The Fig Tree That Built a Community: A Story of Care, Culture, and Connection

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