I'd like to share the dream I had last night with my fig family.

I think in that dream I must have seen Fig Heaven and I think I know what it looks like.

I saw some of the most beautiful figs anyone could ever imagine. The colors were from amber to bronze to red.
Remember that rare Panache fig picture that was posted recently? I saw some even better looking ones then that.

They were in bunches hanging like huge grapes on a vine.
Ever seen a couple dozen or so of garlic all bunched up and uniformed? That's how they looked.

I was just picking and filling my pockets up.

Then may alarm clock went off.

Can anyone explain the mystery about the fig and why is it so addicting to so many of us? What is the majic about this fruit we all hold so dearly.
Why is it when so many of us in the past including myself went to the local nursery or farmers market and picked up a fig tree on an impulse and not knowing that in six months or a year or two later we have a dozen or so trees?
And only then on most occasions we later find out there are other fig nuts like ourself.

Could there be a chemical in it that gets some of us addicted to it or have I just been in my truck for too long and I am losing my top?

Rafed

"gene"

"gene"

Bass

Too much info dude ( LOL ).

Rafed

Your post reminded me of something I intended to post on a new thread on the other fig forum but never got around to it........

While on one of my fig hunting trips, I came across an old Cajun who made himself a "fig picker" for picking figs that were out of reach for him in his tall tree. He took a length of PVC pipe and cut some large saw-like serrations on one end of the pipe. He then heated that end of the PVC pipe using flames of a propane burner. This softens the PVC where those serrations can be bent slightly to the inside of the pipe by using a gloved hand. To use it he targets a fig by placing it into the mouth of the pipe and gives it a gentle twist so the fig stems gets into one of those slightly bent serrations. The fig falls into the interior of the pipe and ends up in a bag that he has attached to the other end of the pipe.

What does my post have to do with this thread's Dream Fig topic?

..........I Dream of the day my fig trees will be large enough where I have to make me one of those Fig Picking devices.

Dan

I was little then but I remember my oldest brother and my uncle used to climb the tree when it was time to pick them.
And they would pick them my the bucket full. Given the size of the tree you could only imagine the size of the harvest.

And I can still remember they were quite large figs and compare them to Large Greek Black.

Being so young ( 4 or 5 years old )I didn't care too much for them.

Who would have known 3.5 decades later I would be here discussing figs.

I hope your dream comes true to you and look forward to your posts on it.

These trees seem to grow quite quick so you never know.

I've seen some quite large fig trees throughout Texas, The size of a fully grown Lilac bush ( 15' to 20' ).

Rafed

Dan

I've traveled across the south many times before and I've seen homes and businesses elevated on wooden stakes approx. 10' or higher and they do look like hurricane and flood proof.

The way some of them look is like they can handle three hurricanes at once.

This thought just came across my mind and for all it's worth, Can you build something like that? build a large pot and line it with a pond liner and have it a couple of feet or more above ground?
And for the wind just build corner posts on an angle ( inward ) and quickly cover them to protect them from the strong winds.

Just another wacko idea.

If you think that's too much work then just think about us northerners and the trouble we have to go through in the spring time and fall.

A little time, money and dedication and you get years of enjoyment.

Rafed

I am conducting cultivar suitability research on over 200 fig trees. I spend a lot of time on optimizing propagation methods too. My intent is to grow all of my fig trees in the ground. I wouldn't have enough time for my fig studies if I tried to build something to protect them. As it is now, I'm looking for more property so that I can test even more cultivars.

There are many promising heirloom figs in Louisiana left to study. I am especially interested in those that have been re-planted by the owners (or their fore fathers) following repeated hurricane destruction as they usually turn out to be excellent figs......why would one want to re-plant a marginal tree? I found one heirloom fig that was re-planted by an old timer THREE times after the hurricanes killed each on of his replanted trees in each incident. He discared many named figs but kept this heirloom for its flavor.....not sentimental reasons. I ate figs from his mother tree. That heirloom fig definitely belongs in the "super-sweet" category and unlike any other fig that I have seen or tasted. I have a feeling it will turn out to be one of my best discoveries......time will tell.

Dan

Dan

Would that tree be in Port Lavaca on the road to Poor Boys bait house?

Cecil