There’s been a major project underway at the garden to increase plantings around the exterior beds. Too many hands have contributed time and effort over the years to count but today I’d like to give some credit to Kip. Not only has he managed a bed in the community garden for the last few seasons, plus helped many other gardeners maintain and upgrade their own plots, plus takeover the garden’s shared herb space, but he also planted a huge number of both annual and perennial plants. Nut trees, apple trees, plums, grapes, sorghum, etc. And take note, he’s done this during a summer of high heat and little rainfall. Often have I watched him march around the garden with a heavy watering can in either hand, moving like an industrious bee from flower to flower.
Some fig trees existed in the garden and they’ve been added to and just yesterday, I saw the first ripe fig purpling and nodding, hanging heavy and ready to pluck. I brought it over to gardener Chris so that he could enjoy it. For him, as for so many others who have visited the garden, it was his first fresh fig and he pronounced it delicious. And they are. Fresh figs are so very different from dried figs. Get the real thing, if you’re lucky enough to have a source nearby. And ours will grow large and bear great amounts of fruit in time, along with many of the plants that Kip and the other gardeners have been stewarding.
Here’s an easy pizza recipe with fresh figs. Add some leafy greens and you’ve got simple deliciousness.
https://www.food.com/recipe/fresh-fig-caramelized-onion-and-goat-cheese-gourmet-pizza-187474