Subj : Figs
To   : Dave Drum
From : Ruth Haffly
Date : Wed Sep 03 2025 15:13:24

Hi Dave,


 DD> I've been considering putting in some cold hardy figs. But to do it

 RH> It would take several years for the tree to get established and bear
 RH> fruit. This is our 10th summer in this house; IIRC Steve planted the
 RH> fig tree around our 3rd summer. It took maybe 3 years to get

 DD> IOW, given that I'm 83 it's a legacy project. That's why I'm  planting
 DD> paw-paws. (scientifically known as Asimina triloba)

 RH> Leave it as a legacy for future owners of the house. The first

 DD> I cannot recall having eaten anything "fig" with the exception of
 DD> Nabisco Fig Newtons. I'm going to ask my buddy Lazlo's wife for help
 DD> in finding a local source.

Basically what Steve and I were thinking earlier today. We both grew up
in somewhat colder gardening zones; figs like more temperate areas. I
used more from our tree to make a basic (figs, sugar and water) syrup
this morning--should go well on ice cream, pancakes, waffles, etc. The
leftover mash is a good fig jam, tried it with some burrata cheese and
imitation Triscuit crackers as a pre lunch nibble. I've tried several
new fig recipies this year; they've all been keepers (also gave away
quite a few figs).


 DD> And the pawpaw trees - They grow fairly quickl yand bear fruit in their
 DD> second year. My grandmother had a half-donen pawpaws outside her
 DD> grade-landing door. My granddad and I used to eat the fruits by biting
 DD> off the end and squeezing the pulp into our mouths,spitting out the
 DD> *HUGE* seeds.

 RH> Happy memories. I've heard of pawpaws, never had the chance to try one.
 RH> Closest I've probably come is persimmons; one of our church families in
 RH> Hawaii had a persimmon tree and would share the abundance every fall.
 RH> Hawaiian foods. (G)

 DD> Keep in mind that papayas are also known colloquially as "paw-paw" but
 DD> are *very* different. I like both - but I never, ever, refer to papaya
 DD> as paw paw.    Bv)=

I don't refer to papayas as paw-paws either, having prepared (just diced
up) a good number of them, especially when we were stationed in Hawaii.

 DD> Our seeds came from North Carolina with my great-grandmother, Emma
 DD> Cherry.

 RH> Do you know what part of North Carolina?

 DD> Costaal from Jacksonville north into southern Virginia. I am told that
 DD> Cherry is quite a common last name in that area. My sister dug into
 DD> the "begats" for our branch of the family tree some years ago and
 DD> quite a lotof our ancestry came from NC and Virginia as well as
 Pennsylvania.

Thanks; we lived in Swansboro from 1974 (Steve, 75-me) to spring of
1983. Older daughter was born in Jacksonville, Onslow Memorial Hospital,
and we did a lot of our shopping up in Jacksonville as Swansboro didn't
have many stores (only one grocery store, nothing like Roses or
Wal-Mart) then. Used to know the area much better but we do visit every
few years.

---
Catch you later,
Ruth
rchaffly{at}earthlink{dot}net  FIDO 1:396/45.28


.... There cannot be a crisis today; my schedule is already full.

--- PPoint 3.01
 * Origin: Sew! That's My Point (1:396/45.28)

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