2024 Birmingham, Tuscaloosa and central Alabama Fig U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Fig U-Pick Orchards in Birmingham, Tuscaloosa and central Alabama in 2024, by county

Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for figs that we know of in this area.

Not all areas of a 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!

Remember to always check with the farm's own website or Facebook page before you go - or call or email them if they don't have a website or Facebook page. Conditions at the farms and crops can change literally overnight, so if you want to avoid a wasted trip out there - check with the farm directly before you go! If I cannot reach them, I DON'T GO!

PLEASE report closed farms, broken links and incorrect info using the "Report Corrections" form below.

New! As inflation remains high, see this page for reliable (tested) brands of generic canning lids at lower costs, and cost-saving measures for getting fruit and vegetables and home canning.
 If you are having a hard time finding canning lids, I've used these, and they're a great price & ship in 2 days.

New! Road tripping and camping is a great way to have a fun, safe and inexpensive family trip. The national and state parks and monuments are open, and campgrounds usually cost between $10 and $40 per night. September to November is the best camping weather.  See our new website Road Tripping and Camping.com for tips, tricks, guides, checklists and info about parks, monuments and other places to visit.

New! We just went live with our latest website, FunFactoryTours.com - As they name implies, you can find a fun factory tour, including chocolate, automobiles, historical forts and sites, famous buildings, Active Federal facilities even fun geology: like fossils and volcanic areas

Calhoun County

• Glenn Acres Farm - apples, beans, corn (sweet), cucumbers, figs, grapes, melons, peaches, summer squash, tomatoes, Cider mill fresh apple cider made on the premises, porta-potties are available, picnic area, farm animals, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties
  306 Rainbow Drive, Anniston, AL 36207. Phone: 256 237 0054. Email: aglennjr@aol.com. Open: We are here most all the time; Call if you wish; 256 237 0054. Directions: We are across from White Plains Elementary school at 306 Rainbow Drive which is the first house on the right. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only.

Cullman County

• Sloshie Mae's Farm - No pesticides are used, blackberries, figs, muscadine grapes, pears, persimmons,
  255 County Road 1823, Arab, AL 35016. Phone: . Email: Sloshiemae@gmail.com. Open: Hours and availability of crops to pick varies considerably; please email for current availability and hours. Directions: From Arab go South on Highway 231, turn right onto county road 1763 then go 1.7 miles, turn left onto County Road 1823. Our farm is at the top of the first hill on left. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. We do not use pesticides on the cropsApple varieties (in years when we have a good crop - call first): Fuji, Gala, McIntosh and Granny Smith. Pear varieties: Hosui, Bartlett, Chojuro, Shinko, Orient, Pineapple and Kieffer. Fig varieties: Brown Turkey and Texas Everbearing. Persimmon Varieties: American, Giant Fuyu, Fuyu, Tanenashi and Hachiya. Plum varieties: Methley and Santa Rosa. Pear varieties: Hosui are ready August(This is our top seller and very sweet), Bartlett are ready August to September, Chojuro/Shinko/Orient/Pineapple are ready September, Kieffer-October to November. (UPDATED: July 06, 2018)

Talladega County

• Holmestead Farm - Strawberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Plumcots, Grapes (red, white, black), Saturn (Do-Nut) peaches, Asian Pear, Regular Pears, Apples, Japanese Persimmons, Figs, Muscadines, grapes, Scuppernongs, Satsumas, Meyer Lemons, Chestnuts, Pomegranates
  6582 County Road 7, Talladega, AL 35160. Phone: 256-404-4316. Email: holmesteadfarm@yahoo.com. Open: see their website. Click here for a map and directions. From TalladegaOn Hwy 77 South, turn right at the 52 mile marker onto Hwy 77. In 11.2 miles, turn right onto County Road 7. In 6.5 miles, turn right onto Clay County 7. Our driveway will be on the right in 3.5 miles. U-PICK / WE-PICK FARM COUNTRY STORE & MARKET. Typical harvest seasons are: Strawberries - Late March thru June - 40,000 plants:Blackberries - Late May thru early June - 1400 plants:Blueberries - May thru July - 800 bushes: Raspberries - Late May thru early June - 600 plants:Peaches - April thru Sep - 400 trees:Nectarines - May thru August - 30 trees:Plums - April thru August - 250 trees:Plumcots - June - 20 trees:Grapes (red, white, black) - Late June thru early July - 30 plants:Saturn (Do-Nut) peaches - June - 35 trees:Asian Pear - August thru November - 75 trees:Regular Pears - July thru November - 25 trees:Apples - July thru November - 150 trees:Japanese Persimmons - Late Sep thru Nov - 75 trees:Figs - August thru October - 75 trees:Muscadines & Scuppernongs - August thru October - 150 plants:Satsumas - Late September thru November - 25 trees:Meyer Lemons - Late September thru December - 15 trees: Chestnuts - Fall - 6 trees:Pomegranate - coming in 2021. And we have a shelling machine so we can do that for you, too (additional fee)!

 

Fig

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Wash the figs. remove the stems and any soft spots. Slice the figs about 1/4-inch (1/2 cm) thick.
4. 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.
5. 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:

• How to Make Homemade Fig Preserves and Fig Jam
• How to make fig-strawberry jam.
• How to Can Figs
• Making Candied figs
• Fig bread or fig cake
• Related: Banana bread
• Other fig recipes
• See this page from Purdue University for more information about figs

 

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:

1. 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!
2. Leave early.  On weekends, then fields may be picked clean by NOON!
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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

1. Spread the fruit out on towels or newspapers and separate any mushy or damaged fruit to use immediately.
2. Put a couple of days supply into the fridge, wash and cut the others and freeze them up!
3. 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 jam
• fig jelly
• canned figs
•  freeze figs
•  canned fig pie filling to use in the winter
• fig pie recipe
• fig-blueberry pie
• fig salsa
• Fig chutney
• Spiced figs
• Fig butter
• Pickled figs
• Here are some great and easy fig desert recipes, like easy fig cobbler..

Fig dessert recipes

• Fig Cobbler
  This recipe is easy and DELICIOUS!!!
• Fig Torte
• Italian Prune Figs (Empress Figs)

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).

 

 

 

Other Local Farm Products (Honey, Horses, Milk, Meat, Eggs, Etc.)
(NOT pick-your-own, unless they are also listed above)

• Farm markets and roadside stands
• Local Honey Finder
• Local Meat, Milk and Eggs
• Venues: Farms, Wineries, Orchards for your event, wedding or party
• Easter egg hunts
• Children"s consignment sales
• Fruit and vegetable festivals
• Winery tours and wine tastings
• Horse rides, stables, lessons, trails
• Maple Syrup farms and sugarworks
• Bed & Breakfasts on Farms, Wineries, Ranches and Orchards
• Pumpkin patches
• Corn mazes
• Zombie Paintball venues
• Christmas Tree Farms & lots
• Environmental resources
• Consumer fraud information
• Wholesale food sources
• Resources for Farmers