If you use the search feature and put in "container figs in zone 5", that will get you some good information. Hope that helps.

For container growing, hardiness isn't as much of a concern if you are bringing them in to a protected location during the winter months. So your choices are perhaps less limited. Consider earlier ripening common fig varieties if you don't have a greenhouse to give your plants a jump on spring. Do you have a preference for light or dark figs?
Here's a link to a few cold hardy varieties:
http://www.waldeneffect.org/blog/Cold_hardy_figs/

Dirtguy50 - Thanks for the tip. I did try the search feature! Found a treasure trove of info on container mixes, a lot about pots/containers, pinching leaves, and in-ground vs. container debates. Very helpful!!

JesseSt - I do not have a greenhouse (hopefully someday!).

If ripening time is a big factor, what is your opinion on Celeste, or English Brown Turkey?

To be truthful - I've never had a fresh fig so I don't know the difference between light/dark figs. Figs are relatively hard to track down in central Iowa. My tastes generally run toward sweeter things, but I'm really not picky. I'd just like a healthy tree that'll produce a small "reward" crop for me eventually. :)

Any recommendations taste-wise, for a starter tree?

I would avoid Celeste because it can drop fruit in northern climates. There is a variety called Improved Celeste (O' Rourke Not) that is a better option, it has the same leaf shape and similar figs but ripens earlier and produces some breba. Hermansur has some cuttings on eBay right now. Buying Improved Celeste from a nursery is iffy as there is more than one type of Improved Celeste. The brown type is not as productive or early. You could also try finding a true O'Rourke.

English Brown Turkey ripens slowly so probably not the best option.

Hardy Chicago is your best option of well known varieties. Burpee sells another variety called Letizia that is very similar to Hardy Chicago.

There are also places that sell tissue culture plants, they are cheap but can take longer to fruit in some cases... HC, Olympian, Petite Black, VdB would be good choices, the last 2 being a little bit later ripening but well suited to container culture. Avoid Florida Hill Nursery! Try Hirts or Wellspring.

Thanks hoosierbana!
That's exactly the type of recommendations I was looking for!

I'm a little torn between HC and VdB, now. What a good problem to have, right?
Looked into buying from Hirts and Wellspring - both are VERY reasonable.

Thank you soooo much for your advice. VERY much appreciated!