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Introduction:
Florida is known for a lot of things but Oranges have to be near the top! Have you ever wondered when are oranges in season in Florida? When I grew up getting a box of fresh Florida Oranges brought back home from my relatives was always a treat.
The orange is an essential part of Florida’s society. Think about a few of these. Orlando is in Orange County. In Miami every year they play the Orange Bowl. There is also a city named Orange Park.
So here are a few surprising and funny things about Florida oranges you might not know.
Types of Oranges in Florida:
Many oranges are produced in Florida, which are further divided into types. Here we look at the types of oranges in Florida. Further, the oranges are divided into three categories.
- Hamlin Oranges
- Round Oranges (Valencia Oranges)
- Pineapple Oranges
- Sour Oranges
- Navel Oranges
- Pigmented Oranges
Hamlin Oranges in season in Florida:
Hamlin is the most famous early sweet orange in Florida, and it’s also one of the coldest-tolerant trees. There are many options available. Because of its early maturity, it may harvest a significant portion of its crop before the Florida winter freezes.
The Hamlin orange is sweet and juicy, with few to no seeds, making it one of the greatest sweet oranges to eat or juice.
Round Oranges season in florida (Valencia Oranges):
Oranges round in shape are known as Valencia oranges, which are the well-known ‘juice oranges.’ They account for over half of Florida’s total orange production.
Valencia oranges have a high sugar content and adapt well to a broad range of climatic conditions. Typically, the rind is thick, leathery, and somewhat pebbled. Although the fruit ripens around January or February, it remains fresh and tasty for many months on the tree.
The skin becomes green throughout the summer, known as “regreening,” although this does not affect the taste.
Pineapple Oranges:
That’s the funny name of orange. The name stems from the oranges’ delicate scent, exquisite taste, and exceptional juicing properties. They began in Citra, Florida, southeast of Gainesville, in approximately 1860.
Pineapple oranges became a staple fruit farther south after the severe winter of 1894 devastated the citrus sector in North Florida. They’re often seen in fruit gift baskets and are employed in commercial processing.
Pineapples have bright orange-red skin with a medium thickness and many seeds. They may be harvested as early as December.
Sour Oranges season in Florida:
“Dead” sweet orange trees regularly sprang back with sour fruit after the terrible frost of 1983 and 1985. Sour oranges have different prices for a variety of goods, despite their bitterness.
They are used to produce marmalade in the United Kingdom. This species also has orange blossom water, which is used to flavor pastries and sweets. Sour orange oil is often used to make perfume.
The fruit that screams “Florida!” Slicing into a sweet, juicy, seedless Navel Orange is one of life’s greatest pleasures! Because navel oranges have no seeds, they can only grow from cuttings and graft onto the new stock.
Today, navel oranges are cultures predominantly in Arizona, California, and Florida in the United States, and they constitute a significant business.
Pigmented Oranges:
Oranges with a lot of colors. These “blood oranges,” which are still consider unusual in the United States, are more prevalent in Spain and Italy, where gardeners are more patient with their irregular bearing tendencies.
Blood oranges are typically tiny, spherical, and have a rich crimson hue with nearly no seeds. Their rosiness is temperature-dependent and intensifies when the weather cools. The fruit has a tangier and more delicious taste than other orange varieties. Their rising appeal is due to their intense flavor, color, and rarity.
These all are kinds available in Florida. Now let’s know about their seasonality.
When are Oranges in Season in Florida?
Florida oranges are abundant from October through June, with the largest quantity accessible from December to May. From September through June, fresh Florida oranges have transported, with the crop’s peak in February. Depending on the kind, tangerines, tangelos, and temple oranges are available from October to March.
History of oranges
Since the mid-nineteenth century, oranges farming have done in Florida gardens. Traders brought the first orange to the New World in 1493. The first orange trees have planted around St. Augustine, Florida, in the 15th century by one of the early Spanish explorers, most likely Ponce de Leon.
The unique sandy soil and hot temperature of Florida prove excellent for growing the new settlers planted seeds that have grown ever since. It is now a $9 billion industry in Florida, employing almost 76,000 people.
Market Share and Value of Florida Oranges
Florida is the world’s second-largest provider of orange juice, just after Brazil, and it continues to be the largest supplier of grapefruit. Florida produces more than 70% of the US citrus crop, with large export markets in Canada, Japan, France, and the United Kingdom.
Many Florida oranges provide for more than 90% of all orange juice consumed in the United States.
The economic impact of Florida Oranges
The citrus industry contributes almost $9 billion to Florida’s income each year through growing, packing, processing, and selling. Close to $1 billion in tax money, it generates by the citrus sector, And its uses in schools, highways, and healthcare services.
The citrus sector employs about 76,000 Floridians, outnumbering the total labor force in 45 of 67 counties.
Impact on the Environment
Orange has a tremendous environmental impact in Florida. Large areas of natural land are possible with intelligent woodland construction, giving better wildlife habitat and a natural boundary between farming and urban growth.
Scientists of Florida recently discovered more than 159 natural wildlife groups in forest areas. According to studies, each area of mature trees produces 16.7 liters of oxygen every year.
Areas of Growth and Farmland:
There are almost 74 million orange trees in Florida’s 569,000 acres of fruit. Most of us are producing in the southern two-thirds of the Florida peninsula, where freezing is uncommon.
Citrus workers slowly changed from the central and northern areas after several freezes in the 1980s. However, in the middle part of the state, Polk County remains the largest citrus-producing county.
Collecting and Growing:
Workers gently pick and choose fruit once it’s ready and place it in large paper bags to collect it. The bags are fill up into “goats,” transporting picked fruit from the farm to roadside tractor-trailers. Fresh citrus is moving towards packinghouses, washed, checked, and packed. Citrus for juice production carries by truck to juice manufacturing units.
There are nearly 40 orange packinghouses and 20 fruit processing companies in Florida.
Florida produces a lot of Oranges:
Other than tourism, Florida’s economy is based on citrus fruit, mainly oranges. Most of the citrus fruit grown in the United States is in Florida. Seventy-four percent of oranges are growing in Florida.
How should fresh Florida citrus store?
Although purchasing fresh Florida oranges by the case is far more cost-efficient than buying them at the supermarket, many individuals do not do it because they do not believe they will consume all of the oranges before they go bad.
To save money and receive high-quality oranges, you may purchase cases of oranges and keep them fresh or preserve them. Keep a few oranges in a dish to enjoy throughout the day, but store the rest in the refrigerator’s fruit and vegetable crisper.
Oranges kept in a cold, dry environment will keep weeks longer than those kept at room temperature. If you’re going to bring some oranges to work, store them in an insulated bag with a cold pack at your desk or in the break room refrigerator. Just remember that they’re there, and don’t forget to consume them.
Being near a heat source, such as the stove, may hasten the ripening of oranges and other fruits. Because the heat from the furnace dissipates through the countertops. If you know you won’t be able to consume all of your oranges before they go bad, juicing them all and then freezing the juice is an excellent method to get rid of them.
That way, you’ll have enough freshly squeezed Florida orange juice for smoothies, cocktails, cooking, and simply drinking straight.
You may also prepare and protect orange marmalade or orange jelly from enjoying Florida oranges throughout the year.
Conclusion:
While telling you about the oranges, it is very important to tell you that Floridians spend a lot of time and money on the research of oranges. We should understand that hard work is the key to success. Nature does not always give you anything as a gift. We have to protect that nature so it can’t go anywhere else or disappear.
Oranges are an all-time favorite to my daughter also. She is fond of it and could eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. After all this article, I want to eat oranges. I hope my daughter left an orange for me. So next time whenever you hear the name Florida, you will recognize it by its oranges and, of course, Walt Disney too.
