Tasting figs, Vern's Brown Turkey, Osborn Prolific, Violette De Sollies, Brown Turkey, Preto

Vern's Brown Turkey Main Crop (9/13/17) 20yr old plant

Taste:  6

Sweetness: 6 

Size: 8 (72.7   grams)

Productivity:  2

Total = 22

These figs can get quite large  when picked from an established in ground tree. It's a pretty reliable producer here in the PNW. It is a single crop fig with fig ripening towards the end of September into October. 

In terms of taste this would not fall in to my top 10 but it would fall into my top 10 for the PNW weather. It's a light colored interior and gently sweet with honey tones. 

Preto Main Crop (9/29/17) 3yr old plant

Taste:  9

Sweetness: 8.5

Size:  5 (41.1 grams)

Productivity:  5

Total = 27.5

Preto is a delicious fig. It ripens at the end of September and beginning of October. Which is in line with Ronde De Bordeaux MVSB and many other figs. Which is interesting because from others account it was always listed as a late fig. 

This fig is great it ranks close to the taste of the Black Madeira. It's taste is like rich strawberry jam and perfectly sweet. Quite reliable and heavy producer!

Brown Turkey Main Crop (9/29/17) 15yr old plant

Taste:  6

Sweetness: 5 

Size:  6 (52  grams)

Productivity:  3

Total = 18

It's funny throughout the years I haven't really done any reviews on this fig. Most folks either hate it or love it. I think it's a very average fig but quite large! If you want something to fill your stomachs the Brown Turkey will do just that. Just do not expect to be blown away by it's flavor.

Marseilles VS Black Main Crop (9/29/17) 3yr old plant

Taste:  7.5

Sweetness: 7.5 

Size: 2 (18.6 grams)

Productivity:  1

Total = 18

MVSB is a great fig. Another strawberry and jammy fig but ranks quite high in my book if you had to pick a "Black, strawberry, Jammy fig".  Top 15 for sure.

Main Crop Desert King

This was inedible. -3 I couldn't even keep it down.

I could not judge the Viollette De Sollies because it was a rotten fruit.

Watch the video below

Osborn Prolific - The other strain

I trade cuttings with another collector late last year. It was Osborn Prolific for Osborn prolific. Mine was Green and Purple with an amber interior and hers was red with a yellow skin.

So we traded. Let's just call this Osborn Prolific type 2 for the sake of not confusing things.

http://www.figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/osborn-prolific-7560696

This is the Osborn that I know. AKA Neveralla.  
This one is yellow green with purple burgundy tones

The Interior is white to amber colored and only has one crop.

The one I traded for. It's red on the inside and yellow green on the skin. Interesting eh?



Now the tree it came off of is still very tiny. It's a 1st year cutting so I was surprised there were any fruit at all. It weighed in at 17 grams

This is the Osborn Prolific next to a Peter's Honey breba. Osborn is on the right. I didnt expect too much from such a small plant. The flavor was a bit disappointing and bland. I'll have to wait until next year to see how it will taste.

Fig Porn - Smith and Osborne Fig

Fig Porn. Smith Fig (red interior) & Osborne Prolific (White interior)

New Cuttings: Pellegrino, Hmari and Bathenjani

9/15/15

So I'm slowly trying to wean myself off of Ebay. The season is closing and I've already spent way too much money on figs this yr. My collection is pushing into about 70 varieties.

"I've become a fig hoarder"

However...

These just arrived. And my adrenaline begins to pump again.

 Osborn Prolific Yellow variety from a generous forum member which I traded with.

I'm very curious about this because the Osborn prolific that I thought I had looks much different than this.

Here's mine insides white and amber vs red like the one above. I might have a Beall on my hands. So many varieties!

More figs more problems!

I also received 2 varieties originally from Israel.

Hmari and Bathenjani . I'm including the photos of the fruit. Don't they look amazing?

And the cherry on top, I received some cuttings from a friend.
 There isn't a name yet for this fig as far I can find, at the moment Vinny is calling the Pellegrino Zucchello fig from where he found it.

The size of the fruit is what amazes me, it's long and shaped  like a football. It's practically the size of one too. I can't wait to grow this variety here in Seattle since the weather is very similar to where he lives.

Please Join me on fig addiction to share your fig stories and experiences.

A sweet discovery in my neighborhood. Osborn Prolific

Since the beginning of summer I've driven by this beautiful fig tree in my neighborhood almost everyday. Each time I wonder about the variety that it might be. It certainly was not a desert king which we have an abundance of here in Seattle. It did not have the leaves like a brunswick.  The leaves were also not thick like the italian honey. So I waited patiently to see if and when the fruit would ripen. It's very difficult to tell a fig variety from the leaves alone.

The tree looked so healthy and lush. Probably because it was planted in the best possibly place you can put a fig tree. Above a large rock wall, southside, and in front of the house's south wall where it gets heat from the sun and the rediated heat of the house. Figs love their roots to be somewhat restricted, so growing on top of the rock wall is more than ideal for it. For some reason or another restricting the roots helps it to set more fruit.

The other day after a strong rain I noticed that the figs were ripening. It just so happened that it was the same day I was getting a visit from 2 of my fig forum friends Slavi and Kiwibob. After a tour of my fig collection, I took them for a short field trip to visit the neighborhood tree and meet the owner.  His name is Phil.

We introduced ourselves to Phil. Phil is great guy & super friendly. While telling us about the tree he was nimble enough to climb into it and pick us some ripe fruits to eat. He told us that he had no idea what variety the tree was and that it had been at the house since before they even moved in 12 yrs ago.

Turns out the the tree had been there since 1970s. They had cut it down a few times but the sucker growth was extremely persistent and they let it grow to 3 main trunks.

My initial guess was that it was a Brown Turkey but after cutting into the fruit, the interior was honey colored vs red violet.

The taste was fluffy and midly sweet. Very meaty with little seed crunch. I found it to be delicious! It was not figgy like the Gene's Vashon  but very enjoyable. The more figs I get to taste, the more I lean to meaty fluffy figs than the overly ripe, jammy and sweet figs.

Upon closing our conversation with Phil, he was also kind enough to let us have a few root suckers to bring home. I can't wait to grow my own Osborn. The funny thing is it's been on my wishlist all year! Thanks Phil I'm a happy man! The favor will not go unreturned.

This our portrait in front of the beautifully tree.

Me, Kiwibob, Phil, and Slavi

after some further research this could be a Beall.