Hi Dave,

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).

According to my research there are varieties that are cold hardy as
far to the north as USDA Zone 7. I had to go to Bing tolook up figs because I've so little experience with them.

https://gardenerspath.com/plants/fruit-trees/best-cold-hardy-fig-trees

This is the first year we've done a lot with them. Last year we
dehydrated and froze some & I made a couple of fig cakes but previous to
that, it was just fig preserves. We tried some of the fig syrup in
sparkling water today at lunch--a nice fig soda. That will most likely
be a repeat next year.

So,I could grow a fig tree/bush in here in Illinois - but not up north
in Minnesnowta.

Your neighbors might appreciate fresh figs every summer. (G)

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

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

Do you know what part of North Carolina?

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

I still visit the townsofmy childhood which, fortunately, are within
an hour's drive from Spring-A-Leak. Bv)=

Our childhood home towns are roughly 14 hour's drive from here. I've not
been to mine (other than to pick up a box from my brother's porch and
visit the cemetary where my parents are buried) since August, 2018. Was
there for several days in late December, 2017 for dad's funeral. Nothing
to attract me there any more. We do visit western NY where Steve grew up usually a couple times a year......and try to hunt down beef on 'weck sandwiches. (G)

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


... I am positive that a definite maybe is probably in order.

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