Honey Locust from Blossom to Pod--unlocking the food

Here I am, observing the growth of honey locust beans--from blossom to pod. The flowers bloom in spring, and have rather a ginger-like spicy scent--attracting vuvuzelas of bees. With good spring and summer rain, they have, now, turned quickly into long juicy pods. Won't be long before they are ready to harvest. However, this time I won't let them go all hard and unappetising--like tough old cardboard. I shall, instead, eat the honey-sweet pulp when the pods are still greenish and juicy. The botanical Latin for Honey Locust is Gleditsia triacanthos. They are a very useful permaculture species--to 50 metres high--from North America. Deciduous trees, and extremely drought-resistant--once established. If the streets and highways were planted out with this species, foragers and wayfarers would be provided with the beneficial free food. No-one would ever have to go hungry--at least not at Honey Locust podding time. But, sadly, that isn't how things are done! .....