Barrel cactus - fruit for the lean months ahead

Although I've never conducted a personal taste test, the animal kingdom has voted that barrel cactus fruit isn't very tasty--at least not when compared to their more yummy prickly pear relatives. For this reason, the universe puts them on the bounty table when food is more scarce thus ensuring that the fruit gets eaten and the seeds properly planted--er, that is after a quick trip through the digestive system of a deer, ground squirrel, javelina, etc.

The barrels are blooming now, and their fruit will be available long into the winter months.