All posts in Grove Update

Early morning sunshine dries the last drops of dew as we inspect new Navel Oranges. Although the Navels are still green, the consistent afternoon rains have helped develop nice sized fruit, soon to turn orange and mature into their tempting sweetness. In the grove wildlife is our constant companion, and we never know what we may see around the next corner. Along this row of citrus trees, an alert fawn peeks out from the branches but remains cautiously in the shadow as we pass by. We do many jobs to ensure ideal growing conditions for our fruit, and in the…

Work starts early in the grove. Early mornings make for cooler work, and it?s not unusual for us to start that work before sunup. It?s early morning, but our day is well under way. Every piece of fruit starts with a flower and a bee, and grows from there. Orange blossoms mark the beginning of a new season and fill the air, and us, with the hope of what is to come. After flowering, fruit gently expands. For most of the growing summer months, the fruit is various shades and sizes of green. Not surprisingly, it?s highly acidic and not…

About our Grove Update: Each month we visit the same navel orange tree to monitor the health and progress of our premium citrus all season long. About our Grove Update tree Scott, our Procurement Manager and life-long citrus expert, chose a 31-year-old navel orange tree west of Vero Beach to monitor through the season for your enjoyment and learning. Any tree older than 10 years old could be considered “mature” and anything under 10 years old would be “young”. Old vs. young orange trees The primary difference is quality and quantity of citrus, specifically the older the tree, the sweeter…