A fig hunter is a person who collects fig specimens from “the wild”.
Not too long ago, while visiting relatives in Washington State, I came across fig trees on three separate occasions. The first fig tree was growing in the parking lot of a defunct mini-market. Unfortunately, the parking lot was surrounded by a tall fence, and despite my efforts, I couldn’t climb over it. The second fig tree was stunning, growing on the sidewalk in a residential area. Since I didn’t have my travel pruner, yes, I have one, with me, I decided not to knock on the door of the house in front of which the tree was growing. The third fig tree was a nice size too and was growing between two residences. I borrowed a pruner from the person we were visiting and managed to take a few cuttings.
Within the town of Montgomery lies the village of Maybrook, a place with a rich history of Italian residents who lived and worked there. I would love to walk around the village, talk to current residents, and connect with descendants of those Italian immigrants to learn about any fig trees that might still be growing in their yards.
I enjoy being on the lookout for fig trees. The only drawback is that most of these trees are of unknown varieties.