With grass scarce, hay prices became too costly, forcing some ranchers to feed their cattle a mixture of prickly pear cactus and molasses.

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Saavedra also hosts guided tours along Parque Natural Xochimilco's canals, visiting working chinampas and providing insight into their cultivation of dozens of different plants and vegetables, including nopales (prickly pear cactus), espinaca (spinach) and calabazas (pumpkin), as well as herbs such as sage and lavender.

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