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:

• how the fig cordon system works 
• combining high tunnels and low tunnels for passive winter protection 
• getting fig bud break and fruit production dramatically earlier 
• pruning and spacing strategies for commercial production 
• leaf pruning and airflow management 
• “the row cover dance” and avoiding heat damage 
• fig varieties that performed best in Craig’s trials 
• using passive solar heat instead of paying heating bills 

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

About Craig’s work with cordon figs:
This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under subaward number FNE22-003-AWD00000495.

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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.

Topics covered include:

• Why fig varieties should be chosen by climate zone 
• Key differences between 7A, 7B, 8A, and warmer regions 
• The most reliable cold-hardy fig varieties 
• Common mistakes fig growers make 
• How heat affects fig performance 
• Best varieties for fresh eating vs cooking 
• Whether multiple varieties improve success 
• Pierre Baud’s personal favourites

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 :
• Pourquoi choisir ses variétés de figuiers selon la zone climatique
• Les différences clés entre les zones 7A, 7B, 8A et les régions plus chaudes
• Les variétés de figuiers rustiques les plus fiables
• Les erreurs courantes chez les producteurs de figues
• L’impact de la chaleur sur la production
• Les meilleures variétés pour manger frais vs cuisiner
• Est-ce que planter plusieurs variétés augmente les chances de succès
• Les coups de cœur de Pierre Baud

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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.

We talk about:

• Why figs are such a powerful ingredient in the kitchen 
• How simple, whole-food recipes can still feel indulgent 
• The role of texture in recipes like this one (and why resting the batter matters) 
• Flexible substitutions using what you have on hand 

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

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Click here to get the free Fig Culture newsletter for fig-growing tips and ideas.  Especially for climates where figs don't normally thrive. 

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.

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Click here to get the free Fig Culture newsletter for fig-growing tips and ideas.  Especially for climates where figs don't normally thrive. 

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.

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Click here to get the free Fig Culture newsletter for fig-growing tips and ideas.  Especially for climates where figs don't normally thrive. 

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.

• For recipe sneak peaks from the books Signe and I are writing about olives, lemons, and figs, click here.
• For the Fig Mostarda recipe click here.

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Click here to get the free Fig Culture newsletter for fig-growing tips and ideas.  Especially for climates where figs don't normally thrive. 

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.

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Click here to get the free Fig Culture newsletter for fig-growing tips and ideas.  Especially for climates where figs don't normally thrive. 

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.

See Bob’s video about these varieties.

--> Get the free guide to growing figs in cold climates.

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Click here to get the free Fig Culture newsletter for fig-growing tips and ideas.  Especially for climates where figs don't normally thrive.