Do you grow figs?

[MoonShadows]

Do you grow figs? What variety? Why did you choose that variety?

I love figs...fresh and dried. I have always wanted to have a fig tree. I have been researching ones that can withstand Zone 6a and narrowed it down to the Brown Turkey, Celeste, and Chicago Hardy. Figuring I would have to wrap it at the end of each season, I was going to buy the Celeste because it is the smallest, but only bears fruit once a year (same with the Brown Turkey, but a little bigger tree), when what I really wanted was a Chicago Hardy that bears more than one crop...July through frost, but can grow up to 25-30 ft! (I can just see myself trying to wrap that monster each fall!) I was glad when I spoke to my local nursery. They said I can grow the Chicago Hardy and let it die back to the ground each winter. In our area it should come back each Spring, grow to a manageable size and bear great figs.

So, I bought a Chicago Hardy and am going to give it a try. Can't wait to try my first crop of fresh figs. If I get a lot, I plan to dry the rest for the winter.

 

[baymule]

@MoonShadows you have quite a web site! Your hard work shows and I love the story about your Grandma. My Grandmother made strawberry fig preserves and I could eat the whole jar. I see you have fig preserves on your web site, but not strawberry fig. It is made with strawberry Jello, so it might not fit in your all natural product line up, but perhaps you could mix strawberries with the figs. I made a batch that I mixed blackberries with and it was so good!

6 cups figs-mashed
6 cups sugar
1 cup water
3 (3) oz strawberry jello
1 box sure jell

Boil figs, sugar and water for 30 minutes.
Add jello and sure jell and boil 2 minutes longer.
Pack in hot sterile jars and cap lids on.
I got 5 pint jars plus a little bit I put in a plastic dish and refrigerated.


And I made this recipe up

Lemon Fig Preserves

3 cups sliced figs-thin
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 3 lemons
2 cups sugar

Bring to a boil, them simmer on medium heat until it thickens up. Pack in hot jars and water bath. I got 2-- 1/2 pint jars and 1 pint jar.


I am excited for you and I hope your fig tree does well for you. We moved a year ago and planting a fig tree is coming up in the next week or two.

 

[MoonShadows]

Thank you very much, baymule. I am very proud of our little website, especially since I am the designer and have done all the work on it. I am totally self-taught in website design, since I am too cheap to pay someone to do it.

We brought on fig jam about two years ago when we started getting requests for it, and it has been a good seller for us. I just added a recipe on our recipe page for Baked Camembert with Toasted Pecans & Fig Jam yesterday.

We have grown in size over the years, so we cannot possibly provide all the fruit and vegetables that go into our products. Even buying locally is a tough chore because it becomes so time consuming. Often, we have to purchase through a broker and have the fruit & veggies delivered to different locations. Our products are made by us and a small group of artisans that we have come to know since we started over 10 years ago. Everyone's effort is combined to produce about 125 products. Last year we sold just under 20,000 jars. To think it all started in our kitchen making a few cases a week to sell at a local flea market as a way to make some extra money.

Thanks for sharing those recipes of yours. Strawberry Fig Preserves sounds yummy! This year we will start using our own figs in some of the jam....we hope!

 

[Denim Deb]

I just got one in TSC and need to figure out where I'm going to plant it.

 

[MoonShadows]

What kind did you get?

 

[Mini Horses]

I love dried figs!! Neighbor has tree and used to dehydrate. She got my eggs & I got some of her figs...great deal! Neighbor sold and moved, going to check status of tree this week and bargain for those figs.

We had mild winter this year but yr before, bad. Tree suffered and while I believe it's still alive, not sure about health.

Another friend has 3 "trees" of figs. Never seen any so large and she doesn't even eat them. I plan to get those this yr as I found out too late last that she just gives away and throws away.

Some of my chickens are clearing my selected planting spot right now. I'm looking for an established Celeste, think I have one lined up. Poss I can get a sprouted one from friend, also. I'm planting 2 apple trees this yr, also.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I'm lucky here - you can't kill a fig tree if you tried, lol. Not even sure of the variety I have, but seem to remember it's Brown Turkey. My tree is pretty darn big and some of the lower branches that have been laying on the ground have rooted. I need to go ahead and separate them and plant the new trees.

I love them fresh and dried. Hope I get a good crop this year, cuz last year was kinda wonky. Still got plenty, but not the over-abundant harvest from years past.

 

[Denim Deb]

What kind did you get?

Chicago hardy. It only grows to about 10-12 ft.

 

[MoonShadows]

Chicago hardy. It only grows to about 10-12 ft.

A Chicago Hardy will grow up to 15-30' if it doesn't die off each season.

http://www.starkbros.com/products/f...mFzKIupd8lHDyjYTGAHfj0sLG6zAR7zPhoRoCPFDw_wcB

 

[Denim Deb]

http://retail.degroot-inc.com/product_info.php/products_id/845