Figs with magical powers??

Author

Comment

nycfig

Registered:1380768118
Posts: 884

Posted 1472144485	Reply with quote #1

Have been in a real funk lately. Lots going on and haven't been able to really enjoy the summer as I would like. Figs are coming in like crazy and not enjoying with family like usual because of hectic, mismatched schedules and a million other things. As far as figs are going; Had 2 trees up and die on me for no apparent reason this year. Never happened before and no time to figure out why. Haven't been able to air-layer like I wanted to. Love taking pictures of figs and lots are coming off without any pics. There's up-potting that needs to be done, soil to be mixed and cuttings to be started. The candle is burning at both ends and is about to meet in the middle! Then this morning while making the rounds through the backyard orchard I noticed my sons' strawberry bush had a bunch of strawberry's that needed to be picked. We usually do it together but again, only have so much time to run out in the yard and check everything out before moving onto the next thing. A little farther down and found his favorite fig tree had a ripe fig. I noticed it a couple of days ago and covered with organza bag. Glad I did because birds are giving us hell. Was about to pick it when I took a deep breath, turned around and went back in the house to get my 6 year old son, Dominic. I surprised him with the ripe fig on his tree and he picked it. Then he asked for a pair of scissors to cut the ripe strawberries off. So glad I did it! Feel so much better! So, what's the variety with magical powers you ask? It's The Dominick of course, courtesy of Coop. Here's a link to the original story of The Dominick. Thanks again Coop! It's been a few years and this tree keeps making me smile when I really need it :) Going to force myself to slow down a little too. Enjoy the pics! Dom picking first ripe fig from The Dominick this season. Then its off to the strawberry bush! Why are the seeds on this one black, Dad? You're going to have to post on the forum about this! Now to cut open the fig! Wow! Look at that red pulp Dad! Hmmmm. Berry flavor... Very sweet! Attached Images IMG_2926.jpg (359.42 KB, 28 views) __________________ Danny NYC Z7a It's all about the figs! Facebook: NYCfigs Buying Fig Trees and Cuttings From the Internet

gofiger

Registered:1468681189
Posts: 71

Posted 1472147514	Reply with quote #2

Great story. Thx for sharing. Gardens certainly do bring us together and smooth out rough days. My grown kids come over all the time. My son phoned just the other night. Dad, he says ,we are heading for the grocery store and wondered what's ready in your garden. So they come over and we get a short visit with him and his gf and our precious 2 month old granddaughter and send them on there way with cantaloupes, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes and some basil and tarragon from the herb garden. They where at the house for 30 minutes tops but it sure was nice to have everyone together for a nice little visit in the back yard. I'm hoping next summer I will actually have enough figs to share too. __________________ Steve Zone 5b-6a Oshawa Ontario That's Canada eh! Wish List: A Canadian member that is willing to share there cuttings with me.

nycfig

Registered:1380768118
Posts: 884

Posted 1472148526	Reply with quote #3

Thanks for adding your experience too, Steve. It's very easy to lose track sometimes, but nice to have something that brings us right back! __________________ Danny NYC Z7a It's all about the figs! Facebook: NYCfigs Buying Fig Trees and Cuttings From the Internet

FigWhisperer

Registered:1390447672
Posts: 106

Posted 1472150518	Reply with quote #4

To see children get involved with gardening is Priceless :) __________________ Frank Q. Figs: Food from paradise Wish-list:A good harvest :) Now you can follow http://www.facebook.com/LosAngelesFigForest

Rewton

Registered:1291943117
Posts: 1,946

Posted 1472152288	Reply with quote #5

Seeing your son cut open and enjoy a fig (just like he has seen you do) is a great thing. Unfortunately, I didn't get back into gardening until my daughter was in the early teen years and by then it is too late - they have other interests and hanging out with Dad is not a big priority. She'll have to discover gardening on her own later as an adult. __________________ Steve MD zone 7a

kingoceanos

Registered:1446130601
Posts: 111

Posted 1472169689

Reply with quote #6

Always warms my heart to see happy children enjoying the fruits of their labor.
__________________
Wish List so far.Figo Preto, Italian 258, Godfather

nycfig

Registered:1380768118
Posts: 884

Posted 1472171945	Reply with quote #7

Thanks Steve. I use to help my grandfather in the garden up until my teen years... then partied a bit much, but went back to gardening. That's probably why I love it so much. My grandfather on my father's side, from Sicily, grew vegetables and grapes and my grandfather on my mother's side (Bari, Italy) grew figs and grapes. My dad still breaks my chops that he wants me to grow grapes and gave me his father's wine press from back in the day. He remembers helping his father make wine and I remember the same. Maybe one day. My point is that kids remember a lot more than we think. Even though they're not involved they watch and it gets stored in the memory banks. Later on when they take up growing, they're making that connection back to us, just like I made the connection back to my grandparents, and so on. I am happy that my son enjoy's being in the garden with me, though. __________________ Danny NYC Z7a It's all about the figs! Facebook: NYCfigs Buying Fig Trees and Cuttings From the Internet

jdsfrance

Registered:1376988473
Posts: 2,591

Posted 1472199615	Reply with quote #8

Hi, My figs have more magical powers. They walk themselves from the garden to the table for my daughter and mum to eat :) . I won't let her go to the trees as she would tare the whole trees down just to get one fig, and crush the surrounding tomato plants and pumpkin ... a true bulldozer and she's fit ! But, I have a game: it is the quiz. That's the reason why I have different strains. I put the harvest on the table and they have to guess which strain it is. The game was starting to be too some easy, so I added some new unknown figs ... LOL . I can't get it, how they didn't spot that... I'm the master of the rules :) . I still have some strains to taste, so the game will be even more fun, with more choices for the answers . I have one that came from a cutting from our holidays two years ago, and that one was fun too : Do you remember the camping ( ... what you did last summer ? bouhaha LOL)... Here, that is known as the "madeleine de Proust" effect. Memories get back to you later, just by tasting a cake (madeleine) or a passing-by smell ... I don't think that my daughter will ever be in gardening, she's more on the intellectual side ... more a city-rat, than a country-rat ! And buying land is a challenge in my neck of the woods. You should try some tomatoes if they like/eat them. They are fun too, and tastier than the ones you'll buy (as for the figs) . __________________ ------------------------ Climate from -25°C to + 35°C Only cold hardy figtrees can make it here

nycfig

Registered:1380768118
Posts: 884

Posted 1472213869	Reply with quote #9

Quote: Originally Posted by jdsfrance Hi, My figs have more magical powers. They walk themselves from the garden to the table for my daughter and mum to eat :) . I won't let her go to the trees as she would tare the whole trees down just to get one fig, and crush the surrounding tomato plants and pumpkin ... a true bulldozer and she's fit ! But, I have a game: it is the quiz. That's the reason why I have different strains. I put the harvest on the table and they have to guess which strain it is. The game was starting to be too some easy, so I added some new unknown figs ... LOL . I can't get it, how they didn't spot that... I'm the master of the rules :) . I still have some strains to taste, so the game will be even more fun, with more choices for the answers . I have one that came from a cutting from our holidays two years ago, and that one was fun too : Do you remember the camping ( ... what you did last summer ? bouhaha LOL)... Here, that is known as the "madeleine de Proust" effect. Memories get back to you later, just by tasting a cake (madeleine) or a passing-by smell ... I don't think that my daughter will ever be in gardening, she's more on the intellectual side ... more a city-rat, than a country-rat ! And buying land is a challenge in my neck of the woods. You should try some tomatoes if they like/eat them. They are fun too, and tastier than the ones you'll buy (as for the figs) . jds - Thanks for adding. Wonderful game that you play. My wife is getting better at recognizing different varieties too. Dom still takes stabs at the variety but he's getting better. He has unbelievable name, visual and spatial recognition. He gets it from my wife's side, LOL. Dominic is the person that meets you once and knows your name for life. He'll remember what you're wearing and where he met you. Almost like a magic trick. So when we're in the yard he'll say, "Dad, you got that fig from so and so and that one when we went to so and so's house." Wife and I laugh about it all the time because everyone in her family is the same way. Today, I think our kids have it better than us when it comes to gardening. There are so many options available to them today; bucket gardening and such, that if they wanted to pick it up in a city type setting, it would be pretty easy (science taking over tradition?). Everyone can find a way. My family immigrated to the Lower East Side of Manhattan and Pelham Bay in the Bronx. You can't get more city than that and they found a way. There are buildings in Manhattan and Brooklyn that still have ancient grape vines growing in back of them even today. It's almost haunting. Just started tomatoes again this year after a long lay-off. Use to grow them every year until city started spraying to kill mosquitos. Lived close to a city park and they sprayed the heck out of it several times. I was there the day they started spraying directly over my yard and covered my tomatoes. There must have been about 60 lbs of beautiful Roma's hanging and they were covered with poison. I went into the back and cut them all down at the base. Right into the trash! Very sad. Haven't grown tomatoes until this year. Traded a local grower a few figs for some Primo Red seeds and they're doing great! __________________ Danny NYC Z7a It's all about the figs! Facebook: NYCfigs Buying Fig Trees and Cuttings From the Internet

nycfig

Registered:1380768118
Posts: 884

Posted 1472214256	Reply with quote #10

Quote: Originally Posted by sppsp Great magic in the Dominick fig tree! My daughter enjoys eating the figs. Gardening brings my family together too, my parents this year came over to visit several times and last couple of years my in-law parent came over, the garden has an amazing powerful connection for families. So true Shaliesh. Gardening, farming, hunting, fishing, cooking, etc... All powerful family connectors. Maybe it's a need to share and pass along ideas for the basic necessities of life. Whatever it is, it's a great feeling! Thanks for adding! __________________ Danny NYC Z7a It's all about the figs! Facebook: NYCfigs Buying Fig Trees and Cuttings From the Internet

FiggyFrank

Registered:1347560723
Posts: 2,713

Posted 1472225287	Reply with quote #11

Great post, Danny. I hope things slow down enough for you to enjoy your surroundings a bit more. Enjoy those figs. __________________ Frank zone 7a - VA

farowyn

Registered:1369012438
Posts: 175

Posted 1472226112	Reply with quote #12

That's awesome that the Dominick tree is the one with magic for you. I remember when Coop first introduced us all to it. I lost all of my figs save one tree over the winter, and I have to say that the ones I regretted the most were the ones that had a story. These shared joys certainly do bring people together. There is a magic in Figs! Enjoy! Jeff __________________ Jeff Central OH- Zone 6a Wish list-anything that will ripen in zone 6a.Souadi(obsessed with this one), Takoma Violet, Col de Dame anything -currently rooting: MBVS, DK, RdB, VdB. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” ― Margaret Mead

DesMoinesWAfig

Registered:1399158808
Posts: 92

Posted 1472233543 · Edited	Reply with quote #13

Danny – You gave me a little treasure today when you wrote this post. Thank you! Reading everyones comments just warmed my heart. I haven’t experienced Dominick’s magical fig yet “maybe next year “, but I do also have a fig tree named as a magic fig tree by my friends and I believe it is. When I was young, I remember when visiting my grandparents we always ended up in the garden. I learned about seed saving from grandma and that some of her plants were from seeds she brought from Georgia that she had been replanting for years. I also remember the bags full of green beans us kids picked; then later we all sat around, with bags of beans snapping them so that mom could preserve them. Steve – Ditto to your response. I laughed when I read it. I so enjoy those 30 minute visits from my grown daughter. She also called the other day asking if we were going to be home. She wanted to come over and pick some pears and plums. She hands over my 4 month old granddaughter when she arrived and we walked around the garden talking and gathering fruit, picking and eating cherry tomatoes in between. A few weeks previously it was figs and blackberries, sage and rosemary. __________________ Shirley - Zone 8b - Des Moines, WA 60 year old Desert King - (started the fig addiction) Wish List: Maltese Beauty, Saint Rita, Emalyn's Purple I am shikei53 on eBay

nycfig

Registered:1380768118
Posts: 884

Posted 1472386607	Reply with quote #14

Thank you to everyone for adding! Frank - Yes. Definitely forcing myself to slow down a bit and enjoy the figs more. Thanks. :) Jeff - Sorry you lost all of your figs. I can definitely spare some Dominick cuttings in the fall. I'm sure Coop can help too. Send me a message and let me know what else you're looking for, I'll try and help you out. DesMoines - Great story! Glad you have those memories. Definitely making my own too. Thanks for posting your experience. __________________ Danny NYC Z7a It's all about the figs! Facebook: NYCfigs Buying Fig Trees and Cuttings From the Internet

RegencyLass

Registered:1441763907
Posts: 136

Posted 1472412934	Reply with quote #15

Thank you for sharing, Danny. Dominic and that smile of his is just precious! One thing you might want to do, if you aren't already, is write stories like this down in a hard copy (paper) journal for when Dominic gets grown. With how fast the age of information is moving, vlogs, blogs and on-line programmes that we currently use may soon be obsolete, but hard bound journals will keep for generations if stored in a dry location. __________________ ~RL~ Zone 5 Wish list: Saint Martin, Pastiliere, Panache, Dark Portuguese, Alma, Nero600m, Salce, Vista, Malta Black, Gino, Galicia Negra & Conadria.

rcantor

Registered:1309799312
Posts: 5,724

Posted 1472423805	Reply with quote #16

It's so great that you put the rat race aside for a while! Building family time into our lives is really tough. __________________ Zone 6, MO Wish list: Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.

Previous Topic | Next Topic

Modal title

Insert Code

Please paste your code into the box below: