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NativeSun

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
We are creating a fairly extensive garden at my school - as the history teacher, Im re-creating a Spanish Mission garden (this being North Florida, one of the earliest places in the Continental US that was settled by the Spanish). We will also be including the "three sisters" of Native American agriculture, Seminole Squash, etc.etc. as well as some African Crops [ basically, the idea is to create a garden that represents the "Columbian Exchange" between these three cultures ]

Im planting grapes, olives, citrus, and figs.  Ive always assumed that the Black Mission type would be the appropriate one for such a garden.  In our research, however, we found that most of the early Spanish explorers / conquistadors hailed from Northern Spain.  Is there a different type of fig that they may have brought over?

Also, Greeks (Florida) and Minorcans (around St. Augustine, specifically) played an important role in the settlement/development of Florida.  Any specific varieties that these peoples may have contributed to our cultural (and agricultural) richness?  

Any help would be most appreciated.  Ive got a pretty nice start on the Black Mission as I made a cutting last year when the project was approved.  The new principal just gave us permission to make the grounds whatever we wish it to be, hahahhah she doesn't know what she has just done... I envision an urban oasis of 10 + acres ... loaded with fruits and veggies..
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James, North Florida zone 9A
DesertDance

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
Sounds like a fun project!  Wish I could help.  In California, Black Mission was brought by the Spanish and planted along the Mission Trail at the churches.  That one is a big part of California History.  Google The National Grape Registry.  You could spend hours there researching the origin of grapes (both table and wine), but each variety will have it's origin listed.

Good luck!
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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!
drivewayfarmer

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
Having grown up in Georgia and Florida , I have always been interested in this question about which was the first fig variety introduced to the Florida/Georgia coast or what grew best.
I seem to remember speaking to someone at an early English settlement on St. Simon's Island , Fort Frederica -http://www.nps.gov/fofr/index.htm who gave me a lead on finding out , but I never followed up on that.
Good luck with the search , but just plant  bunch of the best figs recommended by the Florida figs4fun members anyway to go with the historical winner.
Sounds like a very fun project.
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Kerry Zone 5 NH
Wish list :Galicia Negra , Col de Dame Blanca/Negra  .
Chapman

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
http://www.common-place.org/vol-11/no-03/bherman/
This is an interesting article that talks about early figs in the US.
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drivewayfarmer

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
Nativesun ,
I wonder if the fellow who presented this could be of some help in your search :

http://dspace.nelson.usf.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10806/5933/Early_Footprints_in_the_Sand_Schnur_James_Script.pdf?sequence=6
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Kerry Zone 5 NH
Wish list :Galicia Negra , Col de Dame Blanca/Negra  .
NativeSun

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Thank you so much for your help!

Unfortunately, no Habla Espanol.....

Still fun to watch. Ill have a friend help me translate.
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James, North Florida zone 9A
NativeSun

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
hehehh making Fig Jam to the sounds of Spanish Punk Rock!!!!
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James, North Florida zone 9A
FrozenJoe

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
I'm not sure which varieties the Spanish brought to Florida.  However for the Southeast in general Brown Turkey and Celeste are two of the oldest and most widely distributed varieties.
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Joe
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eboone

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Optimist
Hello NativeSun, that is a great project! I got interested and there are two questions that occured to me: - Is it possible that there had been fig trees in South America BEFORE the Spanish came? There are sources that say that the Aztecs used the bark of fig trees to write on, but wasn't their culture on the decline already when the Spanish arrived? - If I remember it correctly, the fig wasp didn't live in America originally but was introduced to the country in later times. That would mean that the first figs brought into the country must have been varieties that didn't need the fig wasp for pollination. This somehow limits the number of possible names. What do you think? Lilli


If any of the original native cutures in Central or South America used 'fig bark' to write on, it was some native tropical species, not the common fig that we grow. 
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Ed
Zone 6A - Southwest PA     
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Short wish list: CDDG, LSU Red, Dark Greek (Navid),  Col Littman's Black Cross.   And any cold hardy early fig.
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