I am a new fig lover. I visited the site last year in order to order scion but was perplexed about the donation to the foundation. Now I've read a little more and understand the foundation but I can't find the details. How do I send my donation and wish list?

Check out this link


http://figs4fun.org/donate.html

Thanks for the link. Am I correct in that people who donate get a preference for scion cuttings?

Hi Milehighgirl, welcome to the forum.

As far as a priority for Foundation donations, I don't believe it works that way. If I understand, the cuttings orders [cuttings are available in the spring] are processed in ordered received.  )(EDIT  I didn't order last year so I might be wrong)

Lots of people on this site [people who daily and people like me that post every few weeks] are willing to share cuttings. However some of us have become a little guarded because of a few people who ask for and receive cuttings are never heard from again, or we learn that they have done things like sell their [our] cuttings on eBay.

However, I am certain you are not like that, and will do great. :)   Still, many of us prefer that people get more involved in the forum before asking. After a while you will discover that people here are pretty darned helpful and generous.

There is a lot to learn, especially if you are planning on growing figs in your climate zone!  I suggest starting at the URL below. There are posts about using the forum, which figs have done well in specific climates, etc.

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/start-here-the-basics-faq-recommendations-links-6111601

Hi Milehighgirl,
Welcome to the forum! There was a request for donations last year when ordering cuttings from Jon, and priority was given to those who did donate. I personally think it is a great orginazation to support with donations, but if you are just looking for priority status when ordering cuttings, you might want to wait until Jon posts the instructions for ordering next year. The cuttings won't be available from Jon until Feb or so.

Maybe Jon will chime in with what he is planning on doing next year ;)

In the mean time, I think paulandirene has a good suggestion, there are probably people in your neck of the woods that can help with what will do well there and maybe even exchange material.

aphahn, Yes, I was looking for this information. Good to see you here. I think you are in my neck of the woods for sure.

Here's a little info about me: I've been trying to grow figs here in Denver for the past 5 years. I started with Chicago Hardy and kept them garaged in the winter but they died off each year above ground. Last year I was bold enough to try one of them planted outside protected in a cinder block bunker. It survived fine but the figs are still quarter sized and now it's winter again. I was able to get the rest to make it through the winter in the garage without dying off so I am making headway. I ordered cuttings from GRIN and I was amazed at how well they rooted and how much fun I had. Now I just want to actually get a harvest.

At this time I have: Castle Kennedy, Santa Cruz Dark, Tena, Pastiliere, King, Brunswick, St. Jean, UCR 160-50, Black Madeira, White Texas Everbearing, Marseilles Black VS, Hardy Hartford, Gino's, English Brown Turkey, Ronde de Bordeaux, and Ortisi.

That's a lot of fig trees without a single fig!!!

Cue chimes. ;-))

I have made cuttings from the Figs 4 Fun collection available each year for about 7-8 years, in one venue or another. The sale of the cuttings helps to defray the cost of maintaining the collection. The goal of the Foundation is to continue the maintenance of the collection and to provide a permanent home for the collection. This will enable education and research and will provide for distribution of plants and cuttings long into the future.

Generally, the trees in the collection are young, and many varieties do not provide enough cuttings to supply the demand. The object of the donation request in 2013 was to begin (in a very small way) raising money for the Foundation's Preservation orchard project. In exchange, I gave people who donated preference when filling orders for cuttings. That did not guarantee that they received what they ordered - only that they received a preference. I do not receive any portion of the donation to the Foundation.

At this time I do not have specific plans for the 2014 season. I am in the process of making arrangements for access to additional collections and cuttings, and the trees in the collection have had another years growth and maturity. But, each year, the demand for many varieties continues to exceed the supply.

This year we were blessed with some cuttings from the Prusch park collection and additional Adriatic JH cuttings. This week I have had conversations with two possible sources for new varieties, and we continue to add varieties to the collection which will mean that we can make them available for wider distribution in a year or two, thus fulfilling our two basic objectives of preservation and distribution.

Information regarding plans for 2014 with be HERE when it is available, generally in the latter part of January. We do not know what is available until we actually take the cuttings. All or very, very nearly all cuttings are personally cut and labeled. If they are not from the Figs 4 Fun Collection, they are still personally collected or received from very, very trusted sources.

As a new member, you should have received a welcome email introducing the Forum, with tips for accessing information on both the Forum and the Figs 4 Fun website. Finally you should have received a flyer introducing the Foundation, its goals, and objectives. Fig lovers are a great community and things such as the Foundation will prosper according to the willingness of that community to invest in the future.

Finally, donations are always welcome, even if it is not cutting season. ;-))

Milehighgirl, good to see you here too. Most folks start a thread to introduce themselves and ask some questions. Do you want to do that and discuss figs in Denver there instead of switching topics mid thread? Either way, there are a few of us around Denver that might have some insights.

I do feel some of your frustration, while I am getting figs, they are nothing like what I remember growing up in Chicago (yet!).

Hi MHG!
Nice to see you here too.  Hopefully as you figs mature they may produce a little earlier in the season.  Or else a greenhouse is needed.

I must admit, I didn't read all of the info sent to me when I signed up so I didn't know about donors having preference over others.  I just donated b/c it's a good cause.  =)

Jules, I like your style. ;-))