so this is how it is done!

Spotted Michael wielding his 'prickly pear picker' on the way back from town this morning. He thought I was a dodgy ranger about to shout at him!!
With a couple of cases of huge pears in the back of his ute he was working his way around some very ferocious spines and plants.
Taping up the bottom of the tube protects  his hands and feet from the prickly silica spines and here's the tip as to how to release the flesh from those dreaded spines and make them edible.
Roll them around on a lawn with a brush and hose them down.

Apparently well worth the effort.