I have just received an email from a forum member and was notified that I have an " imaginary" fig in my nursery and was told to remove it from my website, that several forum members have said my Mongibello was imaginary. I couldn't be any more upset and hurt by anyone who would say such a thing. I say, keep talking about it, I wouldn't mind some more business.  It amazes me how so many different named figs are floating around and noone ever questions a name. I have been to sicily and aquired these mongibello figs from my friends in Provincia di Catania, and this is the name they call it there, so I guess they are all liars. Oh, I forgot, all the people here on these forums is fig scholars and are entitled to tell people in these countries that their figs are imaginary, when they likely have been calling them this name since before this country or these groups have been formed.  For the few hundreds who are on here to sit and tell everyone who may have this fig or the people who have cultivated it as being imaginary is simply rude and ignorant and I think you should all be ashamed, whoever had any part of this message supposedly floating around.  I see figs from Turkey and all over FIG COUNTRIES with strange names I have never heard of, but I have never doubted they were what they were simply because I have never heard of it.  I have befriended many and I would never put an Imaginary fig on my website or business. How DARE you all!!!! As meticulous as I am with names, I Repeat, HOW DARE YOU acuse me of such a thing.  Why not question other names as being imaginary like " Hardy Chicago, Brown Turkey, Celeste, Tennessee mountain fig!" Question those. Shame, Shame, Shame, you are just pitiful whoever would hurt and say such things.  ATTENTION;  JUST BECAUSE YOU NEVER HEARD IT DOESN'T MEAN IT IS NOT IN EXISTENCE. 

I will not be told to take anything down from my website, my figs are my figs and well marked and varities. I am from Italy, I travel there and bring my figs with me.  Nothing is coming down, you don't want what I have, go somewhere else.   SHAME is all I can say.    

Maggie, just let it roll off your back now that you have vented. I've always thought that such people are miserable themselves and enjoy making others miserable too. I know it hurts, but don't let it get to you. In one ear and out the other! Hope all goes well for you.

I agree with fatnsaaytexan. Don't let it bother you.
Sometimes later when your Mongibello spreads around the Continent  there is probability that it may get the synonym "The imaginary"!  Then they will know that your Mongibello is real.

Sassy texan, ottawan, thanks so very much for these words, I feel better because I did nothing wrong. This hurts me.  My word and credibility is what I thrive on and they are just wrong. I was so happy to receive several emails privately from people who are all showing me support and not in agreement with these people who started this at all. I appreciate the ones who have contacted me. I won't mention who you are or what you said.  Thanks sassytexan and ottawan also.  Yes, ottawan, I am sure the name of this variety will be lost within a year or so as people are so quick to mislabel figs ect. I am glad if ever I do need a supply for this tree I can go home to Italy and get them, at least they will have it, I only have one small Mongibello from a few sticks I brought back, it has rooted and is growing nicely now, I feel so sad for it as if it was a person who's name was defamed, isn't that funny. I will be very careful who even gets one from me, the only other person who has one here in America is brother and he isn't given nothing away.  Believe me, after this, some will never see one from me and even if they want to pay the price, it will be declined.  Ciao

Wow, that's pretty bad when people "bad mouth" others like that.  That's pretty bad and I hope those that upset you Maggie do apologize.  I joined this forum a while back so I can learn from people like you and a handfull of others on this forum.  I believe the Mongibello is real and I thank you for giving us the true history of the fig.  It is rare that we have a real person that can explain the birth place and origin of a fig like you.  Keep your head up Maggie and keep doing what you do.  cheers, Dennis

Maggie, don't let them get to you. I am sure this is what they are trying to do. You are doing good work, keep it up.
 J.A.

Maggie,

How about I send you a picture of my MALANZANA MERDASCOLA FIG.
Would that put a smile on your face?

Ciao Maggie there are a few bad apples eveywhere.
How can anyone say thats not a Mongibello is beyond me what do they actually know ?
Like you say there are many names out there of figs from this country that have real names that have been lost  such as Hardy Chicago which is perfect example for there is no such name Hardy Chicago only what someone called it because they did not know its real name it was lost or forgotten.

You put me FIRST customer on your list if you wish to,  money does not matter for Mongibello and i make sure this name never ever goes away thats my very promise to you.

In mean time please not let it get the best of you its not worth the trouble.

Maggie, I feel sad to hear such imposing requests for you. Please keep up with your smiles and have a nice summer of figging. If you ever have a chance I would really like to see & know how nice your Mongibello is. I may even order one for my collection. Cheers.

Dennis, thank you for your nice words, I tried to study this fig very closely as I always believed it to be a sister or the mother to the U.S. Hardy Chicago, so this is why I was very interested in this fig and brought it back to U.S. The origins are fascinating and out there when you are able to talk readily with the natives of these fig lands and have friends and family and a home still there.  I would mention the town the Mongibello comes from, but I will probably be accused of making that town up or its imaginary and its on the Map!!!! :)

Joe, thanks for writing in and supporting me, this was hurtful to me, I am waiting for this person to chime in and the others to expose themselves privately or publicly, I want to find out why such allogations?  I am completely dumbfounded by them. I may forgive, but I will never ever forget and they all can leave me and what I'm trying to do alone. I'm just trying to share a different knowledge of figs with people because it is easier for me to come across alot of this information.

Rafed, very funny, now theres a name, I wouldn't have wanted to eat a fig by that name, I hope to one day add that fig to my collection, I did laugh when you wrote that.
Martin, your like family to me, I appreciate what you said, and you have a Mongibello coming to you this fall hopefully I just wish it would grow a little faster, its doing well now, just slower. I will take cuttings and root you one when it grows out more. It was the only survivor out of a few cuttings I brought, but you got one.

Paully, i will send you some pics when it grows out more and gets more dominant as I am really interested with its relation to a H.C.  I appreciate you all.  Thanks JOn for allowing me to bring up this issue, I appreciate this as I am just trying to do what i'm doing and some people people who frequently come on here, especially the one I got the message from (she is quite known) on these forums hurt me. I want to share my knowledge and not have to be subjected to this.  Ciao Amici!!!

Maggie,

Some people can't be fixed, and you just have to put them "on ignore".

Maggie,

Mongibello makes a lot more sense than Hardy Chicago as it describes where the fig originated. I for one am glad you ferreted out the likely true name of this fig. Don't worry about the your email.

Scott

There is such a thing as an email-spam-list.
Put this [unwelcome] person on that (block/ignore) list...

Whoa!  The Italian hit the brain, there, and you sure told them off good!  You GO, Girl!!!  ROTF!!!

You must keep good records of that little jewel of a fig tree so that it lives long and prospers (A little Spock lingo, there....).  Maggie--I'm sorry that you got beat up like that.

Actually, the name, Mongibello sounds like it means, good eating, no?  Not that I know Italian, but mangia means eat, doesn't it?  Bella means beautiful for a woman, so bello--would it mean the same, but masculine?  So, it sounds close to that, for me, anyway.  Sounds like a perfectly good name for a delicious fig.  I hope this makes you laugh out loud.

Dear Paisana, keep growing that fig so we can see pictures of it soon.

Vivian

On second thoughts.
We are all fig-friends here.
Sometimes, being very human, we all make some mistakes.
Both of you, pl. touch pinkies (yes, like kids - a peace gesture),
and resolve this (I think a minor fig-naming issue) privately.

Ciao Vivian, no this name doesnt' refer to taste or food, its more of a name to describe the mountain,  Handsome mountain, beautiful mountain, it has a masculine o so it will refer to strong mountain as well, as it is a volcano after all.  Thanks for your note.

George, This is not a childish problem, so I won't do as the children do and touch pinkies, this is very serious to me.  Also, this is not a simple naming dispute, I was told by this woman basically that I made this tree up, which is funny as its growing out back of my house! this could hurt my friendships and my business so this is just not something you just call small and get over. If this woman won't make it right, and the so called " other members". as I was told by another forum friend, that could have been made up and its just her problem with me alone, but wanted it to look like their were others involved.You solve your problems your way, I will my way, I respect you george, but this is slightly more serious to me.   I will talk no more on this subject here as I am trying to be fair with these people, but yet I have not heard anything publicly here from this person I know of or the so called " other members" wo were supposedly involved.  I have many private emails to attend to now, I will not discuss this any further George, some people need to make amends for their actions, we all have to be concerned how we treat others, some feel they are above and don't have to worry about what or how they make others feel, I have to say I am sorely against people who have that mentality and they must be made to be held accountable, especially when i have done nothing wrong but bring fig trees here to the U.S. and make a small little business to share these plants with others.   CASE IS CLOSED WITH THIS NOW. 

Well,
It started private (from what I understand); and it should end up that way...

P.S.
I do have a small (& increasing) collection of figs that originated
from the Sicily Mt. Etna region. It MUST be a good [wild] fig-breeding-spot.
They (figs), tend to have similar-but-not-same leaves and fruit....

Ciao George, yes, that area is excellent for fig production especially below certain altitude, the soil there is very very good, likely from volcanic ash ect which many times it blew its top! Also, it is very green, which is strange for such an arid mediterranean island.  Also goes to the soil of course.  The coastal and western parts are more reminiscent of my home area of Italy, (Abruzzo) with being more arid, but the figs grow well in these area as well, they don't mind a harsh soil and I have to say, sometimes the best tasting figs there are the ones that grow from rocky, hard soils?  Go figure!  when we were discussing Hardy chicago and all its history (in Catania province) this issue was brought up as everyone said it is Mongibello. I agreed when I was able to actually look for myself! amazing I thought and where the HC supposedly originated in the aetna area, I just wanted to do a little digging more into this particular tree. Ciao

Italiangirl, always remember.
That opinions are like "Butt holes"
Everybody has one, and it usually stinks!!
That is what I think of when someone tells me something like that!!

Jerry

Dear ItalianGirl:

Words of wisdom from the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius: "How much more happiness and leisure we would have in our lives if we could just not concern ourselves with what others think and say."

You are clearly among friends here, so not to worry my friend.

Best wishes to all.

John
North Georgia Piedmont
Zone 7b

Maggie, I have only been growing figs for a little while and this is the first year that I have rooted cuttings, in fact I had never even tasted a fresh fig until last year. But someone mentioned your website on one of these fig forums and I quickly looked it up. I have enjoyed your website very much, I love all the info that you provide on your figs, and I hope to order a few fig trees from you before too long. Maybe, as you have more available, you will sell me a Mongibello.

Susan

Maggie,

All too often we use the following term with truck drivers that say something that makes an @$$ out of them selves on the C.B. radio;

SHUT-UP STUPID!

I hope the fig community can put matters behind & moved on. I am sure the writer who wrote Maggie personally had taken note how matters have gone and that Mongibello prominence is here to stay as well as Maggie's image is solid as gold. I personally think its time to move on & stay the course to encourage each other. Re-reading Maggie's posts, I get a hint the person who wrote Maggie cares about figging and likely a member in this forum. I certainly hope both the writer & Maggie can take it to private mail.

Since so many people read this forum thread I did a little research:

A mountain called "Mount Etna" in Greek, "Aetna" in Latin,
"Muncibeddu" in Sicilian, and "Mongibello" in Italian.

A fig called "Hardy Chicago" in USA and "Mongibello" in some part of Italy as mentioned by Maggie in 6 threads of the two well-known fig forums.

As long as we don't claim that "Hardy Chicago" is better, or vice versa, we can put this matter behind and move on:)