Explore every episode of the podcast Fig Culture: Helping You Grow a Fig Tree in a Cold Climate
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
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| Growing Figs in Quebec: A Family’s Journey into Greenhouse Innovation (French Episode + English Transcript) | 24 Mar 2026 | 00:31:00 | |
The revised fig book is now on Kickstarter Note: This episode is in French. An English transcript is available on our website. How do you go from curiosity to becoming a pioneer in commercial fig production? In this episode, I speak with Anne-Marie Proulx of La Vallée du Moulin about how she and her family built a fig-growing operation from the ground up. What started as an interest turned into a passion—and eventually a business focused on producing figs where they’re not winter hardy. In Quebec! Anne-Marie shares the story behind the operation, what it takes to grow figs commercially, and how their work changes throughout the seasons. We also get into her favourite fig varieties and practical advice for anyone interested in growing figs at home. Whether you're a gardener, a small-scale farmer, or just curious about how niche crops become viable businesses, this episode offers a fascinating look into a unique agricultural journey. English transcript available here. Comment passe-t-on de la curiosité à devenir un pionnier de la production commerciale de figues ? Dans cet épisode, je m’entretiens avec Anne-Marie Proulx de La Vallée du Moulin à propos de la façon dont elle et sa famille ont bâti une exploitation de culture de figues à partir de zéro. Ce qui a commencé comme un simple intérêt s’est transformé en passion — puis en une entreprise axée sur la production de figues dans une région où elles ne sont normalement pas rustiques en hiver. Au Québec ! Anne-Marie partage l’histoire de leur exploitation, ce qu’il faut pour cultiver des figues à l’échelle commerciale, et comment leur travail évolue au fil des saisons. Nous abordons également ses variétés de figues préférées ainsi que des conseils pratiques pour toute personne souhaitant en cultiver à la maison. Que vous soyez jardinier, petit producteur agricole ou simplement curieux de savoir comment des cultures de niche peuvent devenir des entreprises viables, cet épisode offre un regard fascinant sur un parcours agricole unique. | |||
| The Fig Tree That Built a Community: A Story of Care, Culture, and Connection | 18 Mar 2026 | 00:10:45 | |
The revised fig book is now on Kickstarter In this episode, I chat with Helena Moncrieff, author of The Fruitful City, to explore a moving story from Toronto—one that begins with a fig tree and grows into something much bigger. Helena shares the story of Francesco, a gardener whose towering backyard fig tree became the heart of an annual tradition. Each fall, neighbours, friends, and even strangers would gather to help perform the ritual of tipping the tree over to protect it through the winter. Or, later, as it got bigger, to help him wrap it. Lots of heavy work, but a shared act of growing food and cultural heritage. What started as a cold-climate fig-growing necessity blossomed into a powerful symbol of community.
If the idea of tipping fig trees for the winter interests you, here’s an article that explains how to do it. | |||
| Dried but Not Done: The Magic of Fig Mostarda | 25 Feb 2026 | 00:21:23 | |
The revised fig book is now on Kickstarter Ever hankered for figs, but didn’t have any fresh figs at hand. Or at your local shops. In this episode, we’re talking about a tasty and simple way to turn dry figs into a tasty condiment. Never a bad thing. Our fig facilitator is chef and recipe developer Signe Langford from Port Hope, Ontario. If you want a charcuterie game changer, tune in for this simple, sweet, spicy recipe.
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| 180 Fig Varieties Despite Chilly Winters: How One Grower Beat the Cold | 21 Feb 2026 | 00:30:25 | |
The revised fig book is now on Kickstarter Wondering how to get fig trees through the winter in areas where the branches die back with the cold? One option is to grow them in pots that you store in a protected space. In this episode, we chat with Bill Muzychko of Bill’s Figs in Flemington, New Jersey, where figs die back without winter protection. Muzychko grows over 180 varieties of figs—all in containers with reservoirs. Hear how he feeds, prunes, and overwinters his potted figs trees. If the idea of containers with reservoirs interests you, here’s an article that explains how to make your own. | |||
| Never Enough Ripe Figs? Hear About These Fig Varieties | 30 Jan 2026 | 00:26:55 | |
The revised fig book is now on Kickstarter Wondering how to get more ripe figs? Choosing varieties suited to your growing conditions makes a big difference. In this episode, we chat with fig expert Bob Duncan. Bob and his wife Verna run Fruit Trees and More, an experimental orchard and nursery on Vancouver Island. They have trialled over 200 varieties, focusing on those that produce a heavy breba crop. Although their winters are mild, their summers are cool, meaning main crop figs often don’t ripen. Bob tells us about two varieties that work very well in his climate: Gentile Bianca has a very heavy breba crop; and San Antonio has a heavy breba crop along with an extremely early main crop. | |||
| Everyday Fig Loaf: A Simple, Nourishing Recipe with Signe Langford | 08 Apr 2026 | 00:12:06 | |
The revised fig book is now on Kickstarter In this episode, I’m joined by chef, recipe developer, and food writer Signe Langford to talk about one of those fig recipes that quietly becomes part of your everyday routine: a wholesome, seed-and-nut fig loaf. Made with dried figs, olive oil, nuts, and seeds, this loaf is dense, sliceable, and full of flavour—perfect for breakfast, snacking, or alongside cheese.
This recipe is part of our ongoing work on a cookbook focused on olives, lemons, and figs—ingredients we keep coming back to for their flavour, versatility, and deep roots in food culture. You can find the full recipe here. And follow along as we develop the cookbook on Instagram: @oliveslemonsfigs | |||
| Cold Hardy Fig Varieties: Expert Advice from Pierre Baud on Choosing the Right Figs (French Episode + Transcript) | 24 Apr 2026 | 00:37:13 | |
The revised fig book is now on Kickstarter Note: This episode is in French. An English transcript is available on our website. In this episode, I speak with Pierre Baud of Pépinières Baud, one of the leading voices in fig cultivation and cold-climate fig selection. We explore his decades of work with fig trees, the inspiration behind his book on cold-hardy fig varieties, and why climate-based classification is so important for growers. Pierre shares practical guidance on choosing fig varieties for different hardiness zones—from 7A and 7B through to warmer Mediterranean-like climates. We also discuss common mistakes growers make when selecting fig varieties, how temperature and heat affect performance, and which cultivars stand out for flavour, reliability, and versatility in the kitchen. If you’re growing figs in a marginal or warm climate, this conversation offers rare, experience-based insight into how to choose the right variety—and why that decision matters more than most people think.
English transcript available here. Dans cet épisode, je jase avec Pierre Baud des Pépinières Baud, un expert en culture du figuier et en sélection de variétés adaptées aux climats froids. On revient sur ses décennies d’expérience avec les figuiers, l’inspiration pour son livre sur les variétés rustiques, et pourquoi c’est si important de choisir des figuiers en fonction du climat. Pierre partage des conseils concrets pour sélectionner les bonnes variétés selon les zones de rusticité — de 7A et 7B jusqu’aux climats plus chauds de type méditerranéen. On parle aussi des erreurs fréquentes quand on choisit ses figuiers, de l’effet des températures et de la chaleur sur leur rendement, et des variétés qui se démarquent pour le goût, la fiabilité et leur polyvalence en cuisine. Que vous cultiviez des figuiers en climat limite ou en climat chaud, cette discussion vous donne des perspectives rares, basées sur l’expérience, pour faire les bons choix — et comprendre pourquoi c’est plus important qu’on pense. Sujets abordés : | |||
| Fig Cordons in Cold Climates: Craig Boyer’s Japanese Espalier Trials | 08 May 2026 | 00:21:19 | |
The revised fig book is now on Kickstarter Craig Boyer of Coastal Fig Company joins me to talk about a fig-growing system with great potential for cold climates: fig cordons grown low to the ground inside high tunnels, with a second layer of protection using low tunnels or row covers. Craig explains how he’s using low cordons for commercial fig production in Pennsylvania. Instead of digging and burying fig trees each fall—or instead of heating the greenhouses—Craig trains horizontal cordons close to the soil, then holds in heat with covers. In this episode we discuss:
Craig also shares how support from the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program helped make the project possible (see below). Learn more about Craig’s project here: Coastal Fig Company project profile
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| Growing Figs in Pots: Fig Tetris, Variety Trialling, and Collector Wisdom | 28 May 2026 | 00:49:11 | |
The revised fig book is now on Kickstarter How many fig trees can one person reasonably grow? Nina Jay might not be the person to ask—unless you want the fun answer.
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| A Collector’s Mindset: Figs, Family, and 250-Plus Varieties with Bobby Ghaheri | 24 Jun 2026 | 00:42:41 | |
The revised fig book is now on Kickstarter Fig collecting starts innocently enough. A tree for the yard. A cutting from a friend. Maybe a variety with a good story. Then, suddenly, there are shelves in the garage and rows of pots on drip irrigation.
Connect with Bobby:
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| Growing Figs Indoors: Lights, Heat, and Container Care | 11 Jun 2026 | 00:37:29 | |
The revised fig book is now on Kickstarter Texas fig enthusiast Eddie Sleem didn’t set out to grow figs indoors. It started with an Angelito fig tree, a Texas storm, and one plant that stayed inside while another went outdoors. The indoor tree grew faster, set figs sooner, and launched Eddie into a full-blown indoor fig-growing experiment. In this episode, Eddie talks about growing figs inside the house, with tips on grow lights, air circulation, watering, soil, and fertilizer. He explains why light and heat are so important, how indoor pests are different from outdoor pests, and why he thinks long-season fig varieties are especially exciting for indoor growing.
You can find Eddie on YouTube at Figgy Ed. | |||
| The Fig Tree Beyond the Fruit | 10 Jul 2026 | 00:25:55 | |
The revised fig book is now on Kickstarter Most fig growers are focused on the fruit. Fair enough. But in this episode, we look at the rest of the fig tree: the leaves, sap, dried leaves, infused vinegars, tinctures, pantry blends, and even prunings. Steven talks with Penelope Beaudrow, a registered herbalist at Richters Herbs, about figs from an herbalist’s point of view. They talk about fig leaf tea, the coconut-vanilla-green flavour of fig leaves, traditional uses of fig sap, figs as a fibre-rich food, and ways to dry and preserve fig leaves for later use. For cold-climate fig growers, there’s also a useful shift in perspective: even if a fig dies back in winter, it can still be valuable as a leaf crop. Not every fig-growing story needs to end with a basket of ripe figs. Sometimes the leaves are the harvest. In this episode:
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| Overwintering In-Ground Fig Trees with a Heat Tube | 23 Jul 2026 | 00:14:25 | |
The revised fig book is now on Kickstarter Will Pananes grows large fig trees in the ground in south-central Pennsylvania—USDA Zone 6b, where unprotected fig trees can freeze back to the ground. His solution is a homemade heat tube: an incandescent light bulb enclosed in metal pipe and placed inside the tree’s winter wrapping. The small amount of supplemental heat protects the trunk and branches during the coldest weather, giving the tree a head start the following spring and enough growing season to ripen a substantial crop. In this conversation, Will talks about:
This interview originally aired on The Food Garden Life Show in 2020. Will and I have corresponded for many years, and pictures of his trees and winter-protection system appear in the updoming revised edition of my book, Grow Figs Where You Think You Can’t: Growing Figs in Cold Climates and Pots.
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