Greetings one and all, I have been chatting with a few people about trying to arrange a fig gathering here in the South East... I live in Fort Mill, SC it is the first town south of Charlotte, NC.  I have access to a nice club house on a small pond with a pool and fishing... a small play ground for the kidos..
Right now I am looking at the end of August or the beginning of Nov. Nov is more iffy since the hubby is a triathlete and that's one of the busier parts of his season.
What I'm looking for right now is to find out how much interest there would be. So if you are in the South East and would be interested please let me know.

I would be.

If we do late August then the pool would still be open and I live less than a mile from Carowinds Amusement Park, great place to let the older kids go while we have fig fun!!

Gloria, have you talked to Dennis (snagplus)? He was going to have one this past year but not enough participants, so
he said he would have one this year.

check with dennis. he has one of the biggest collection in this area. i wanted to go, but fall is rather busy season for me. 

Gloria, 

Count me in.

I sent Dennis a PM and we starting to touch base about it.

are you in gaffney sc? i used to work down in atlanta, and i remember gaffney sc.. big peach water towel you can see from i-85. 

Pete,

I'm in Fort Mill, just off I-77 about an hour or so North of Gaffney

It looks like the most likely weekend will be the weekend of August 23rd.
I have the owner of a national organics company Southern Organics & Supply will come and speak, he is a ISA  Certified Arborist. He is also a fig collector...

ATTA WAY GIRL !!

Every couple of weeks I will add something, right now aside from getting the word out and finding out who can make it I want to know what is important to you and what you'd like to see. I have one speaker, he owns a nation organic soil company, he is an expert in container growing and soil mixes. He is one of the largest worm casting producers. He also is a third gen fig collector and has the varieties his granddad brought over from Italy.
Dennis had an excellent suggestion of getting someone from the USDA to come speak.
If you let me know what you want to learn about I can try and find a subject expert to come talk about it.
So give a shout out and let me know if you can make it and what you'd like to learn about figlicly speaking.

i wouldn't mind fig tasting. that seems to draw lot of people. and cutting/plant swap. 

I live in the Atlanta area (Roswell) and would be interested.

Max Faulkner

Gloria, count me in.  I'll have plants, fresh figs, and cuttings if you can do it in August. If you go with Nov I can bring plants, cuttings, and fig preserves:) I am supposed to meet you and Alan this year anyway and it will be nice to meet Mike, Dennis, Pete, and all the other fig growers in the surrounding area too.  Pete I drive to Raleigh NC about 3 times a month and you are about 3 hrs away from fort mill give or take 20 minutes due to construction on 85.

Gloria,
I'm willing -- and will try if I'm able.
thx
mgg

I'm in. I will have extra young plants to share and trade

GRamaley,

I think my wife has mentioned going back to the Biltmore Estate for a vacation about a dozen times this past year.  A couple of dozen more and you would think I might finally catch a clue.  That would be about 1 1/2 hours from you right?

BTW - I have your peppers ready to go out in Monday's post.  Your hubby should make a YouTube video of himself eating these peppers to entertain the rest of us.

I will not be there. Have fun....

Right now the date is Saturday August 23rd, thinking that if there are those that might come in the night before we could plan a dinner. So far fig tasting, trading, crafts, and speakers. I think we can also count on games and prizes. As always I am looking for any input on what you might be interested in having. Danny did a fig gig in TX last year with the focus on doing large regional events so this will also be something of a test to see the interest and attendance. Exciting stuff!!!

I spent a couple of hours at Southern Organics talking to the owner I am very excited that he is coming to speak. I wanted to give a link so you can read a little about his company and if you wanted to post question a head of time that you want me to put to him. He also knows about figs. He is a delight to talk to and when it comes to dirt, soil, earthworms and organics he seems to know his stuff. 
http://www.southernorganicsandsupply.com/Pages/aboutus.aspx

I had a chat with my husband and he has agreed to do some smoking for this event, he used to have competition BBQ and was NC state rib champian, don't know what he will fix yet but it will be good.... more details later. Once again let me know your ideas on what you'd like to have. So far the plan is....

Speaker about soil, figs and container growing
Cuttings and tree swap,
Games with prizes
Fig tasting
Figs prepared different ways

I will try to make this. Following along. 

Bump...

Sounds very interesting, but I cannot commit to the Aug 23 date at the moment.