What's Florida Without An Orange?

So... here in Citra, the last of this year's orange crop is yet to be picked. As I understand it, the trees get a 2 month vacation before they begin to blossom again in February. We have only been in Florida for a week or so - I couldn't tell ya if the "The Orange Shop" in Citra is a small, medium or large orange producer but here's a quick look at the behind the scene's operation. The bins in the background are all slam full of Navels.

The Navel oranges in their orchards are bigger than the grapefruit they produce. The fruit in these gift boxes that are covered in paper are grapefruit.

When you buy one of these bags of Navels (for about $14.00), you get a second one free.

Most of their crop is transported out of state. Now I know that the oranges you buy at your local supermarket are really fresh and juicy but have to tell ya... there's nothing like picking oranges from the tree, having them squeezed, bottled, and chilled on premise, and drinking fresh orange juice on the spot.

I don't know how companies like Minute Maid, Tropicana etc. can claim "fresh hand squeezed" orange juice because it doesn't taste anything like the fresh picked, squeezed, chilled orange juice we have been drinking.

We can't wait for February when the trees begin to blossom with the 2010 crop. I'll make sure to include a post of that - too bad I can't include the fragrance.