Garden Gleanings - Rooted fig tree as door prize at tomorrow's garden meeting

Posted Thursday, July 10, 2008, at 8:48 PM

We have two varieties of figs here on the hill. I used to spend a few hours each fall getting them ready for winter and then two winters ago I decided to see how they would do without the prep time. They did fine, at least until spring and a 20 degree freeze caught them in mid-leaf formation.

Bam, they were all but wiped out and then came the drought and Bam, they got a second blow. BUT, they toughed it out and are coming back this year. They probably won't fruit and certainly not like they used to when we could not eat them fast enough and had to resort to freezing, drying, pureeing, and almost wine.

But they are soooo good fresh off the tree, or now I should say shrub. I have one from Italy that my grandfather brought with him to Ellis Island as a bare-root sapling. I believe it is a Franciscan (or black mission in the U.S.) and the other is Brown Turkey.

While my grandfather's has sentimental value, the Brown Turkey is my favorite for flavor. It has a copper drown skin with a pinkish-white inside and when perfectly ripe it is truly hard to beat.

Nutritionally the fig is a good source of fiber and Vitamin C, thiamine, potassium, magnesium, iron, and calcium. Sounds too healthy to be good, but....

Anyway, I will bring a rooted fig to the garden meeting tomorrow and we will put names in a rice bowl and pull it out with chopsticks to determine the winner. If you are interest be there.

We will start between 6:30 and 7:00 and will probably draw for the fig around 8:00. This probably qualifies as a 3 gallon shrub and depending on where you buy it, could be valued at $20 to $30. Not bad for spending an hour or so with a bunch of crazy gardeners.

Where you ask? At the Hong Kong Restaurant on Madison Street in Shelbyville, TN. If it brings in a few extra folks, I will do it again. That's tomorrow evening, Friday, July 11th.

Who knows what others might bring!!!

Just ask Nancy or Ricky where we are, but we won't be hard to find. We all have GREEN THUMBS!

Comments
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Steve,

Is there a farmers market in Shelbyville this year? What I planted of my garden has fizzled due to a family emergency at planting time. I sure would love to have somewhere local to buy some fresh veggies.

-- Posted by Sharon22 on Fri, Jul 11, 2008, at 12:17 AM

Sharon, when I was driving down Madison the other day, I saw a sign for a farmer's market at the Celebration place. Wednesdays and Saturdays from 6am-11am. I'm planning on checking it out tomorrow morning, as the guy who mowed my lawn weedwhacked my carrots and herbs...

-- Posted by cfrich on Fri, Jul 11, 2008, at 5:51 AM

Thanks Steve,

I'll have to check it out also.

-- Posted by Sharon22 on Fri, Jul 11, 2008, at 9:34 AM

Steve...What time is the meeting tonite...i would love to come...but i am not a fancy dresser...i am a jeans or jean short's person....

-- Posted by rebelrose on Fri, Jul 11, 2008, at 12:08 PM

Sounds like you fit right in. We range from very relaxed to what they have on coming straight from work.

We start drifting in at 6:30. Some eat, some don't. By 7 we are trying to talk in a group instead of separate conversations, and it ends whenever....

-- Posted by stevemills on Fri, Jul 11, 2008, at 1:14 PM

Think I will also bring a mosquito plant (scented geranium) two more rooted rosemary and a peppermint.

-- Posted by stevemills on Fri, Jul 11, 2008, at 4:07 PM

Where does this club meet at and how can I join this club????

-- Posted by Wheelbillie on Tue, Jul 29, 2008, at 2:41 AM

We meet on Friday nights. We show up around 6:30 and start around 7:00 at the Hong Kong Restaurant on Madison Street in Shelbyville, (used to be the old Shoney's)

Folks join by showing up. No fees, no officers, no ritual, just sit down with us and chat.

-- Posted by stevemills on Tue, Jul 29, 2008, at 6:46 AM

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Steve Mills

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Steve Mills and his wife have one daughter and live on a farm outside of Bell Buckle. They previously owned two coffee/ice cream shops, currently operate an internet sales company and teach classes, but his primary job involves the paper industry worldwide. Hobbies and interests lie in gardening, photography, recorded music and of course, their pets.

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