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Encanto Farms Nursery > Topics > Ripe Black Mission figs in NJ
 
 


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needaclone

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
I'm eating some nice, ripe Black Mission figs here in NJ.
OK, I confess, they're imported from California!!!
  It looks like fig season has begun -- I stopped by the local farm/asian/latino market and they had Black Mission figs.  I picked up two packages.
  The first fig was SO GOOD.  It had been over 6 months since I'd had a ripe fig, and it reminded me of why I go through the hassle of growing these things.
  About half were nicely ripe.  Another quarter were OK -- ripe enough to have some sweetness and taste, but not great.  The other quarter just weren't ripe enough at all -- watery, a hint of latex here and there...not good enough to even finish them.
  I may have to go back for more.  I think some of the packages had even riper figs, based on the bit of mold starting to form on one or two.  I usually just scrape/wash the mold off when I get home.  I was in a hurry this time, so I just played it safe and picked a non-moldy one.
  I did get burned, though. The figs were packaged two ways.  Some were thrown together in a plastic clam shell container.  Others, more expensive, were packaged so that each fig was individually cradled.  I figured they would have to be extra ripe to deserve this special treatment -- nope.
  Anyway, I'll start going back on a weekly basis now through September.  Last year they had Black Mission, Kadota, Calimyrna, and then some Brown Turkeys to round out the season.
Jim
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Clarksburg, NJ - Zone 6b Wishlist - A wise man recommended: Nero600M .  Malta Black . Tacoma (Takoma) Violet . Gino's . Adriatic JH  . Vista Mission . Florea . Atreano .  ...also...RdB, Bethlehem Black, Negronne, Grise de St. Jean, Livano, Col de Dame Blanc/Gris/Noir, Vasilika Sika, Longue D'Aout, Italian 258, Pennsylvania 6-5000
armando93223

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
Great to Hear, down south, I believe believe Imperial Valley. Its always hot and they might of came from there......Locally (Central California) I went on a road trip and saw many Missions, they were all green. So maybe a few more weeks. Never had Calamyrna, maybe one of these days.
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needaclone

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
Armando,
  One package was marked with a distributor from Madera, but no mention of where the figs were grown.  The other was marked Fresno and gave more of a sense that they were grown around that area.  But none of the packages said flat out that where the figs were grown.  I guess it is possible they were grown elsewhere and just packaged by a distributor headquartered in Madera and Fresno, respectively.
  Also, I have the feeling that these were the earliest of the early crop.  Some of the figs in some of the packages had a bit too much green for my liking.  I remember the same thing happened last year.  But a couple of weeks from now I should be getting packages where the majority of the figs are ripe.
Cheers,
Jim
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Clarksburg, NJ - Zone 6b Wishlist - A wise man recommended: Nero600M .  Malta Black . Tacoma (Takoma) Violet . Gino's . Adriatic JH  . Vista Mission . Florea . Atreano .  ...also...RdB, Bethlehem Black, Negronne, Grise de St. Jean, Livano, Col de Dame Blanc/Gris/Noir, Vasilika Sika, Longue D'Aout, Italian 258, Pennsylvania 6-5000
RichinNJ

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
The Mission figs from California I had last week here in Fair Lawn were marginal at best. Glad you got a good batch.
needaclone

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
Rich,
  Keep trying, or wait a couple of weeks and try again.  I think they'll get better over the next few weeks.  I think we're early in the season.  In a couple of weeks there will be lots of ripe figs and the price will come down due to the volume.
  In addition to my local farm/asian/latino market, I've found them in Shoprite and Whole Foods (...last year).  A neighbor also reported that Wegmans had them, too.  (...again, last year.  Who knows what this new year will bring.)
Cheers,
Jim
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Clarksburg, NJ - Zone 6b Wishlist - A wise man recommended: Nero600M .  Malta Black . Tacoma (Takoma) Violet . Gino's . Adriatic JH  . Vista Mission . Florea . Atreano .  ...also...RdB, Bethlehem Black, Negronne, Grise de St. Jean, Livano, Col de Dame Blanc/Gris/Noir, Vasilika Sika, Longue D'Aout, Italian 258, Pennsylvania 6-5000
armando93223

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Thanks Jim for the info. The area fruit stands should have them July 1st +-, and the price varies. One old guy knows he can get 4 dollars a pound. I normally go another one that sells them for 2 dollars a pound. I will have a good amount of Panache and Kadota and a few Missions from my trees.
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