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As the NorCal fig get-together is a little more than 2 weeks away, I thought I should post an update. The date is Saturday, August 29, from 11:00-3:00 at my house in Sebastopol. Food and drinks are covered, so please don't feel obligated to bring anything. Figs to share would be great, also fig plants to give away or trade. I'll have a table set up for plants to share. Selling is discouraged. We'll wait awhile to trade and gift, so it'll be fair to all. The free Italian 258 raffle will be around 2:00 pm, and will be open to those who are members of either forum. Those of you who haven't been to my place, please e-mail me for address and phone#. I'm easy to find, from the 101 it's about 15 minutes West of Santa Rosa. Hopefully it will be a day of figs, food and friends.... and wine for those who wish. I hope that many of you can make it out for an enjoyable day. I look forward to meeting you!
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Gary USDA 9A
Sebastopol, CA -
Looking forward to it, Gary! My figs are few in number at this early stage, but I'll bring at least a few spare plants.Sarah
Bay Area, CA (zone: 9B) -
I'll bring a pile....besides your pile Sarah....
I'll see if I can stop and pick up a few samples of the heritage figs...main crops are in on both treesRoss B. Santa Rosa Calif zone 9b, wish list: CdD Blanc, Igo, Palmata, Sucrette, Morroco, Galicia NegraComment
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It's this Saturday, for any that have not contacted me yet, please do. Thanks, see you all at the farm.Gary USDA 9A
Sebastopol, CAComment
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I wish you , guys, to have a grand time!!!
It is so beautiful and I am so jealous
I cannot make it that far unfortunately but will keep an eye for any updates with photos for sure!USDA z 10a, SoCal. WL: Boysenberry BlushComment
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We had a very nice time at Gary's today. I got there around 9:30 so that I could unload some things and get a look around. I picked some fruits last night to taste today and most were a big hit. Even was able to bring 7 Galicia Negra fruits (upper left in the attached photo) from prime condition to being 2-3 days past prime, but all were still great. I even solicited for comments to see if anybody didn't care for it all that much. Not a real sweet fig but flavor is intense. I had picked two Genovese Nero figs yesterday and had cut one for a photo yesterday and brought the other to let Gary and his friend, Wendy, try out and they thought it was great also. Gary has a much bigger fig collection than I realized, seemed like he might have 100 trees in pots and he's hoping to get 40 in the ground eventually. He's got a wonderful setting and weather helped make it a perfect day.
Thanks, Gary!!!You may only view thumbnails in this gallery. This gallery has 1 photos.My fig photos <> My fig cuttings (starts late January) <> My Youtube VideosComment
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Thanks for the update Harvey. The figs look perfect . I've attended three fig related gatherings this season and they were all a big success and unforgettable memories. I'm glad you guys had a good time and can only wish that I lived a bit closer!! Thanks for sharing.Last edited by Chrisk; 08-30-2015, 12:36 AM.Comment
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It was a really fun figganza. I lost a bet with Dean. I'd brought 7 plants to give away and he was betting I wouldn't be able to resist bringing back more than I brought. I lost (thank you!).
Thanks for hosting, Gary! Your place was just as beautiful and sunny as I remember it, except you seem to have an even bigger fig collection now. And thanks, everyone who brought figs to taste or extra plants to swap. The fig tasting definitely made some people's wishlists longer. Galicia Negra, Zidi, Pastilliere, and anything starting with "Col de Dam" lived up to their great reputations. Beale was also an unexpectedly delicious fig, don't remember too much hype about this one previously.
Sarah
Bay Area, CA (zone: 9B)Comment
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A photo or two or three by any chance ?USDA z 10a, SoCal. WL: Boysenberry BlushComment
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It was a beautiful day yesterday, and when it was over, I could not eat one more fig. Thanks to Harvey, we got to sample an amazing variety. I believe 30-40 in all. I had 6 or 8 varieties ripe on some of my trees that we never even got to. If I had to pick the most amazing, it would be Galicia Negra. Emalyn's Purple was a standout as well, as were the CdDs, Zidi, and Pastilliere, as Sarah said. We had 20 people and everyone got their fill, so that's a lot of figs. Tarek from Berkeley won the raffle for the Italian 258, and everyone left with something new and a smile on their face. At the end of the day, Harvey and I sampled a first fig from Victoria MP, and it was very nice. I will attach a photo, and a couple of Harvey sharing his bounty with the gathering. Thanks to all who attended.
Gary USDA 9A
Sebastopol, CAComment
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figgary
i am happy things turned out great and i wish i could have attended.
i am sure everyone had a blast.
harveys figs look like they helped people get a better idea of what should be on their wish list.
i hope we get to see some pictures
andreas-patras Peloponnisos Greece zone 9aComment
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My thanks to Gary and Harvey for putting on a "really big sheow"....some of the stories between fig bites were worth the trip alone...
A trully exceptionally beautiful and pleasant day...and a real pleasure to meet and put faces together with the names....thank you all for making, in some cases, very long drives.
How many times in your lifetime will you have 30-40 different figs in front of you to taste....once for me....a fill of figs for sure...thank you Harvey for taking the time to pick/deliver/slice and describe all those beautiful figs. Galicia negra...the name will forever be etched in my brain and the taste on my tongue.
Thanks to all once again.....I went home with less trees than I came with....
Ross B. Santa Rosa Calif zone 9b, wish list: CdD Blanc, Igo, Palmata, Sucrette, Morroco, Galicia NegraComment
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I think Socorro Black needs to be on the list of top-tasting figs as well.
Some were disappointing, like my LdA. I generally tend to like figs with a good dose of acid also or at least rich flavor but I know many like sweet figs and some of those just don't stand out in a tasting when having some on the other end of the spectrum.My fig photos <> My fig cuttings (starts late January) <> My Youtube VideosComment
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Socorro Black definitely made it on my list during the tasting. But my list of amazing figs had 10 figs on it, so was trying to winnow it down.
I also like the figs that have that rich and/or acidic flavor, but we tasted so many great figs in that category that the acid burned my taste buds by the time we got to the LdA.
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Tastings like that really give you an opportunity to "winnow" as Sarah put it so well...
however....it could be used synomously with "accumulate" here.
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I was a bit disappointed in my LdA on Saturday. Today I had a Bay Area freelance writer come by for a visit (Alastair Bland, knows figs well and has traveled extensively) and the LdA were quite a bit better. Maybe last week's hot temps did them in.My fig photos <> My fig cuttings (starts late January) <> My Youtube VideosComment
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Harvey, I'm surprised LDA wasn't that good for you. LDA was my best tasting fig of 2015. It is SOOOO rich in flavor! My second best tasting was Black Maderia. I got a few more Black Ischias on the tree but it's hard to beat a ripe LdA. I have several more on my tree. I removed all the leaves on my tree to push the tree along. I don't have Galicia Negra and just curious how the taste can be better than LdA. My Unknown Black fig from Spain was in the top 5 this year too.
I have a big Emalyn's Purple but no figs this year.Dennis
Charlotte, NC /Zone 8aComment
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