A Trip to the Clementine Orchards

Jimmy was next on the school roster to bring in a parent or family member to his class to speak about what they do for a living. He did not think that being a stock broker like his father or working in a clothing store like his mother was very interesting. In fact he did not even know what a stock broker was and did not think his friends and fellow classmates would want to know either.

He spent weeks worrying about who he would invite. Then on the Sunday afternoon before his turn, his grandfather came to the house with the year’s first crate of clementines. “That’s it!” Jimmy exclaimed! “Grandpa, will you come and speak to my class about what you do for work? I think what you do is neat!” Being a sucker for his first grandson, his grandfather finally gave in and agreed to go to speak to the class about owning a clementine orchard.

At the end of the presentation grandpa noticed how much all the kids were enjoying the clementines he had brought along to share, so he suddenly excused himself to talk privately with the teacher. They quickly returned with smiles on their faces. Grandpa announced that the following Monday morning, the students were invited to go on a field trip to his clementine orchard to see the business in action. The kids roared in excitement and Jimmy was so happy he had invited his Grandpa.
That Monday the kids climbed onto their school bus and drove to the next town in Florida. Along some of the highway they could see the beautiful clementine fruit trees and could smell the citrus sweetness. They pulled up to the clementine orchard farm house and were greated by Jimmy’s grandfather and about a dozen workers. They started the tour of the orchard and his grandfather explained the seasonal nature of clementine farming. After the tour of the farm house the workers gave each child a small wooden crate, the same that many had seen their local grocery stores. Each worker took two or three children into the orchard and they were given the opportunity to pick their very own clementines to take home!

On the bus the kids thanked Jimmy over and over again for bringing in his grandfather. Even his teacher exclaimed it would be hard to top that! Jimmy thought to himself not only does he love clementines, he was glad that everyone else in the class did too!

Taste the Sunshine with Hale Groves

At Hale Groves, we believe the best gifts come from the land, not a factory. For generations, our fruit has been grown slowly under the Florida sun, picked at its peak, and delivered fresh to your door. From sweet Navel Oranges to rare Honeybells, every gift shares the simple joy of real flavor—perfect for holidays, milestones, or everyday moments worth celebrating.

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