Larsen Poultry Ranch - homesteading journey

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

I have yet to actually harvest a useable amount of figs, from any number of trees. I bought three new fig trees this spring too. My problem is that they aren't in the ground being fertilized and watered regularly, so they are still small. Maybe this winter I'll finally be able to plant them in the ground.

The new figs this year are White Genoa fig, Chicago Hardy fig, and Violette de Bordeaux fig. They are in large fabric pots in the new garden, so of course have been already sampled by the deer. The one fig that came with the house has a small fence, but it's starting to outgrow it, that one is a Black Mission fig. I'm worried the figs I started 2 years ago from cuttings may have lost their tags, I'm afraid to go look. Plus the garden by the rabbits is becoming a jungle. I need to get in there and go nuts moving pots around, weeding, and up-potting. Maybe I can convince hubby to do that with me part of this weekend.

 

[SageHill]

I have yet to actually harvest a useable amount of figs, from any number of trees. I bought three new fig trees this spring too. My problem is that they aren't in the ground being fertilized and watered regularly, so they are still small. Maybe this winter I'll finally be able to plant them in the ground.

The new figs this year are white Genoa, Chicago hardy, and something. They are in large fabric pots in the new garden, so of course have been sampled by the deer. I'm worried the figs I started 2 years ago from cuttings may have lost their tags, I'm afraid to go look. Plus the garden by the rabbits is becoming a jungle. I need to get in there and go nuts moving pots around, weeding, and up-potting. Maybe I can convince hubby to do that with me part of this weekend.

We've got 3 figs here - Diana, Tiger, and supposedly Black Mission (though it certainly had to have been mis-marked). I did a bit of research trying to find out what that really was - no luck, but found that a lot of those are mislabeled - according to what I read some of that is intentional because it's a popular variety. The fruit on this one is just so so. The others major yum. This will be year 3 in the ground so I'll probably have a ton.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

We've got 3 figs here - Diana, Tiger, and supposedly Black Mission (though it certainly had to have been mis-marked). I did a bit of research trying to find out what that really was - no luck, but found that a lot of those are mislabeled - according to what I read some of that is intentional because it's a popular variety. The fruit on this one is just so so. The others major yum. This will be year 3 in the ground so I'll probably have a ton.

If you are decent at starting plants from cuttings, look into ordering fig cuttings in the fall/winter. Usually about $3-5 each and could also be used for grafting too. Don't graft though if there's a chance it'll get too cold and cause the whole tree to die to the roots, because it'll just come back as the original type.

There's apparently a huge variety of figs out there. It's hard not to want them all, we need to figure out which ones produce best here and that we like the taste of, then get more of those instead of a ton of so-so producers or that don't taste good.

 

[SageHill]

If you are decent at starting plants from cuttings, look into ordering fig cuttings in the fall/winter. Usually about $3-5 each and could also be used for grafting too. Don't graft though if there's a chance it'll get too cold and cause the whole tree to die to the roots, because it'll just come back as the original type.

There's apparently a huge variety of figs out there. It's hard not to want them all, we need to figure out which ones produce best here and that we like the taste of, then get more of those instead of a ton of so-so producers or that don't taste good.

Yup all about which ones will do well in the different climates and microclimates. Diana and Tiger are amazing - we tasted them at the tree farm. It’s easy to get trees here. I’m really impatient to give cuttings a fair shake. Come fig season I think I’ll go taste testing!!

 

[Baymule]

My grandmother made strawberry jello fig preserves. Talk about good! Then she’d make biscuits and I’d fill them with strawberry fig preserves and I’d eat until I nearly popped. I had lost the recipe, but easily found it on the internet. I had a source of figs in 2012 and made several batches. Look up the recipe and make a batch. You’d never know that there are no strawberries in it.

I also made lemon fig preserves, using fresh squeezed lemon juice and fine grated lemon peel. I don’t remember the exact measurements but I’m sure y’all can figure it out. LOL

 

[SageHill]

My grandmother made strawberry jello fig preserves. Talk about good! Then she’d make biscuits and I’d fill them with strawberry fig preserves and I’d eat until I nearly popped. I had lost the recipe, but easily found it on the internet. I had a source of figs in 2012 and made several batches. Look up the recipe and make a batch. You’d never know that there are no strawberries in it.

I also made lemon fig preserves, using fresh squeezed lemon juice and fine grated lemon peel. I don’t remember the exact measurements but I’m sure y’all can figure it out. LOL

OK - have you been reading my mind?!! Grabbed an English muffin for breakfast and was thinking it would be nice to have homemade strawberry jam (need to make more) to slather on. AND ---- my lemon tree is next to the fig trees - I'll definitely be looking up those recipes!!

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

I've been looking at the canning recipe for strawberry lemonade concentrate. I think it was water bath; needs 6 cups lemon juice, several cups strawberry and sugar, I think. I might try that as my first canning experiment. If the lids don't seal we can just put it in the fridge and drink during the week. We have strawberries, need to get more lemons.

I want to get my lemon trees into the ground so they will get huge. A church friend has a house built into a hill, so the south side is two stories, and they have a massive lemon tree almost up to the roofline, just covered with lemons each year.

 

[Baymule]

Here’s a recipe.

Strawberry Fig Preserves

Figs and strawberry gelatin make a canned fruit preserve that everyone will swear is made of strawberries. The pretty red jars make nice gifts.

www.allrecipes.com

 

[SageHill]

Here’s a recipe.

Strawberry Fig Preserves

Figs and strawberry gelatin make a canned fruit preserve that everyone will swear is made of strawberries. The pretty red jars make nice gifts.

www.allrecipes.com

Thanks!!

 

[Ridgetop]

If you have the freezer space, you can make lemonade concentrate with equal amounts of sugar and lemon juice.

If you can't get to your strawberries immediately, use the amounts called for in strawberry jam, seal in a freezer bag and freeze for those winter days when you don't have all the garden chores. I freeze tomatoes in big grocery bags in the summer and then toss the in a cool water bath when putting them up. The skins slip right off after freezing Much easier than working them fresh.

Marmalade takes several days to make since it has to sit, then boil, then sit, then boil. I have a wonderful recipe for it but time consuming.
I learned to make jam with my grandmother with apricots. Equal amounts fruit and sugar and then simmer until it thickens. It is done when you lift the wooden spoon and the jam drops off in a couple thick drops instead of running off.