
20 ways to make money with your agave farm; or also save money on your farm with agave, part 2
part 2, 11-20
20 ways to make money with your agave farm; or also save money on your farm with agave, part 1
part 1, ways 1-10
Getting interviewed by Purdue Dryfarming/Sustainable Farming Researcher
This podcast is a conversation I had with Keirstyn Amponsah, who is researching Dryfarming/Sustainable Farming Practices with Purdue. She had some great questions & this convo has alot of cool knowledge i think will help you podcast listeners. New podcast coming soon on agave. Enjoy!
Planet Mezcal interview # 2
In this podcast I am having a talk with Adrian from Planet Mezcal for a 2nd time. We go into Agave hybrids, California Agave farming, California AB 2606, & of course what i do on my farm as well here in California. It was a fun talk and the live video is available on instagram on my profile @ farmingandgardeningcalifornia .
Interview from Amigas y Mezcal, Episode 25
Here is a talk i did with the ladies from Amigas y Mezcal. They were kind enough to invite me on their show and i was more then willing. They had excellent questions and I wanted to put this in audio form because it had alot of great information. It was a great episode, give it a listen. If you want to skip to that podcast, skip to 13:50. Have a good one everyone. Have a backlog of podcasts i will begin uploading, while ive been away from uploading episodes, I have not stopped making them, I just been busy so I haven't had time to upload. Have a great day everyone.
Tequiladies #109 - Talking California Agave Spirits with the tequiladies
Skip to 2:05, thats when they connnect & i am on shortly after. This is a IG live for the Tequiladies show, in which I talked California Agave & California Agave Spirits with the Tequiladies. Follow them on Instagram & Youtube. We discuss some of my background, Agave, Tequila and much more. I hope you enjoy this talk, have a great day.
Mezcal Chat - Adrian/Planet Mezcal & me talk on IG Live
Skip to 6:30 to get past our technical difficulties at the begining with me trying to connect. In this talk we discuss the California agave Industry & agave spirits being made in CA. We go over farming techniques, the liquor industry & much more. It was done last year, but thought it would still be helpful. If you want to see the live video, follow Planet Mezcal on instagram! Lots of great educational content on Agave & Mezcal. Enjoy the talk, have a great day!
Farming agave while respecting the environment, people & tradition
Today I talk about an article I read called “Mezcal must challenge irresponsible agave farming”. It was a very interesting article talking about how we can make sure to grow agave in a sustainable fashion, that benefits environment, people and tradition. I hope you learned something in today’s podcast as a lot of the points that the main character in the article explains are things we are trying to implement here in California andhaving success with. We hope him a lot of success on his journey of trying to make Mezcal more sustainable, and we will use his words as inspiration to make California Agave as sustainable as possible.
Brazilian farmers use Agave for biofuels & slowing the expansion of deserts
Today, i talk about Brazilian Agave. The farmers & researchers are very innovative in Brazil & are using alot of advances in agriculture to explore & utilize the agave plant for a variety of uses, such as: bioenergy, biofuels, biomethane, biohydrogen, biochar & even slowing the deserts expansion. I think there is alot of positives in what they are doing as well as alot of negatives, but you can make your own opinion as we talk about some of the implications of what they are doing, such as creating GMO agave & yeasts. We also get into how i believe these projects could improve a bit and how California can learn and improve from them as well. Enjoy! Follow me on:
Cactus Biofuels Part 1 - How Indian Cactus Farmers are creating bio methane from cactus
This is the 1st half to an almost 3 hour long podcast on this very interesting topic of cactus biofuels. opinions and thoughts on this cactus farming that is going on in India. I show how we in California and Mexico can learn from India and apply what they are learning and producing to everywhere. I also give thoughts on how to improve not only Indian cactus farming but how to take what they are doing and improve it globally. enjoy!
Cactus Biofuels Part 2 - How Indian Cactus Farmers are creating bio methane from cactus
This is the 2nd half to an almost 3 hour long podcast on this very interesting topic of cactus biofuels. opinions and thoughts on this cactus farming that is going on in India. I show how we in California and Mexico can learn from India and apply what they are learning and producing to everywhere. I also give thoughts on how to improve not only Indian cactus farming but how to take what they are doing and improve it globally. enjoy!
Talking Agave cultivation, culture, genetics, farming practice, with Agaves de Occidente
Today we talking with my good friend Agaves De Occidente. He is cultivating all types of agaves in Jalisco, Mexico. common, and rare species alike. We talk about the current agave industry in Mexico and USA and how we are trying to promote the use of not only a diverse array of agaves, but also cacti, trees and shrubs, and preferably the native plants in your region to get the best results.
Why Australia should farm cactus, not be at war with it
Today I focus’s an article I read about how the Australian government and farmers are combating cacti. this is an issue they have dealt with in 3 different centuries and I discuss how I believe they are approaching the problem from the wrong angle. cactus has the potential to be a giant cash crop in Australia but they choose to wage a loosing war poisoning their soil, environment and even people by how they manage cacti as an invasive species. Interesting stuff because my view is cactus is a huge help to ecosystems , while they see it as a pest.
Cactus farming in Namibia & Cactus farm carbon credits
Today, we are talking about Cactus farming in Namibia. I talk about how this almost 2 billion dollar mega investment into cactus farming in namibia can be done correctly, protecting the environment and being profitable. The goal of this huge project is to sell carbon credits linked to cacti sequestrating carbon. While a very interesting proposition, there are lots of questions i have for sure and lots of things to learn from this project for the future cactus farmers of the world.
Talking Agave with NativoTexas
Agave & Cactus Talk podcast : Nativotexas
Tunisian cactus farmers are losing the battle to cochineal
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).
Loosing Agave genetics, diversification of where agave genetics is located
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.
Different trees I plant with Agave & Cactus ; Agroforestry/Silviculture
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**
what happens when the Agave & Tequila supply is greater then demand?
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!
Some agave syrups can fight cancer & make you healthier
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.
Cactus farming in Brazil to reverse the loss of an ecosystem
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.
Cactus Farming in Italy??
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.
10 problem with agave farming and how/why California should avoid these issues
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.
5 super cold hardy Agaves
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.
Talking Agave & Tequila with el tequilero 90
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.
Should the CRT allow Agave Tequiliana cultivars & hybrids into the Tequila Norma?
Agave Tequiliana aka Agave Angustifolia subs Tequiliana is the only species allowed in the production of tequila. In todays episode, i go over why this is a major issue for the future of tequila production and some ways that the CRT can maintain tradition but adapt to a changing world. Tequila needs genetic diversity, or it will have a hard time staying dominant or maybe even existing. I give real-world examples from other industries & some lessons to be learned.
Agave genetics: How many fricken agave are there!?
Today I talk about the diversity the agave family by just trying to answer 1 question. How many agaves are there? This is not an easy question, but I think I did an ok job 😂 Hopefully me talking about so many different agave possibilities has you thinking of what you can do to improve agave genetics on your farm, nursery, or collection. Enjoy!
Why i have been collecting and propagating Echinocactus Polycephalus seeds - one of my favorite cacti
In this podcast I go over why cotton top cactus (echinocactus polycephalus) is an amazing cactus, why it should be propagated on a massive scale, and some of the threats it is facing. I also talk about how I disagree with the IUCN’s classification of it as least concern and share some ways to help this cactus sustain its wild populations.
How can cactus farming make your ranch more profitable?
Today i talk about some of the species of cactus i grow, how cactus farming can make your ranch more profitable, & a few of the uses i have for cactus. I wanted this episode to be a primer for cactus farming and animals, but in no way is this everything. My next cactus podcast will likely be on why California vineyards should switch over to cactus, instead of agave, and make cactus wine, but we will see. If you have questions or suggestions for an episode, leave a comment.
Agave Shawii is in peril; How & Why should the CA Agave industry save it
In this episode i talk about Agave Shawii and the perilous state it is in. I also talk about why i believe the CA agave industry should step up to save it and how they can do so before its too late. I share my personal goal with agave shawii as well.
Agave & Goats
Agave & Goats: How they can complement each other for a more profitable farm + ranch
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