I got up early to beat the birds, although there aren't as many now, .177 seems to be working. I picked a gallon from my Celeste and had a feast on them. They go great after a couple of cups of coffee and before breakfast. Here is a picture of what was left after I had my fun. Actually, I had taken pictures before I ate any but while looking for them to post, the pictures were not on my card.





I also got a treat from some purple grapes also. These used to be grown by my Dad years ago. I had started myself a vine and planted it down the bayou where it got neglected when we move out. 3 years ago, I came upon a small vine with grape like leaves growing in the grass near where the vine had been growing. Taking a chance that it might be the same one and not a wild grape, I air layered a portion of it. I cut it off the mother in the fall and planted it where Dad had his originally. Now it's bearing beautifully and bountifully, happy to be back home.







I also have some green ones that are just getting ripe. Another week and I be swimming in grapes.





Grapes are good, but figs are GREAT.
"gene"

Thanks for sharing the great pictures and story Gene.

You are quite a bit ahead of us here in the North Georgia Piedmont.  We have had a couple brebas, but it will still be a couple weeks at least before the main crops start coming in.

Figs with a glass of tea are great also.  Try some figs with a glass of wine, some good crusty bread, and Parmasano Regiano. 

Hope you are having a good summer.

Best wishes.

John
North Georgia Piedmont
Zone 7b

Gene, very nice figs and grapes.  I enjoyed your story---- brought back some good memories for me. When I was a kid my dad had a large grape arbor at the entrance to the vegetable garden which took up the entire back yard. I think they were Concord and Thompson Seedless. I thought about trying some, but I've got to concentrate on figs. I've got more than I can take care of now without starting something new. This is just the heat talking, once it gets cool again, I will be dreaming about what else I can plant.

Your grapes and figs all look great! Thanks for taking time to share with the rest of us!

These Celeste look great. I spent sometime working in San Antonio, TX and I remember the Celeste that was sold in the farmers market which was very sweet tasting, although they weren't as dark as yours.

Very nice Gene I'm looking forward to the days that I can pick more than a hand full and sit down and gorge ourselves with figs. I'm hoping to have some to cook a few dishes with also 
Sal

Great pics Gene! They look devine. Have you ever frozen grapes? They are great as a frozen dessert or just to munch on while watching TV...almost as great as frozen blackberries 'stolen' from grandma's freezer. :-)
Sue

It's been my pleasure to share the things I enjoy just like you all do. I guess I got my passion for fruit from my Dad, bless his soul. There wasn't a fruit that he didn't like. He was raised as a poor country boy and fruit was about the only sweet thing they could get because my grandfather raised all sort of fruits, citrus, and vegetables in the spring and summer and he was an oyster fisherman in the fall and winter.

Sue I've never though about freezing the grapes I can't eat fresh. I do it to muscadines every year. What a great idea. I usually give away the extra or let the animals freed on them. Although I live in town, there are lots of possums, squirrels and birds.
"gene"

Sue I

Gene,  Is the purple grape a concord grape that slips its skin?  I love those, but didn't think they would do well down here.

Vivian

Vivian it's not a concord. We had one of those when I was a kid. It grew well and I loved them. This is an unknown grape bought by my Dad from an ad in a magazine. It was just described as a red grape. That was about 35 years ago. It is a slip skin grape with a very delightful flavor but the skin is bitter.
"gene"

Gene,

How large do the grapes get?  Are they very juicy? 

Concord grape skins are very bitter, too if you try to chew them.  Only the juice and that dark coating under the skin is sweet because the pulp is bitter as well.  I love concord grapes.

Vivian

Gene, let's play 20 questions.   Curious about your bird comment as birds get more figs every year than I do. Does harvesting in the morning get your more?  Are birds really not early birds?  Forgive my ignorance in ornithological matters.    I did buy a pricey net to use this year.  What's a 177.
Are grapes as maintenance free as figs? 
You mentioned your dad grew citrus.  I have two meyer lemon trees that had several lemons on the way.  Woke up one day and they were gone.  What kind of critter do you think ate my lemons?  DH thinks it was a rabbit. I was devastated.

Yes by picking in the morning I get more figs than the birds. I also find that figs taste better when picked early. Some birds are up real early, like the mockingbird who really like figs. They especially like the ripe ones, so by picking early you beat them to the punch, so to speak. Mocking bird are very territorial. Once one stakes out a tree it will fight off any others that try to eat there. Of course they are not 100% successful so others do sneak in as territories do lap over somewhat. By dispatching 2 birds all of a sudden my fig damage is a lot less. The .177 I mentioned is the caliber of the air rifle I use to dispatch them with. I find that Cardinals eat some figs but seem to eat the ones already pecked on by the mockingbirds. I also use netting on two trees that I keep pruned back to 7' tall. I made a hoop frame with PVC pipe, it works great.

The grapes I have, I do nothing to them except prune them on a cold day in late winter while the sap isn't flowing. In the spring I give them a good dose of 8-8-8 fertilizer and that's it.

You've got me with the lemons. They would have to be pretty close to the ground for rabbits to get them, but I don't think rabbits would go after the lemons. Squirrels are notorious for stealing fruit but then again never heard of them eating unripe citrus. Citrus are hard to pull from the branch. Check to see if the branch was cut or if the fruit was pull off. That might be a clue. How about kids, any around. Pretty green or yellow balls on trees are mighty tempting to young ones.

I hope I've been of help,
"gene"

I was thinking the same thing, Gene, pests of the human kind.

Vivian