About a month ago, we participated in a fund raising activity for the branch. Our members prepared some goods to sell at the monthly (last Saturday of each month) market held at the Cultural Center in Rincon.
Among other items prepared by the members, like Pumpkin pancakes, cupcakes, and other treats, we sold Iguana Burgers! Hermano Chirino and President Albus sold all 30 that they brought! They were B-B-Q'd at the market and served with a stack of hot French fries, for $8 each.The burgers were the draw of our booth!
It couldn't just happen be itself. Before such an activity could happen......we needed some Iguana to make the burgers!
I was able to go on an iguana hunt on a hot Saturday afternoon with 3 members of the branch, Ellery (the hunter and expert), Hensley (Counselor to our Branch President) and Hensley's wife Diana (Primary President). The 4 of us hoped to return from the adventure with 6 iguanas.
We wandered through Ellery's 6 acre "kunuku" looking for victims. Diana was a great spotter and shortly after the start led us to a tall cactus that had a fairly large iguana clinging to it.
The theory is that Ellery, with his extension pole, opens the pole up and puts the nylon line loop around the iguana's head, tightens the noose and yanks the iguana off the cactus so we can grab them and tie them up.
After about 10 minutes of maneuvers, we had to give up. That smart iguana kept climbing higher up on the tall cactus until the pole was insufficient to reach him. That one "got away".
Shortly thereafter, another was spotted. This time we were successful! Our 1st catch of the 6 we hoped to capture.
One of the attached photos shows how as Hensley held it while, Ellery tied it's legs together behind it's back. First the front ones were tied, then the back. Then it was laid on the ground, like a little handcuffed criminal, unable to leave!
A short time after that, we really hit the jackpot. We found a cactus that had 6 iguanas on it! After some work and tying their little legs behind them, we ended up with 3 of them. The others, again got up too high to reach with our pole. They'll have to wait for another hunt!
We wandered through the brush looking for more, but to no avail. We got hotter and thirsty and gave up. Those 4 were all that we were able to get......we were short a couple but we had the product needed for the Fundraiser.
The 4 helpless victims, with their "hands" behind their backs, laid on their tummies in the back of the truck as we drove back to the town.
Since that day, I've seen many more iguanas. Daily we spot them on the side of the road running into the brush, or on the bush against the house in our backyard (see photo!) looking down at the swimming pool. We often see them by the Elder's apartment where the vacant lots, grown over with brush, provide refuge.
The biggest surprise for me, however, was on this past Wednesday. Elders Atkinson and Harsh invited me to work with them to do some cleanup ("service project") at Edgar and Marta's.
The Elders said, "Elder Vander Veur, you've got to come to Edgar's". "There are tons of iguanas in their backyard". "They live under the backporch".
I doubted the accuracy of their tale. It wouldn't be the first the Elders stretch the story a bit!
So...... as we arrived at the house, I quickly walked around the back to check out the accuracy of their claims.
WOW! Iguanas everywhere! At one point, I counted, within my eyesight, 17 at once! Various sizes, some greener than others, some huge and some smaller, but tons of 'em!
I'm a believer! Today I told Ellery about them and asked when we could "hunt" right there minutes away from home! Not sure when we'll do that. I'll have to wait and see.
Tons of iguanas!
Elder Vander Veur
Land of the Iguanas
So how do you make iguana burgers 🍔 and what do they taste like?
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