Delicious citrus right off the tree
This is one of those years, said Dick Minetti, a long time local producer who is harvesting oranges, tangerines, grapefruit and other citrus on his 30 acre ranch in east Bakersfield.
"We pick through March Timberland Sydney or until there's a killer freeze," Minetti said. "We're picking every day, unless it rains."
The local harvest is a long one, with farmers generally picking citrus Kern's second largest crop with a Beats By Dr Dre Tour value Mont Blanc Ballpoint Pen Price of $331 million from October to June.
Craig Kallsen, UC Cooperative Extension farm adviser, said citrus quality and size is generally good this year and prices remain unusually high. Prices usually start to drop right after early harvest, but consumers, he said, seem to be craving vitamin C.
"It seems when we have a bad flu season people think oranges," Kallsen said. "I don't have any scientific evidence on that, but there seems to be a correlation."
Those looking to relieve some of those aches and sniffles will Mont Blanc Ballpoint Pen find ample supplies of fresh picked citrus at Minetti's Anxious Acres Citrus Ranch on Park Drive.
Sherri Minetti, Dick Minetti's daughter and manager of the ranch and gift shop, is quick to whip out a pocket knife and cut sweet slices of oranges or Satsuma mandarins for any customers looking to sample.
"The Oro Blanco is a super sweet grapefruit and the tangelos are great for fish, chicken and margaritas," she said as she sliced. "We have a good supply of navels, too."
The Minetti family has grown and sold citrus at their ranch for nearly 50 years. The family hasn't sold fruit to out of town buyers since 1990, preferring to sell their fresh picked produce to local consumers.
Customers may buy the citrus loose or by the half bushel box at $40 a box. Festive holiday gift baskets, featuring Mbt Footwear a selection of citrus, candy and pistachios, range in price Ray Ban Shop In Melbourne from $18 to Cheap Timberland Boots Australia $100.
The Minettis don't apply wax to their fruit Longchamp Shop or use pesticides. They apply herbicides to the weeds only when necessary, producing their fruit "as organically as possible." They take phone orders but don't take credit cards. It is, Sherri said, her dad's way of doing business.
"Dad will tell people 'OK I'll get your order going, you put the check in the mail," she said. "He puts his trust in people and he's only been burned once."
Sherri, 38, runs the ranch and the store while her dad holds court in the gift shop, greeting customers with good natured insults and the occasional startling epithet. That, and good customer service, is what brings his customers back, the elder Minetti said.
"People come out to get fruit and get razzed," said Minetti, 67. "They all know me."
It was Dick Minetti's parents who christened the ranch Anxious Acres for the endless hours they spent fretting over the crops, wondering if a freeze would ruin the oranges or if the hard work and cold weather would give Dick's father a second heart attack.
These days, four years after his own quadruple by pass surgery, Dick Minetti is satisfied to let his daughter run the family operation. Another daughter, Lori Minetti, also helps from time to time.
Sherri, who also is a paralegal, said the family is feeling the squeeze from larger producers and big box grocers, but think people need to experience the taste of a fresh picked orange.
http://www.straight.com/node/add/article
http://bestgfx.biz/joomla/52833-joomlabamboo-jb-newscycle-for-joomla-25.html
http://cpweb.chinaweb.cc/1003/news/html/?645840.html
http://58.211.229.227/guestbook.asp
http://npl.rice.edu/search/node/ |
