I was eating a deliciously sweet orange the other day and suddenly had the thought “what went into producing this orange?” It was so good, it deserved a “thank you!” Anyway, in reading about orange production, I learned a few things. And I am so grateful to farmers! I do not think they get enough adulation.
Did you know that oranges are self-pollinating, so they do not require bees? They of course need sunlight. And orange trees prefer to get about a month of 32 degree days. Too cold, and they suffer. I read about one farmer who grew oranges in California, who would sometimes have to get up several times a night to check the temperature in his orchards. If it was too cool (below 29 degrees), he would turn on wind machines to warm things up a bit. He eventually purchased auto-start wind machines that would monitor the temperature and turn off and on by themselves so he could sleep.
Then there is a need for water – not too much or too little….. and the correct soil…… and fertilizer…… and pruning. There is a lot of science in farming. He also may actually test the sugar and acid content of oranges, as well as color before deciding if they are ready to harvest.
The oranges can be shaken from trees by machine but are often picked by hand. Hand is better because people are gentler than machines. A bruised orange is just like bruised skin. If there is a little damage to the “skin” there is also damage beneath the skin in the fruit below. Usually the oranges are actually completely orange when picked, but early in the season they can be a little green. If they are a little green they can be ripened or “oranged up” using ethylene gas. (same process you can use at home by putting unripe fruit in a brown bag and sealing it up)
Once the oranges are harvested, the farmer may use a black light room to check for mold or fungus, since it is not always easily visible to the naked eye.
Oranges are an excellent source of antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C, folate and thiamine. They are fairly easy to find, since the United States alone produces 4 to 5 million tons each year. So go buy an orange and enjoy. However, you look at it, realizing all of the effort that goes into cultivating a perfect orange….so we can eat it…..makes that orange even more enjoyable!
