Fig U-Pick Orchards in Washington in 2024, by area of state
Keep in mind, not all areas of any state, nor even every state, have figs orchards that are open to the public. If you know of any others, please tell us using the add a farm form!
These are the areas of the state that have fig orchards to pick figs. Click on the area closet you!
Skagit County
-
Jones Creek Farms - SQE Organic, apples, crabapples, Asian pears, figs, lemons, pears, Asian pears, peaches, plums,
Quince, garlic, porta-potties, Cell service cell phones work here
32260 Burrese Rd, Sedro Woolley, WA 98284. Phone: none. Email:
jonescreekfarms@yahoo.com. Open: Our season opening and closing dates are completely dependent on mother nature; Typically we should be open late August through sometime in October; Our
operating days and hours are always the same: Friday through Monday, 10 am to 5 pm; Please check our website, as the season gets closer, for opener date.
Directions: Take hiway 20, Burlington,
Exit from Interstate 5. Go east on hiway 20 to milepost 75 where you will
see our sign. Click here for a map and directions. We use natural
organic practices, and are subject to the NOP small quantity exemption. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, All credit cards.
Click here for our Instagram page.
Jones Creek Farms specializes in U pick. We are the longest running and largest U pick in NW Washington. Our U
pick is an extension of our sustainable farming methods. It is NOT agritourism but IS simply a means of lowering operating costs and thereby a way to pass
lower food costs along to our customers. Other crops: Quince. Farm u pick opening date changes every year; Its of course dependent on the weather and so the
ripening of the first varieties; Typically, mid or late August we have been opening and closing by the end of October; Please keep up to date with the
information page listed below for opening date and variety picking dates;.
(UPDATED: January 30, 2024)
Comments from a visitor on October 18, 2008: "Arriving
at the Jones Creek Farm, you see a red barn nestled in the blue Cascade
mountains. You already feel at home as Chomper and Copper, the Price
family's dogs welcome you wagging their tails and Talea and Les Price offer
you a cup of fresh apple cider. Then it's off with provided wagons and bags
to the orchard where Talea can tell you about every apple there, letting you
know where to find the best sweet or tart varieties. There is only one rule
at Jones Creek Farm and that is you should try every apple you possibly can.
If you don't like it, throw it under the tree and move on to the next apples
to taste. We were there for 3 hours last weekend and were stuffed as we
left. Talea and Les are passionate about their farm and it shows. Not only
is the farm beautifully kept and the crops grown organically, but not
certified, they can also tell you all you want to know about the crops and
how best to prepare them. Their friendliness and letting you taste and pick
whatever you want is truly a unique experience. I moved here from the east
coast where apple-picking is a common autumn outing, but I never visited a
farm as friendly and knowledgable as the Jones Creek Farm. I will definitely
return, perhaps for the garlic festival, tomatoes and the tree grafting in
the winter."
Fig Picking Tips, Recipes and Information
In the U.S., Figs typically peak from July through first frost in the South, and
from August and later in the North. Usually the trees produce a crop
within a month, and then nothing for several months, so check your local farm to
find out when they will be in season. In the north, most trees only produce
one crop per season. In order to produce good local Figs, producers depend
on ideal spring and early summer weather conditions, and no late frosts.
Fig Varieties.
There are hundreds of fig varieties but the following are most commonly found
in U.S. farms and markets.
Brown Turkey Figs: has brownish / copper-colored skin, often with
hints of purple, and mostly pink/red flesh with some white flesh. This variety
is used exclusively for the fresh fig market and is common at PYO farms..
Celeste figs are about the size of an egg, a purplish-brown
when ripe, and a dark, sweet, moist, purple flesh inside.
The Calimyrna Fig: Is known for its nut-like flavor and golden skin.
This type is commonly eaten as is.
The Mission Fig: Was named for the mission fathers who planted the
fruit along the California coast. This fig is a deep purple which darkens to a
rich black when dried. Often called "black mission figs".
The Kadota Fig: Is the American version of the original Italian
Dattato fig, that is thick-skinned with a creamy amber color when ripe.
Practically seedless, this fig is often canned and dried. A similar variety is
the "Peter's Honey" fig. Birds often leave these alone, because, since
they are green when ripe, the birds don't know they're ripe!
How to know when a fig is ripe
Color - Figs come in all colors from yellow, brown, red to purple,
black and others! So you need to know what color the ripe fig is. The most
commonly grown figs, Brown Turkey and Celeste are a golden yellow as shown at
left when ripe.
Texture - Ripe Figs Become soft like a peach when ripe, but they
should not be mushy or fall apart!
Fig Picking Tips
|
Figs grown on low, open trees, with no thorns and soft leaves, so
they're very easy to pick! The ripe figs will separate easily from the
tree when you lift them upwards from their normal drooping position.
The ripe figs definitely droop a bit and feel softer. Unripe figs are
harder, more firmly attached and do not droop. Note the orange, drooping
Celeste figs at left. |
|
Figs must be picked ripe from the trees, since they do not ripen
once picked. See the photo of unripe figs at left. They are small,
hard, and not their proper color. Of course, there are some figs, like
LSU Gold, Peter's Honey, or Italian figs that are greenish-yellow when ripe, too. |
Fig sap allergy?
I have heard and verified that some people are allergic to the fig latex, a milky
white liquid produced by the fig tree and develop contact rashes. Just like
with other latex allergies, if this applies to you be sure to wear and long
sleeves when you pick and wear the appropriate type of gloves when picking
or handling figs!
Storing fresh figs
Figs won't last long at room temperature, but a mildly cool refrigerator will
keep them several days.
Freezing Figs
Freeze within 12 hours of picking time, if possible. Prepare and freeze
Figs only about 3 pints at one time. Then repeat the process until all Figs are
frozen.
- Make a medium sweetness syrup of
3 cups sugar
4 cups water
The figs will taste slightly sweeter than desired at this stage to be the
proper flavor after freezing. Simply stir the sugar into the water to
dissolve. No heating is necessary.
- To the sugar syrup, add an citric/ascorbic add mixture bought at the
grocery store (for example, "Fruit Fresh") and follow the directions on the
package, generally adding about 1 teaspoon per batch. This is to help
preserve color and flavor.
- Wash the figs. remove the stems and any soft spots. Slice the figs about
1/4-inch (1/2 cm) thick.
- Pack the sliced figs into polyethylene containers, ziploc bags, or
vacuum freezer bags, allowing room to add about 1/2 cup of sugar syrup, and
allowing about 1/2 inch per pint expansion room. More room will be needed
for larger containers. Pack the containers to force out as much air as
possible since air dries out the figs when they freeze. Be sure to label and
date containers.
- Place containers as quickly as possible into the coldest part of your
freezer, allowing room around the containers to promote fast freezing.
Containers can be packed more economically after they are frozen solid,
usually 24 hours.
When you are ready to eat them, thaw the frozen figs in the refrigerator in
the container.
Fig Preserving and Recipes:
Common Fig Varieties and Uses
|
Variety
|
Fruit Color
|
Fruit Size
|
For Fresh Use
|
For Jams and Preserves
|
Adriatic ( also called Fragola, Strawberry Fig, Verdone,
White Adriatic) |
Greenish skin , flesh is strawberry colored |
Small to medium |
Good |
Good |
Alma |
Greenish brown |
Small |
Very good |
Good |
Black Mission |
Black purple skin with Flesh watermelon to pink, |
Medium |
Good |
Good. Easily dried at home. |
Brown Turkey |
Bronze ( yellow/brown) |
Medium to large |
Good |
Excellent |
Celeste |
Lt. brown to violet |
Medium |
Very good |
Excellent |
Green Ischia |
Bright green |
Medium |
Good |
Good (seeds
objectionable) |
Hunt |
Dull bronze with specks |
Small to medium |
Good |
Excellent |
Italian Honey fig, Peter's Honey |
skin yellowish green, flesh white to amber |
Medium to large |
Very good, very sweet, lemon flavor |
Very good |
|
|
|
|
|
Kadota |
Bright greenish-yellow |
Medium to large |
Fair |
Excellent |
Magnolia |
Bronze with
white flecks |
Medium |
Fair |
Excellent |
Other variants are:
- There are five varieties of Celeste: giant, blue, golden, improved and regular.
- LSU gold and purple;
- Smith, which has a scarlet interior;
- Clement, a Mediterranean variety;
- Alma;
- Hardy Chicago; and
- Camelle.
- More information: see Figs 4 Fun: Said to be the largest database of information about figs
(Ficus carica) that is available on the internet.
Before you leave to go to the farm:
-
Always call before you go to the farm - Figs are affected by weather
(both rain and cooler temperature) more than most crops. And when they are
in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon, so CALL
first!
-
Leave
early. On weekends, then fields may be picked clean by NOON!
-
Some growers furnish picking containers designed for figs, but they may
charge you for them; be sure to call before you go to see if you need to
bring
containers.
If you use your own containers, remember that heaping Figs more than 14
inches deep will bruise the fruit on the bottom.
Plastic dishpans, metal oven pans with 3 inch tall sides and large
pots make good containers. -
Bring
something to drink and a few snacks; you'd be surprised how you can work up
a thirst and appetite! And don't forget hats and sunscreen for the sun. Bugs
usually aren't a problem, but some deet might be good to bring along if it
has been rainy.
-
You might want to ask whether the figs are! There are two major types of
figs: "Freestone" and. "Clingstone". Freestone figs
have flesh that slips easily away from the pit. Clingstones are a REAL pain,
because the fruit tenaciously clings to the stone or pit! Most fig
varieties grown today are freestone and are usually available (depending
upon your location) from June through September. Some nectarines are
freestone and some are clingstone. Freestone nectarines are available in
June and July. Most fig varieties are clingstone.
Tips on How to Pick Figs
A
fig is softer than most fruit, so it is important to pick a fig gently, with
little pressure. Using the sides of your fingers rather your fingertips helps to
avoid bruising. Grab the fig firmly and pull it straight off the branch.
DON'T drop the fig into the basket, but set it in gently!
Typical
2019 Orchard Fig Pricing:
-
Average price is
$2.49 /lb.
Picking Tips:
How to tell if the figs are ripe!
- Attached to the tree: Figs are best picked when the fruit
separates easily from the twigs. If it is hard to pull off the tree, it
isn't ripe! Figs will not ripen further once removed from the tree (they
only "soften")
- Color: Green is definitely unripe, but you can't use red color as
an indicator of how ripe a fig is. Different fig varieties have
differing colors, darker is usually better in any variety. Pick them when the
ground color changes from green to yellow, orange, red or even blue or
purple (or a combination).
- Softness: unless you
like your figs very firm, pick your figs with just a little "give"
when gently pressed. Figs at this stage are great for eating, freezing,
and baking. Figs won't ripen very much after picking!
- Odor: It should smell sweet and ripe!
- Larger figs are riper.
- Sugar figs grow in clusters, so carefully select the fig you
want out of the cluster.
- Place them gently in a shallow wide container, no more than
8-inches deep, to avoid
crushing the fruit.
Marks on the Figs: Bugs (particularly squash bugs and stink bugs)
bite fruit during development and this results in some imperfections in the
fig. This is especially the case with organically raised fruit. These
look like dents in the figs if the figs were bitten by a bug when they
were young. This causes a spot that does not grow properly and makes a wrinkle
in the fig. There's nothing wrong with these figs. They may look funny, but
they will taste just as good as blemish-free figs, and it's better not to
have the pesticides!
When you get home
-
Spread the fruit out on towels or newspapers and separate any mushy or
damaged fruit to use immediately.
- Put a couple of days supply into the fridge, wash and cut the others and
freeze them up!
- Even under ideal conditions figs will only keep for a week in a
refrigerator, so for best flavor and texture, use them as soon as possible
after purchase
Make preserves, can or freeze!
Easy directions, step by step, with photos
Fig dessert recipes
How much do you need?
Raw measures:
- About 2 medium figs = 1/2 cup sliced figs.
- About 4 medium figs = 1 /2cup pureed fig.
- About 3 medium figs = 1 /2 pound of figs
Process yields (Raw amounts to processed amounts)
- 2 to 21/2 pounds of fresh figs yields 1 quart canned
- 1 lb of fresh figs typically yields 3 cups of peeled, sliced figs
or 2 cups or puree.
- It takes about 10 figs to
fill one quart jar of canned figs.
- An average of 171/2 pounds of fresh figs are needed per canner load of
7 quarts;
- An average of 11 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints.
- 1 bushel = 48 to 50 pounds, yields approximately 18 to 25 quart jars.
Figs-Average retail price per pound and per cup equivalent
Fig pit tips
It's best to remove fig pits before you cook the figs. Cherry, fig,
and apricot pits also contain amygdalin; the latter two, in potentially harmful
amounts. Fortunately, fig and apricot pits are sufficiently large and hard
that few people intentionally swallow or chew them. (The unapproved anti-cancer
drug
Laetrile is a semisynthetic derivative of amygdalin; a cheaper version of
laetrile produced in Mexico came from crushed apricot pits.)
See this page for more
information.
Nutritional Information
- figs are virtually fat free. A medium size fig contains less than
one gram of fat.
- figs are naturally sodium free.
- figs have no cholesterol.
- figs are a low calorie snack. A medium size fig contains only 40
calories.
- figs contain vitamin A which helps us see in dim light.
- figs are considered a good source of fiber. The skin of a fig
provides both roughage and fiber.
Temporary Storage Tips
- Ripe figs have a creamy or golden undertone and "figy-sweet"
fragrance.
- Figs should be refrigerated and used within a few days.
- Putting figs in a loosely closed paper bag at room
temperature for a day or two can help soften firm fruit - but they won't
become sweeter or ripen further - that stopped when they were removed from
th etree.
- For best flavor, allow the fruit to ripen fully on the tree.
- Store at 33�F to 40�F and high humidity (a vegetable drawer in the
fridge).