I had forgotten about getting my mug in a couple of local articles last season:

SD Reader: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2007/nov/21/figs-our-future/

Edible San Diego: http://www.ediblecommunities.com/sandiego/pages/articles/fall08/fallHarvest.pdf

I am rediscovering a lot of interesting material in the links that I have been adding.

Jon, thanks for shareing the articles and your picture.
Its always nice to see a persons face, it was a pleasure to read the articles and nice to see who is behind such a fine website and forum.

Thank Jon for sharing.
I got a bit confused with the statement in the second URL saying that the DNA of Vista Mission shows that it is actually Violet De Bordeaux and some say that Violet De Bordeaux is Negronne!?  There is no such connection mentioned in the F4F varietal descriptions for any of the three varieties. Can you elaborate on the DNA statement,?

DNA testing at USDA/UC Davis indicates that Vista and "their" VdB are the same. The issue between VdB and Negronne is quite simple. Both have been sold by nurseries under both names, so some VdBs are Negronne and some Negronnes are VdBs. There are a lot of steps between a twig and you getting a tree delivered to your door, and not all of them are well controlled in many cases, so mislabeled plants are very easy to get. That is the "short" story, and what has led to so much name confusion with a whole bunch of varieties.

VdB and Negronne may or may not be the same, but they are very similar. I have several of each, and they are clearly related, but also clearly not identical. But I also have 20+ Celestes, and they are all DNA identical, as well, but clearly are not all identical, either. Welcome to the "fun" known as Figs.

Thanks Jon.
It would have been a lot easier to ID if each fig variety had its own bar code on the leaves (instead of relying on complex DNA) or its own specific pattern like 'Scottish Checkers' on the leaves.

Great article Jon,
here's one article about figs mentioning me.
http://www.treesofjoy.com/Lancasterarticle.pdf
I just recently learned that I was in another magazine called the Heirloom gardener, but I don't have that in pdf file.

Bass
Very good write-up with good (warning) information for new enthusiasts about limitations/procedure for growing figs in the cold North-East.