Does the word “rules” sound a little harsh? How about “tips?” “Guidelines?” Whichever term you prefer, keep these in mind for a happy and productive fig picking experience at Petty Ranch during our 2013 season.
Appropriate footwear: Getting your toes in the dirt may sound romantic, but the luster quickly fades. You will be happiest with closed toe shoes with sufficient ankle support. The orchard floor may be soft or uneven at places, and twisted ankles are not fun.
Long Sleeves: Fig leaves have a very rough surface and fig sap is very sticky. They can be very uncomfortable against your skin, despite what you might have observed on ancient statues. For the same reason, I often wear latex exam gloves if I am picking more than a few pieces.
Sunscreen: An excellent idea… you will be outside.
No climbing: Just as you would not want people to climb on you until your limbs break, please extend our trees the same courtesy.
Thanks for coming, now go home: We are holding these events to welcome people to our farm. But once you have your figs, you will want to get them into a cool place. If you won’t be going home directly from the farm, we suggest bringing along a cooler to keep your figs fresh.
Wash before eating: Please wash your figs as carefully as you might wash anything else that has been outside before putting them in your mouth.
Does this sound fair?
