satellitehead
Registered:1257988353 Posts: 3,687
Posted 1347588031
Reply with quote
#1
Got back from a 10-day trip to Turkey this Tuesday and have finally got situated, so I'm posting a topic. I would also love help from someone/anyone going to or with family near Foça, Turkey to get something I saw there. My trip wasn't a fig-hunting expedition, it was a vacation, but I had my eyes open the whole time for interesting stuff. Sadly, I didn't take a lot of pictures because there wasn't a ton of stuff I saw that was out of the ordinary. Lots of green figs, not a lot of dark figs. I'll post what I took just to share. I want to say, I was seriously, seriously impressed with Turkey. I hadn't expected such an open, friendly, crime-free, English-speaking, hospitable and inexpensively beautiful place to visit. I have traveled all over the world... I would not hesitate to say that I have never, ever been to a place with such a kind, giving and friendly country. Seriously. (Not yet, at least). The country had tons of melons, stone fruits and figs. Our trip was as follows : 3 days Istanbul, 2 days Ürgüp (Kapadokya), 3 days Foça, overnight again in Istanbul, then home. So, we did urban, desert/mountain, coastal, urban, then home. In Istanbul, east of Hagia Sophia, there weren't a lot of figs. On the west side, we found a lot more. Sadly, we were only on the west side for the final night. Ürgüp had almost no fig trees. Lots of stone fruits and melons, no figs. Foça had a fig tree every 50 yards or less, and most properties had at least one, if not several (including restaurants and hotels). Every breakfast looked pretty much like this, with green figs (abundant), heavy heavy seed crunch, nice rich, honey, figgy flavor, very different from the green figs we see on the east coast USA where we have no wasp.Inline image We at a lot of sweets while in Istanbul on a short culinary tour. I preferred the chee kofte, kibbeh and ichlee kofte, but when we got to the sweets, one of the things they had was unripened figs that had been candied in sugar water - I didn't like them, but I took a picture so I could share with everyone (also pictured: baklava, candied pumpkin/chestnut/black walnut/baby eggplant)Inline image I found this fig tree which has (almost to the letter) the leaves of Ronde de Bordeaux. I tried to take cuttings with a butter knife (couldn't find anything else), but I failed. I couldn't find a knife or pruning shears at any alleyway shops or anything, and it really kicked my ass. I was with three other people so I couldn't spend a lot of time on it, I still really really want cuttings of this tree. High resolution version: http://i.imgur.com/wSq9i.jpg Low res version:Inline image The location of this fig in both satellite view and map view is here:Inline image Inline image If anyone can assist with this, let me know (PM me or something). I don't care if it's only tissue culture... I'm frustrated because I paid good money to get there and couldn't bring the one thing I really wanted back. ;)
Attached Images
mapview.jpg (108.40 KB, 182 views)
satellite-foca.jpg (962.95 KB, 187 views)
tree.JPG (540.47 KB, 184 views)
bfast.JPG (129.21 KB, 183 views)
sweets.JPG (167.54 KB, 183 views)
__________________ Jason
Atlanta/Grant Park area - z8
rcantor
Registered:1309799312 Posts: 5,724
Posted 1347588484
Reply with quote
#2
Sap or no sap, I'd have used my teeth! Sorry, had to be very frustrating.
__________________ 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.
satellitehead
Registered:1257988353 Posts: 3,687
Posted 1347588700
Reply with quote
#3
Was very frustrating. I'm sure that I could have smashed a branch in half with a brick, but when you're in a different country with a different set of norms and a different set of expectations, it's tough for me (personally) to jump in a ditch with a boulder and smash some wood in half, and then suffer the risk of getting popped with something like that in your luggage, you know? I had a hard time with it.
__________________ Jason
Atlanta/Grant Park area - z8
Gina
Registered:1330452963 Posts: 2,260
Posted 1347588732
Reply with quote
#4
Thanks for the presentation. When I think of all the places I've been in Mediterranean areas pre-fig interest, after seeing your pictures, I feel I've missed something really cool. Not so much collecting, though I probably would have, but just seeing, eating, and appreciating. Sigh.
__________________ WillsC's new fig forum: http://www.Ourfigs.com (and blueberries)
go4broek
Registered:1287592943 Posts: 1,200
Posted 1347589136
Reply with quote
#5
Dude! I have used my bare hands!! Hard to make out the leaves, but it seems kind of sprawling for a RdB.
__________________ Ruben
Cibolo, TX/Zone 8b
Wish List: Dalmatie, Italian 258, Martin's Unknown (not the Italian), CdD-N, NdC, Signora, Latarolla, Stella!
Check out my online journal @ http://davesgarden.com/community/journals/vbc/go4broek/83546/
eden13
Registered:1340340693 Posts: 788
Posted 1347589615
Reply with quote
#6
Jason is this tree in Istanbul. I love Turkey, food and people are so good. Have you try Doner kebab while you were there .
__________________ Wish List: Col de Dame Negra and Gris, Noire de Caramba, Abicou Noire, Zingarella, Sultan, Dalmatie and any Yugoslavian(Bosnian, Serbian,Croatian...).
Atlanta, Georgia
Eden
satellitehead
Registered:1257988353 Posts: 3,687
Posted 1347591611
Reply with quote
#7
Eden, the tree is in Foça, which is a small town near Izmir. Ruben, they apparently cut the three trees down to the stump regularly, which is why it looks to be sprawling, and why it's so low to the ground versus the big bushy trees shown in satellite view. Because of this, there really was nothing much more than 1"-2" to pull on, and while I'm a talented rooter, I'm not sure I could do much with that. the tree needs to grow for a couple of months and have cuttings taken.
__________________ Jason
Atlanta/Grant Park area - z8
SEGeo
Registered:1343244935 Posts: 517
Posted 1347591950
Reply with quote
#8
One major aspect to islamic food culture, is the amount of fruit and vegetables one is exposed to. This is one great experience I have gotten out of graduate school is the respect for the food and people in this region of the world. Can't wait to get more exposure.
__________________ Chris Fairchild
Virginia Beach, Va.
USDA Hardiness Zone 8a
Graduate Student - Engineering and GeoScience
***I assume all my figs carry FMV***
Wish List:
snaglpus
Registered:1244258188 Posts: 4,072
Posted 1347592141
Reply with quote
#9
People really don't know how amazing Turkey is. I lived in Ankara for 2 years. The wife and I visited Izmir and other places. We plan on going back one day. Glad you had a good time Jason.
__________________ Dennis Charlotte, North Carolina/Zone 8a
DesertDance
Registered:1247674606 Posts: 4,518
Posted 1347593390
Reply with quote
#10
Even Suzi, who saw an opportunity on a neglected property, short sale, took her hands and ripped! She stuck the cutting in water and when she got home, cut off the rip, and put it in slightly damp sphangum moss in a baggie. Took 2 weeks, but we got roots!!
__________________ Zone 9b, Southern California. "First year they sleep, Second year they creep, Third year they leap!" Wish List: I wish all of you happy fig collecting! My wishes have been fulfilled!
DesertDance
Registered:1247674606 Posts: 4,518
Posted 1347593526
Reply with quote
#11
Istanbul is an amazing place. Been there. Amazing sheets! They know how to make a bed! What is that river? Bostphorous? Not sure. Loved Istanbul, and also feared it. Suzi
__________________ Zone 9b, Southern California. "First year they sleep, Second year they creep, Third year they leap!" Wish List: I wish all of you happy fig collecting! My wishes have been fulfilled!
FrozenJoe
Registered:1244509224 Posts: 1,115
Posted 1347598561
Reply with quote
#12
Jason,
Great post. Thanks for sharing. Too bad about the cuttings but hopefully someone can help you get some from those trees.
__________________ Joe Phoenix Area (Zone 9) I am MrFrozenJoe on YouTube. I am arizonafigs on eBay.
striveforfreedom
Registered:1322497326 Posts: 437
Posted 1347613067
Reply with quote
#13
Sounds like an amazing adventure Jason, thank you for sharing it with us.
__________________ Vince Russo Norwalk, CT Zone 7A Wish list - Any cuttings of the Col de Dames would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
BLB
Registered:1214341548 Posts: 2,936
Posted 1347630103
Reply with quote
#14
Great Pics Jason, must've been a great trip too. Oh next time bend and twist until it breaks off!!
FMD
Registered:1309800590 Posts: 1,327
Posted 1347637699
Reply with quote
#15
Thanks for allowing us to live vicariously for a minute or two, Jason. I feel your frustration. Two years ago, touring the Island of Madeira resulted in fig bupkiss as well. There were plenty of trees to see but were either behind fences or on private property just out of reach or the tour bus wouldn't stop!
__________________Frank Tallahassee, FL Zone 8b North Florida Figs
stefpix
Registered:1340649999 Posts: 159
Posted 1347638201
Reply with quote
#16
Couldn't you pull out a sucker or just break a branch with your hands and then make a clean cut later? very nice leaves....
__________________ --
stefano
rcantor
Registered:1309799312 Posts: 5,724
Posted 1347638744
Reply with quote
#17
Afraid in what way? Or of what? (I've never been :)
__________________ 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.
satellitehead
Registered:1257988353 Posts: 3,687
Posted 1347648206
Reply with quote
#18
Quote:
Originally Posted by stefpix Couldn't you pull out a sucker or just break a branch with your hands and then make a clean cut later? very nice leaves....
Yes, if I had been able to find a zip baggie, and had some way to cut down the branch. Most of the suitable branches were larger than my thumb, the smaller ones were limp/green because all three trees had been cut to the ground some weeks before. I tried twisting, yanking out of the ground, I tried a butter knife, smacked one with a rock a few times, then I gave up. Trust me, I tried a lot of different things in the ~5 minutes I had, and the ~5 minutes I spent the 2nd go around just before dark.
__________________ Jason
Atlanta/Grant Park area - z8
hoosierbanana
Registered:1287901146 Posts: 2,186
Posted 1347652623
Reply with quote
#19
Hey Jason you should learn to sharpen a butter knife on a brick, seriously. This thing would be good too, although I think you would need have it in checked baggage. TSA says wire is OK to carry on but saw blades must be checked.
__________________ 7a, DE
james
Registered:1189185103 Posts: 1,653
Posted 1347653227
Reply with quote
#20
I'm glad you had a good time. After NYC, I think Istanbul is my favorite city. I would head down to the market and bring back 2 bags full of fresh fruit for 3 bucks. I was there in 2005. I had brought back cuttings from Insanbul and Isarel. Neither of the two from Istanbul ended up fruiting, and all three died during a summer heat wave a few years ago. ~james
__________________ In containers - Littleton, CO (zone 5b) In ground - N.E of Austin, TX (zone 8b) 2016 Wish List: Dārk Pōrtuguese, Grānthāms Royāl, Lātarolla, Negrettā, Nōire de Bārbentāne, Rockāway Green, Viōlet Sepōr , Viōlette Dā uphine . Iranian figs are always welcome.
satellitehead
Registered:1257988353 Posts: 3,687
Posted 1347654468
Reply with quote
#21
Quote:
Originally Posted by hoosierbanana Hey Jason you should learn to sharpen a butter knife on a brick, seriously. This thing would be good too, although I think you would need have it in checked baggage. TSA says wire is OK to carry on but saw blades must be checked.
If I were smart (hindsight is 20/20), I should have walked to the boat building woodworker across the street from this rocky ditch and asked for something to cut with, but that may have been equally challenging. I found that nearly everyone in town speaks english except the native (private) boat captains and laborers who typically don't have interaction with anyone that doesn't speak Turkish.
__________________ Jason
Atlanta/Grant Park area - z8
rcantor
Registered:1309799312 Posts: 5,724
Posted 1347672807
Reply with quote
#22
Or watched the karate kid a few times
__________________ 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.
satellitehead
Registered:1257988353 Posts: 3,687
Posted 1347735679
Reply with quote
#23
I love you, Bob! HAHAHAH
__________________ Jason
Atlanta/Grant Park area - z8