The Fruit of Change
Tehama Couple Turns Figs Into Mission…
Drive down I-5 into Red Bluff and you’ll see the familiar patchwork of orchards, ranches and open fields that make up Tehama County. You might not expect that hidden among all that farmland is a collection unlike any other in the world: 2,261 varieties of figs, each with its own unique genetic code. That’s the work of David and Priscilla Burke, the husband-and-wife duo behind The Fig Hunter.
Launched in 2019, The Fig Hunter is both a specialty fig nursery and an obsession that has grown beyond expectations. Today, it features the most extensive fig collection on the planet, a living library of flavor and resilience. For the Burkes, it’s more than just a business; it’s a mission.
David, a Marine veteran and construction worker by trade, laughs when he talks about the fig tree that started it all.
“We had a fig tree growing up on our property in Napa. It was huge—the cousins and I would hang out in that tree for hours. We’d throw figs at each other—and yeah, sometimes it stung. Now figs are an obsession and a job. I love ‘em,” he says.
Priscilla, who traded her paralegal career and law school ambitions for farm life, brings a culinary flair to the operation. Her parents worked in the Napa Valley restaurant industry, so she grew up with food prep in her bones. On the farm, she transforms figs into jams, fudge, salsas, barbecue sauces—even fig-infused sausages. They sell through their online shop, in local stores and to restaurants, including Krystyna’s Polish American Cuisine on Main Street in Red Bluff.
“It’s been a rewarding relationship,” says owner Jay Fischer. “My wife, Agnes, is the chef here at Krystyna’s, and she loves using local ingredients in all our menu items. We enjoy using the Burkes’ figs, and think the Burkes are such a positive force in our community.”
If figs seem like an unusual passion, the Burkes will quickly change your mind. “Figs are survivors,” David says. “They can grow in most places in the world and are great for beginner growers.”
They’ve also been around for a while—since 9,000 BC. And “they’re one of the most nutritious foods on the planet,” Priscilla is quick to point out, rattling off a list of benefits: fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, antioxidants and even possible anti-cancer properties. Archeologists believe figs were the first domesticated crop, predating wheat and barley. For thousands of years, they have served as symbols of prosperity and peace in religious texts.
All of which is to say, the Burkes are not just selling fruit. They’re reviving a cultural icon.
The Burkes opened The Fig Hunter just months before COVID-19 upended daily life. Surprisingly, the timing worked. “People started worrying about food scarcity,” Priscilla recalls. “COVID gardens were popping up everywhere, and we provided cuttings and trees. It helped us make a name for ourselves.”
That name has grown far beyond Tehama County. The Fig Hunter’s YouTube channel has more than 2,600 subscribers and more than 200 videos—everything from fig grafting tutorials to urban fig hunting tips. The Smithsonian Magazine even profiled them in 2022. Their motto: Find a fig, make a friend; plant a fig, make a friend forever.
But the Burkes’ story isn’t just about figs. It’s also about food justice. Through their nonprofit, One Seed at a Time, they tackle one of Tehama County’s most formidable challenges: food deserts.
Many Tehama families live on tight budgets. Fresh food can be difficult to access in parts of the county and diet-related health challenges are common.
“We believe food is a basic necessity, not something families should have to worry about,” says Priscilla. “And kids are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables if they grow them.”
One Seed at a Time builds school gardens, plants fruit trees in public spaces, and runs community food stands where neighbors can “give what they can or take what they need.” They partner with groups like PATH (Poor and the Homeless) and Sacred Heart School, and they’re working with the Red Bluff School District to expand even further.
The benefits ripple outward: reduced grocery bills, improved nutrition, stronger community ties, environmental wins and the simple therapy of digging in the dirt.
Spend a little time with David and Priscilla and it’s hard not to catch their enthusiasm. They’re blue-collar, down-to-earth, and endlessly passionate about what a small tree can do—for a family, for a town, maybe even for a whole county.
They also prove that sometimes the simplest ideas—like planting a seed—can make the biggest difference. Whether it’s a fig cutting shipped across the country or a school garden in Red Bluff, the Burkes are betting that what grows will matter.
So next time you see figs at the grocery store, think of The Fig Hunter. Or better yet, order a jar of Priscilla’s fig fudge, plant a tree in your yard, or drop a few seeds in the soil with your kids. As the Burkes like to say: Find a fig, make a friend; plant a fig, make a friend forever. •
The Fig Hunter: thefighunter.shop
One Seed at a Time: info@1seed.org
Article Written by
Al Olson loves culinary arts, adult beverages and hiking in the North State wilderness. You may find him soaking up the scenery at one of our area’s many state or national parks or sitting in a barstool sipping a cold locally brewed craft beer.
