Harvest 2014

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Registered:1252379847
Posts: 1,162

Posted 1405826143	Reply with quote #1

Petite Negri, Black Mission NL and Smith (from left to right). I ate them in the following order: Black Mission NL, Petite Negri, and Smith. Petite Negri was better than Black Mission NL. Smith is in a different class (but not of its own because Socorro Black is also in the class) due to its acidity and unique flavor profile. Even after the strong taste of Petite Negri, the flavor Smith tasted right through it...similar to hearing Satchmo's trumpet or Sanders' saxophone or Monk's Piano or Hendrix's guitar; very distinctive. Attached Images harvest_20140719-002e.jpg (558.04 KB, 4 views) harvest_20140719-004e.jpg (521.01 KB, 3 views) __________________ jd \| tallahassee.fl \| zone 8b

MichaelTucson

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Posts: 1,216

Posted 1405826576	Reply with quote #2

Wow! Mike central NY state, zone 5a __________________ Pauca sed matura.

MichaelTucson

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Posts: 1,216

Posted 1405826853	Reply with quote #3

P.S. a) What is the "NL" in Black Mission NL? b) great to see another appreciator of jazz music. (Do you play and/or write?) __________________ Pauca sed matura.

MichaelTucson

Registered:1333340598
Posts: 1,216

Posted 1405827096	Reply with quote #4

ah, can answer my own question... just spotted your other post about NL... http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/black-mission-nl-2014-6997195?pid=1283605416#post1283605416 So I had been guessing it was someone's initials, and had gone through all the links of Sources from Jon's Black Mission page (in the Varieties section). But I hadn't spotted any with the intials NL (unless it's one of the few that are dead links now). Anyway, great pics, great story. I wish I had enough heat here to ripen Black Mission, but doesn't seem likely here in zone 5a. Mike central NY state, zone 5a __________________ Pauca sed matura.

Aaron4USA

Registered:1375832059
Posts: 2,969

Posted 1405832210	Reply with quote #5

JD, thanks for the beautiful pictorial. Mike, you can keep Editing your own Posts, that way they will all be in one post :)

MGorski

Registered:1399823521
Posts: 370

Posted 1405833695	Reply with quote #6

Nice photo's JD, i like the lined up cut pics. It sounds like you ate them in the right order, a taste experience that goes higher without a letdown. I'm glad to hear Smith is a " cut through" taste. I hope mine grows enough so I can taste it next year. I had Mission NL but lost it. I got it because Jon said it was a standout in his mission collection. Mike in Hanover, VA __________________ Zone-7, previously Mescalito

lampo

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Posts: 2,062

Posted 1405859515	Reply with quote #7

Nice pictures and gorgeous figs ! Francisco

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Posted 1405860420	Reply with quote #8

Pete, Will you please share the source of this information? Quote: Originally Posted by Petechanr NL is new life Presbyterian church where the tree was found __________________ jd \| tallahassee.fl \| zone 8b

Tam

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Posts: 1,084

Posted 1405860460	Reply with quote #9

JD: Very tasty figs and nice photos. Thanks for sharing.

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Posted 1405874568	Reply with quote #10

Pete, Thank you. I am thinking I should know that and now I do. Jon V, Thanks for maintaining the reference. __________________ jd \| tallahassee.fl \| zone 8b

rafaelissimmo

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Posts: 1,473

Posted 1405876366	Reply with quote #11

Lovin' that Smith fig JD! __________________ Zone 7b, Queens, New York

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Posted 1405995776	Reply with quote #12

Mike (NY), No music playing or writing worth mentioning, however, quite a bit of listening and a decent collection of vinyl that I 'inherited'. My children play violin and piano. Thus a a parent, listening (a good ear) and knowing how to read music (with some modicum of confidence), is helpful. __________________ jd \| tallahassee.fl \| zone 8b

Registered:1252379847
Posts: 1,162

Posted 1406035212	Reply with quote #13

Smith. Unbelievable. Getting some outstanding figs. Wife and daughter devoured these for Monday morning breakfast which means there were five figs in that open space in the corner (that were not photographed) and I had only one before they were gone. Stallion. Ripens about 10 figs like this every three days. Without birds and now a squirrel (for breakfast, lunch and dinner), it could be twice that. Unknown Foxcroft. This is a good Celeste. One of the two that I really like. Jam Ooh Jam. It ripens a bunch every two to three days. I bought a couple of air products (CO2) the Fig Protection Program armory. Petite Negri. If not for Smith, Petite Negri would be the favorite of the 2014 season thus far. __________________ jd \| tallahassee.fl \| zone 8b

Registered:1252379847
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Posted 1406471725	Reply with quote #14

Petite Negri and Malta Black. An unfortunate comparison for Malta Black which is a good fig. Petite Negri has a more intense flavor. It is also larger and 'jammier'. I prefer the size of Malta Black and I like its flavor profile which is different than Petite Negri. How? I do not know yet. I need more Malta Black. In the first image, the top row of four Petite Negri were harvested at a 'just right' state before the rains came. The second row of Petite Negri were harvested at the same time but 'dead ripe', that is, two days 'older'. The second image compares the two different states of ripeness. And they are two different tastes due to the concentration of sugars as well as the maturity and intensity of the flavor. You can see how the pulp has bled into the skin/pith. __________________ jd \| tallahassee.fl \| zone 8b

BLB

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Posts: 2,936

Posted 1406473193	Reply with quote #15

fantastic pictures! I can't even get my Smith to produce up here, guess that Florida heat helps alot

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Posted 1406473652	Reply with quote #16

Thanks Barry. It took three years to get an already 18 month old 3+ foot tall tree to produce those figs here in 8B. I cannot imagine how long it will take there but I can tell you that Smith is worth the wait. Similarly, four years here in 8B and a) only one ripe Black Madeira (not worth eating) and b) not one ripe Col de Dame Blanc or Fico Preto. __________________ jd \| tallahassee.fl \| zone 8b

BLB

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Posts: 2,936

Posted 1406473883	Reply with quote #17

I've been able to ripen Preto and a couple CDDBlanc all of which tasted really great but still no Black Madeira or Smith. I won't give up on them yet, as everyone raves about their flavor. Hopeful my BM will ripen this year, it set figs early so it's possible.

Registered:1252379847
Posts: 1,162

Posted 1406840458	Reply with quote #18

Albuquerque White #2, Native de Argentile, LSU Scott's Black, Strawberry Verte, and Violette de Bordeaux are the newly harvested figs. I tasted them by color and then ripeness. ABQ White #2 was better than last season but nothing special. Strawberry Verte was the best it has ever been for me. It had not split, the ribs/veins were impressive and it tasted great. On par with Battaglia Green, and JH Adriatic. Berry flavored, juicy with a delicate crunch. I really like it. Cannone Dark was picked too early but its flavor is such that with eyes closed, I know it is a Cannone. Malta Black. These fruits did not get as much sunshine as they should have and hence, did not swell nor ripen as fully as others have. Still I prefer Malta Black over any of the previous three figs and this next fig. VdB is VdB. Very productive. High quality. Extremely flavorful and loved by birds and squirrels. This tree has the potential to produce more figs than any other not named Celeste, Stallion, or MVSB. LSU Scott's Black is figgy, berry, jammy, sweet but complex and melts away as you eat it. Wonderful and better than each of the aforementioned figs...to me. Pananas Purple has a unique flavor profile that I have discussed previously. Not better than Scott's Black but different. I used to think it was one of two of the most different flavor profiles that I have ever tasted (Camuna Small Black being the other) until we tasted the next fig. Native de Argentile is #1 fig of my season. It is the unanimous best fig in this harvest because its crazy good flavor trumps the acidity of Smith. I posted about it here so quickly the flavor was tropical and layered with a good crunch. Up close... __________________ jd \| tallahassee.fl \| zone 8b

HarveyC

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Posts: 3,294

Posted 1406842225	Reply with quote #19

Great photos, thanks for sharing. May need to get myself Smith. __________________ Harvey - Correia Farms Isleton, CA (Sacramento County) USDA zone 9b, Sunset zone 14 http://www.figaholics.com https://www.facebook.com/Figaholics

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Posted 1406844072	Reply with quote #20

Thanks Harvey. Check your PMs. __________________ jd \| tallahassee.fl \| zone 8b

shah8

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Posts: 657

Posted 1406849522	Reply with quote #21

so any new news on how similar PN and VdB is? __________________ Especially desired figs: UCD 187-25, UCD 200-48, UCD 157-17, UCD 309-B1, Princesa, Black Madeira, high quality sugar fig that ripens Sept-Oct. Probable desired fig: Smith, St Jean, JH Adriatic, CddB, Gulbun, Pastilliere, Sucrette Rooting: Smith, CDDB--this pretty much means I have my fun tries (tho' important since they are truly desirable), and only interested for this year: Gulbun, BM, 187-25, or something wildly exotic or precious that nobody has any good reason to send me.

MGorski

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Posts: 370

Posted 1406859280	Reply with quote #22

I really like that you label your figs in the photos, good to save for reference. Mike in Hanover, VA __________________ Zone-7, previously Mescalito

rcantor

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Posts: 5,727

Posted 1406859644	Reply with quote #23

Great info and I'm not jealous one bit :) __________________ 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.

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Posted 1406860322	Reply with quote #24

shah8, I will do my best to give a fresh 2014 take with the same conclusion. We have discussed this previously and I always appreciate your insight. First, here is the caveat. This is pure observational anecdotage. Environment. Both are potted 15 gallon, east facing and on timed drip, started as layers, received maybe one year apart although the same age. VdB Vitals. Two shoots. V-shaped. 10'+ tall each. Figs produced in clusters of 2-3-4 and ripen 1-2 per clusters with 1-2 cluster per branch. 4-5 days to swell and ripen to where the birds will consume and 2-3 days more is when I want to harvest it. Never really goes dead ripe like other figs. PN Vitals. A 4.5' tall main with a secondary main branch jutting left at about the 3' mark off of the main branch. The secondary branch is growing espalier style. Figs grow one at a time and ripen multiple onesies at a time but in a FIFO (first in first out) order. 2-3 days to swell plus 2-3 days to get ripe like I like and the birds do not consume them. Thus they always ripen very well. Conclusion. I believe they are different like fraternal twins but likely similar genetically. PN always seems to better because they are always more ripe. The flavor profile of VdB is more discernible than PN. Thanks Mike. I need those labels. In the first post of this thread, there are a few photographs that forced me to take the time to label them. For me and my mind, it is better to label. I have lost it before, that is my mind, only to find it after work. There will come a time when I cannot find it. Hopefully, I can still read. __________________ jd \| tallahassee.fl \| zone 8b

waynea

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Posts: 1,886

Posted 1406860717	Reply with quote #25

Always great photos! Good information. There needs to be a database where we can search for a variety and up will pop a list of growers' description of year, taste, location, growing conditions...ave. temps, days rain, age of plant, etc.... Just a data program that we could send info to and search at will. Again, just my opinion.

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Posted 1407379339	Reply with quote #26

A statement of the obvious: a dead ripe fig is better than a fig than needs a few more days. That said, Petite Negri, Smith, MVS Black, and Pananas Purple were the best figs on this plate, and in that order, according to the taste testers and me. __________________ jd \| tallahassee.fl \| zone 8b

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Posted 1407380412	Reply with quote #27

This is an unfair comparison because JH Adriatic has what I believe is a unique ability to be very flavorful before the pulp to skin bleed of dead ripening occurs. Col de Dame Blanc might exhibit a similar ability but it has not yet had the chance to reveal it. If I could leave figs on the tree for as long as Martin, Francisco, Mike, Frank, and some others, I would have more days of harvesting dead ripe figs. So minus souring, bird pecking, ant burrowing, fruit fly swarming, splitting, squirrel-ing, rotting, and dropping, I wait as long as I can before picking. Rain and travel, however, invariably trigger impatience (for good reason). Sorry Senora Blanc and Mahalo Madame Adriatic. __________________ jd \| tallahassee.fl \| zone 8b

waynea

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Posts: 1,886

Posted 1407384543	Reply with quote #28

How do you get such super figs? I am not familiar with Pananas Purple but that Smith looks like a winner.

GreenFin

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Posts: 684

Posted 1407386497	Reply with quote #29

This thread is amazing. Very impressive, JD! __________________ James, zone 6a Kansas (zone 10 greenhouses); wish list is in my profile http://www.FigCuttings.com

jdsfrance

Registered:1376988473
Posts: 2,591

Posted 1407403170	Reply with quote #30

Hi JD, Nice harvest ! and nice collection ! __________________ ------------------------ Climate from -25°C to + 35°C Only cold hardy figtrees can make it here

rcantor

Registered:1309799312
Posts: 5,727

Posted 1407435403	Reply with quote #31

Waynea, primarily from hard work and learning by experience - his own & other people's, but his zone doesn't hurt, either. :) __________________ 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.

Registered:1252379847
Posts: 1,162

Posted 1407448321	Reply with quote #32

waynea, I get figs. Super is not a word I would use. Bob, I agree the 8B climate certainly helps but heat, humidiry, rain and wide temperature swings also makes it difficult to grow some of figs without extraordinary measures. I have mostly neglected my figs - many are overcrowded, some need up-potting and/or others need fertilizing - and they still produce well in spite of me. I try to 'do no harm' and help out when I see something amiss. Best scenario for my collection is an acre of land to grow better roots. __________________ jd \| tallahassee.fl \| zone 8b

MGorski

Registered:1399823521
Posts: 370

Posted 1407460787	Reply with quote #33

Beautiful comparison photos JD. With the names on the figs, this is a great resource for identification for me. I have saved some for my reference. I'd like to see more people label thier figs within the pictures. Another thing that would be helpful for learnig fig ID is a pic of the plant habit and dominant leaf. Mike in Hanover, VA __________________ Zone-7, previously Mescalito

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Posted 1407462350	Reply with quote #34

Good points Mike. I will work on adding a photograph of a leaf and hopefully the trees. Thanks for taking the time to tell me. __________________ jd \| tallahassee.fl \| zone 8b

Otmani007

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Posts: 573

Posted 1407462613	Reply with quote #35

Excellent thread and I just love the collection of all the varieties you have. Well done, JD. __________________ Dallas, TX - Zone 8a Wish List: Col de Dame Blanche, Brogiotto Bianco, Sicilian White, Panache Otmani

Ruuting

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Posts: 613

Posted 1407463678	Reply with quote #36

Blah! Licking the screen doesn't work. JD, you just let me know when a taste-tester position opens up... Fantastic collection, photos, and resource. __________________ Rui Southeast CT, zone 6B

FigaroNewton

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Posts: 75

Posted 1407464433	Reply with quote #37

Amazing how photos can make your saliva glands kick into gear, Regards, bill __________________ Billy - Middle Tennessee Seeking: C'hiapetta, A'driatic JH, and S'mith maybe 2 cuttings or so of each. Thank-you.

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