Usually by the middle of June I've been eating figs, but this year all fig are late because of the colder than normal winter and later than normal cold weather. All in all the fig season looks great as of right now. If the rains hold off or a least stay at a manageable level, I should have an abundance of figs. The trees are in great shape and are loaded. My decision to invite the chickens to free range in the fig orchard has done wonders for them. The trees are a very healthy looking dark green from all the free fertilizer but I haven't noticed any excessive growth. The one fig I'm picturing is Martin's UK. It was the first fig to show swelling and the first to fully ripen. I had been watching it for some time but it is in a place hidden from the casual look. Having not checked it in about 4 or 5 days, this afternoon I decided to go into the chicken pen/orchard to see it. WoW, to my surprise it had fully ripened and had started to open at the eye. The size startled me at first, but then I knew it had the potential to grow that large from Martin's pictures. The good thing is that it hadn't rained in several days and the second good thing is that it didn't spoil or have sour beetles on it. Maybe my chickens are doing their job or maybe it's just a bit early for them. Either way I'm grateful, for it was such a wonder fig to taste as the first of the season. It was sweet and had a good fig taste and made me want another. I only got to eat half as I shared the other half with Linda but even my half took 3 bites to consume.  I'm leaving to go on vacation on Sat. for the week and won't be around to see if any others ripen. As of right now I don't see and other figs that have moved from the stagnate stage to the begining of swelling. I hope to return to a whole bunch of figs getting ready to ripen the following week.  Enough talk and time for a picture or two.
"gene"

The fig is in Linda's hand, and it was a handful.



The other side of the fig showing it opened up. Looks like I took a bite out of it.

wow that is some fig!

That's amazing, Gene! Do you rent your chickens out?

That's a big fig Gene. How do you keep your chickens from eating them? My chickens are free range also, and they have already eaten a few green figs and left bite marks on others. These figs are within their reach, but I have seen them up in my mulberry trees and blueberry bushes. I have seen them jump up to grab fruit out of reach. I'm going to have to make cages around my figs to protect not only from the chickens, but also the deer, raccoons, wild birds and squirrels. Enjoy your vacation!

Mike from Hanover, VA

That is a huge fig! I like your crappie shirt too!

You're right Gene, when I showed it to Linda her eyes bugged out of her head. I wish I had a picture of that.

Ken you can borrow them but getting them there might be a chore.

Mike, I don't. Well last year they ate all the wanted as they mostly all spoiled. This year I hope is different and if they get to be a problem, I have to keep them in their chicken tractor until I get mine harvested. If the season continues as it looks now, I'll have plenty to share with them. Some of my tree have very low branches and it won't take them long to find those as soon as they start to color. After that, I might have to restrain them.

Scott, Crappie.Com is a great site. It is a nation wide site with sub forum for each state. I've been a member for a few years and enjoy it as much as my fig and garden forums. We have a few get togethers each year which are the utmost of fun. We'll meet at a state park or private marina with cabins and fish, eat, and swap stories for 3 or 4 days. Check us out at "Crappie.Com". If you like to fish crappie then this is the place to be and it family friendly so even your wife and kids can participate. We keep it clean.
"gene"

That was a huge fig.  Yum

That's a big fig

Yum.  Looks scrumptious.

As far as free range chickens go, I clip their flight feathers.  They are then unable to fly over a 4 foot fence, or up into trees to eat fruit.  BTW chicken manure may be hot the first year but give it some time and it's a great fertilizer very high in calcium as well.

Glad it was a good tasting fig!

Congrats Gene!

Congrats - a monster of a fig !

Gene,

    You should rename that one "cannonball"!

I think you have something there Dale.
"gene"

Gene, That fig is giant! What are you feeding that tree?

Kubota, they get fed chicken poop by my chickens. The orchard doubles as a pen for my 6 chickens. The trees are dark green.

Wow do they look healthy.

Like they say at Burger King, it takes two hands to handle a whopper!  Nice fig, Gene.

Nate

Hi genecolin,
That tree is really nicely loaded !
That's a promise for a good season !

What a fig!  Did you weigh it?

The chicken poop fertilizer, do you age it 6 mo. or a year before spreading.  I have 3 chickens for which I spread wood shavings in the coop.   I've got one large fig about 7 ft. tall in a bushel landscape pot.  It is 3 yrs. old now but even though pinched it has not produced a fig.  Could I put a couple of scoops of litter on top of the soil or would it burn the fig?  I've also got a little one from this fig that I took as a cutting last season.  I use miracle grow on both. 

What does UK stand for?

I think unknown

greenbud, yes the UK stands for unknown. I do not spread the fertilizer, the chickens do it naturally all day long. It is washed into the soil by the rains.
"gene"

So the chickens are out under the figs as we speak?  When you have an unknown fig, do you sort of put it into a possible group by the description of it?  When one of my chickens gets out she goes for the kale and the fig leaves. 

Interesting variety.

greenbud, yes the chickens are always under the trees. They do not bother them until the fruit starts to ripen then they will eat all the lower ones which is fine with me. They deserve the treats for tending to the bugs all year long and for spreading the fertilizer.

I do not attempt to categorize the unknowns but just keep my eyes and ears open hoping to find someone else with a similar one. 

"gene"