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#1
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Figs 'n ice cream
My figs are ripe. Not enough to make jam or do anything substantial with
this main crop, but enough to enjoy fresh figs and ice cream. Delish. My basil has been nipped by an early frost, my feral pumpkin vine has had it's tips cut back but has a huge big Queensland Blue pumpkin on it so the frost will sweeten that up Now it's just a matter of time before the real cold sets in, ubt at least I got some figs. |
#2
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Figs 'n ice cream
Farm1 wrote:
My figs are ripe. Not enough to make jam or do anything substantial with this main crop, but enough to enjoy fresh figs and ice cream. Delish. i've never even seen a fresh fig before. fig newton cookies are the only way i've ever had them. what are they like? how would you eat one? My basil has been nipped by an early frost, my feral pumpkin vine has had it's tips cut back but has a huge big Queensland Blue pumpkin on it so the frost will sweeten that up mm! we might finally get more rain this coming week, i'll believe it when i see it hit the ground... repeated frosts, but the strawberries are trying to bloom anyways. peas planted early are doing fine, same with onion seeds that sprouted. turnips seedlings mostly knocked out, will replant in a month. should get out and plant more peas since they are doing ok. maybe they can grow and mostly finish by the time i want the space for planting something else. garlic remains completely happy and doing well. 27F doesn't seem to even give it pause. flowers doing ok, lack of rain means i've done a little watering i normally wouldn't do, and frosts have knocked down some of the earlier daffodils and tulips, but the rest are looking better now and it should be ok for a week. no heavy frosts in the forecast. i might be able to get some decent pictures if i can get out today. Now it's just a matter of time before the real cold sets in, ubt at least I got some figs. whereabouts are you (roughly )? how cold does it usually get there at the worst and is it for long? here in mid-michigan it gets down to maybe -5 - -20F and that might last a few weeks or a month some years. the past few seasons have been quite mild. songbird |
#3
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Figs 'n ice cream
Farm1 wrote:
My figs are ripe. Not enough to make jam or do anything substantial with this main crop, but enough to enjoy fresh figs and ice cream. Delish. We have been bottling pears, some apples and quinces. Must go and collect feijoas tomorrow. My basil has been nipped by an early frost, my feral pumpkin vine has had it's tips cut back but has a huge big Queensland Blue pumpkin on it so the frost will sweeten that up Liquid ambers are at yellow, mullbery almost bare. Now it's just a matter of time before the real cold sets in, ubt at least I got some figs. We have apples, all the citrus and medlars to go. David |
#4
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Figs 'n ice cream
"songbird" wrote in message
... Farm1 wrote: My figs are ripe. Not enough to make jam or do anything substantial with this main crop, but enough to enjoy fresh figs and ice cream. Delish. i've never even seen a fresh fig before. fig newton cookies are the only way i've ever had them. Well I have no idea what a 'fig newton' might be so I guess we are both in the dark about some thing figgy. what are they like? how would you eat one? That is a hard question but I'll try to answer. Fresh figs are much softer and squishier than dried figs - about as soft as a ripe avocado. They have a fig flavour but not as strong as dried figs. They have lots of the tiny seeds but the seeds aren't as noticeable as in they are in the dried figs. To me they are a real luxury food because it is almost impossible to buy ripe figs since they don't travel well. You can eat then fresh just as you would any fruit, you can eat them with a mild cheese on a fruit platter along with a scattering of fresh dates, you can make them into jam (and fig jam is one of THE best jams IMO). As to trying to describe the flavour of than it being figgy, I can't give yo a clue because it is in a class of its owm. We ate our fresh ones jsut sliced and on top of vanilla ice cream. we might finally get more rain this coming week, i'll believe it when i see it hit the ground... repeated frosts, but the strawberries are trying to bloom anyways. peas planted early are doing fine, same with onion seeds that sprouted. turnips seedlings mostly knocked out, will replant in a month. should get out and plant more peas since they are doing ok. maybe they can grow and mostly finish by the time i want the space for planting something else. garlic remains completely happy and doing well. 27F doesn't seem to even give it pause. flowers doing ok, lack of rain means i've done a little watering i normally wouldn't do, and frosts have knocked down some of the earlier daffodils and tulips, but the rest are looking better now and it should be ok for a week. no heavy frosts in the forecast. i might be able to get some decent pictures if i can get out today. Sounds quite promising for a good Spring for you. whereabouts are you (roughly )? how cold does it usually get there at the worst and is it for long? South Eastern NSW and it gets cold from late April to about the beginning of October.. here in mid-michigan it gets down to maybe -5 - -20F and that might last a few weeks or a month some years. the past few seasons have been quite mild. Here it can gets down to about -9C and that will freeze the pipes. It regulalry gets downt o -4C over winter. Not cold by your standards, but cold by Oz standards. |
#5
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Figs 'n ice cream
Farm1 wrote:
South Eastern NSW and it gets cold from late April to about the beginning of October.. here in mid-michigan it gets down to maybe -5 - -20F and that might last a few weeks or a month some years. the past few seasons have been quite mild. Here it can gets down to about -9C and that will freeze the pipes. It regulalry gets downt o -4C over winter. Not cold by your standards, but cold by Oz standards. It sounds like you are up a hill. How far from Cooma? D |
#6
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Figs 'n ice cream
"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
... Farm1 wrote: South Eastern NSW and it gets cold from late April to about the beginning of October.. here in mid-michigan it gets down to maybe -5 - -20F and that might last a few weeks or a month some years. the past few seasons have been quite mild. Here it can gets down to about -9C and that will freeze the pipes. It regulalry gets downt o -4C over winter. Not cold by your standards, but cold by Oz standards. It sounds like you are up a hill. How far from Cooma? Up a tableland at least :-)) About an hour's drive away. |
#7
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Figs 'n ice cream
Farm1 wrote:
songbird wrote: Farm1 wrote: My figs are ripe. Not enough to make jam or do anything substantial with this main crop, but enough to enjoy fresh figs and ice cream. Delish. i've never even seen a fresh fig before. fig newton cookies are the only way i've ever had them. Well I have no idea what a 'fig newton' might be so I guess we are both in the dark about some thing figgy. haha, (i thought i answered this one already but i don't see a reply posted, so if i repeat myself that is why ). it's fig filling inside a sort of crumbly outer vanilla cookie. yet another mass extruded product of some mad genius. now they come in many flavors. i do not buy many cookies these days (we bake them by the hundreds), but once in a while for something different we'll get some of these. they come in many flavors and are sold at the dollar stores by the slab. we prefer the plain or original flavor as at least that has some resemblance to reality (or so we hope ). what are they like? how would you eat one? That is a hard question but I'll try to answer. Fresh figs are much softer and squishier than dried figs - about as soft as a ripe avocado. They have a fig flavour but not as strong as dried figs. They have lots of the tiny seeds but the seeds aren't as noticeable as in they are in the dried figs. that sounds similar to a kiwi or strawberry. i don't find the seeds in fig filling to be bothersome. i do dislike seeds in raspberry or blackberry jams, but seedless in either of those is not common. To me they are a real luxury food because it is almost impossible to buy ripe figs since they don't travel well. You can eat then fresh just as you would any fruit, you can eat them with a mild cheese on a fruit platter along with a scattering of fresh dates, you can make them into jam (and fig jam is one of THE best jams IMO). As to trying to describe the flavour of than it being figgy, I can't give yo a clue because it is in a class of its owm. We ate our fresh ones jsut sliced and on top of vanilla ice cream. i'm just scouting for my possible wishlist someday fruit tree space that i keep ignoring because i don't really want yet more projects do i really like no, i don't, but fig filling would be really good and ... ohnoes! it sounds great and i hope some day to try a fresh fig. .... flowers doing ok, lack of rain means i've done a little watering i normally wouldn't do, and frosts have knocked down some of the earlier daffodils and tulips, but the rest are looking better now and it should be ok for a week. no heavy frosts in the forecast. i might be able to get some decent pictures if i can get out today. Sounds quite promising for a good Spring for you. the weather is gradually getting warmer and the frosts/freezes not quite so harsh. still i won't be setting out any expensive plants for another month. the wind shredded quite a few flowers. frost got some more, but there are still some for the photo gallery. a good reason to plant extra. and we had someone come by and pick a few dozen and Ma has given hundreds away to another friend. i'm getting a lot of weeding done this year with it being dry to the point where the clay was cracking. recent rains have fixed that. i'll keep at it as it looks nice and i like having fewer weed seeds in the harvested green manure. strawberries are blooming a lot more now. even the wild plants are loaded with blooms. rest of seedlings ok for the most part. still looking forwards to seeing the chard poke up and have already had a friend say they would take any extra. it is nice to be loved. whereabouts are you (roughly )? how cold does it usually get there at the worst and is it for long? South Eastern NSW and it gets cold from late April to about the beginning of October.. sounds like you have a bit warmer and longer season by about a month. here in mid-michigan it gets down to maybe -5 - -20F and that might last a few weeks or a month some years. the past few seasons have been quite mild. Here it can gets down to about -9C and that will freeze the pipes. It regulalry gets downt o -4C over winter. Not cold by your standards, but cold by Oz standards. frozen pipes are no fun... what did you plant this season and how did it go? songbird |
#8
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Figs 'n ice cream
In article ,
Derald wrote: Not sure that figs do well in your climate; they definitely are warm weather trees. Certain varieties require specific insect species in order to "fruit". I've read an elaborate (ie, not happening here) description of basically bending over and burying a fig tree through the winter to get it through up this way - presumably potting it and bringing inside would also work for the folks that actually have a greenhouse. "Brown turkey" seems to be the variety that's most tolerant of cold (or most mentioned for this elaborate procedure). But I think it's still basically a Zone 8 plant unless it's buried and exhumed annually. I'm trying to move the garden to less work, not more... -- Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by Please don't feed the trolls. Killfile and ignore them so they will go away. |
#9
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Figs 'n ice cream
"Derald" wrote in message
Fig tree sap is an irritant And it's also a natural rennet which I didn't know about until we went to a celebrity chef' lunch at an Open Garden where the Host and his wife made the 'extras' for the chef including a soft cheese using a fresh cut fig branch. |
#10
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Figs 'n ice cream
"songbird" wrote in message
Farm1 wrote: and that will freeze the pipes. It regulalry gets downt o -4C over winter. Not cold by your standards, but cold by Oz standards. frozen pipes are no fun... what did you plant this season and how did it go? Off the top of my head, I can recall: Rocket (aragula), lettuce, basil, Italian Parsley, Zucchini, beans, French Sorrel, Lebanese cukes, potatoes, silver beet (chard), coriander, tomatoes. Toms didnt' do all that well and neither did the eggplants. It just wasn't a hot enough summer. We've had strawbs and raspberies and blackberries in almost plague proportions and our asparagus and rhubarb also did well. |
#11
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Figs 'n ice cream
Derald wrote:
songbird wrote: that sounds similar to a kiwi or strawberry. i don't find the seeds in fig filling to be bothersome. More like the former than like the latter. Many, but not all, resemble pear in shape. When ripe, color may be green, red, "golden", dark brown, purple, depending on variety; illustrative "poster" he http://www.fruitlovers.com/FigPoster.html. Fresh figs often have the same effect on the human alimentary canal as prunes, IYKWIM ;-) Fig tree sap is an irritant to most folks and produces extreme reactions in some. Not sure that figs do well in your climate; they definitely are warm weather trees. Certain varieties require specific insect species in order to "fruit". yes, there have been some excellent documentary shows on PBS (Public Broadcasting System for non-USoAians) about figs. still i can daydream... The fig fruit is unique. Unlike most fruit in which the edible structure is matured ovary tissue, the fig's [...] ** ** http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/homefruit/fig/fig.html songbird |
#12
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Figs 'n ice cream
Farm1 wrote:
Derald wrote: Fig tree sap is an irritant And it's also a natural rennet which I didn't know about until we went to a celebrity chef' lunch at an Open Garden where the Host and his wife made the 'extras' for the chef including a soft cheese using a fresh cut fig branch. huh! what that might do to some folks digestive system could be ... i'm not sure i'd want to test that out myself. songbird |
#13
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Figs 'n ice cream
Farm1 wrote:
"Derald" wrote: Fig tree sap is an irritant And it's also a natural rennet which I didn't know about until we went to a celebrity chef' lunch at an Open Garden where the Host and his wife made the 'extras' for the chef including a soft cheese using a fresh cut fig branch. Vegitarian cheese is made using rennet from fig or pear sap. |
#14
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Figs 'n ice cream
Derald wrote:
songbird wrote: that sounds similar to a kiwi or strawberry. i don't find the seeds in fig filling to be bothersome. More like the former than like the latter. Many, but not all, resemble pear in shape. When ripe, color may be green, red, "golden", dark brown, purple, depending on variety; illustrative "poster" he http://www.fruitlovers.com/FigPoster.html. Fresh figs often have the same effect on the human alimentary canal as prunes, IYKWIM ;-) Fig tree sap is an irritant to most folks and produces extreme reactions in some. Not sure that figs do well in your climate; they definitely are warm weather trees. Certain varieties require specific insect species in order to "fruit". The fig fruit is unique. Unlike most fruit in which the edible structure is matured ovary tissue, the fig's edible structure is actually stem tissue. The fig fruit is an inverted flower with both the male and female flower parts enclosed in stem tissue. This structure is known botanically as a syconium. At maturity the interior of the fig contains only the remains of these flower structures, including the small gritty structures commonly called seeds. Actually, these so-called seeds usually are nothing more than unfertilized ovaries that failed to develop. They impart the resin-like flavor associated with figs. ** ** http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/homefruit/fig/fig.html Speaking of ovaries, you have never seen a fig eaten until you have watched the movie version of "Women in love". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3iL8euEvO4 This scene didn't have nearly as many in a quiver as where the protagonists wrestle nude but some got quite sweaty about it. This was very heady stuff in 1970. D |
#15
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I've read an elaborate (ie, not happening here) description of basically
bending over and burying a fig tree through the winter to get it through up this way - presumably potting it and bringing inside would also work for the folks that actually have a greenhouse. http://www.hbing.info/g.gif |
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