LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — Citrus crops are ripe and ready to pick this time of year, but sometimes those who are doing the picking are actually stealing. The Florida Department of Agriculture calls this farm theft, and there are some big penalties if you get caught.
Can you pick oranges off trees in Florida?
You can pretty much pick oranges all year round but depending on the time of year and the grower will depend on the variety. November through April have the widest variety. However, some orange farms in Florida are closed off-season, so make sure you check before you go.
Who picks oranges in Florida?
Sorrells estimates that 85 percent of the workers currently picking citrus crops in Florida are foreign guest workers. It’s expanding into other crops, too. Nationwide, about 140,000 farm jobs were filled by H-2A workers last year; that’s twice what it was four years ago.
How much does it cost to pick oranges in Florida?
The average total harvesting charges for fresh and processed oranges were $3.28 and $3.16 per box, respectively. For grapefruit, the average total harvesting charges were $2.65 and $2.90 per box for fresh and processed fruit, respectively. For specialty fruit, the charges were $4.46 and $4.73 per box.
How do they pick oranges in Florida?
Canopy shakers are still an unusual sight in Florida’s orange groves. Most of the crop is harvested by hand, mainly by illegal Mexican immigrants. Nylon sacks slung across their backs, perched atop 16-foot ladders, they pluck oranges at a rate of 70 to 90 cents per 90-pound box, or less than $75 a day.
Is it a felony to pick oranges in Florida?
Section 812.015 considers “farm theft” as a first-degree misdemeanor. However, certain mitigating factors can increase the charges. If a person steals oranges valued at more than $300, the statute treats the crime as a third-degree felony.
What is Florida’s orange season?
The most commonly-grown varieties of Florida oranges are Navel, Hamlin, Pineapple, Ambersweet and Valencia. The fresh orange season typically runs from October through June.
What part of Florida has orange groves?
The vast majority of Florida’s orange crop is produced in the central part of the Florida peninsula, mainly in Polk, Desoto, Highlands, and Hendry counties. Driving through these places, one can see acres upon acres of scenic orange groves.
What fruit is Florida known for?
oranges
Florida is known for its outstanding citrus and accounts for 56 percent of the total U.S. citrus production. The earliest references of oranges date all the way back to 2200 B.C. in ancient Chinese manuscripts and documents, but Christopher Columbus is credited with bringing citrus to the New World.
Do they still grow oranges in Florida?
Florida growers produce several types of citrus, including oranges, grapefruit and specialty fruit including Temple oranges, tangerines and tangelos.
Why are oranges important to Florida?
More than 95 percent of oranges grown in Florida are used to produce orange juice and about half of the orange juice Americans drink hails from Florida. In the 2016-17 season, which ended in June, Florida produced 68.7 million boxes of oranges.
How do you pick oranges off a tree?
To harvest your oranges, simply grasp the ripe fruit in your hand and gently twist it until the stem detaches from the tree. If the fruit is too high, use a ladder to climb as far up as you can and shake the branches to loosen the fruit. Hopefully, the fruit will fall to the ground like citrus manna from heaven.
What are the best Florida oranges?
Navel and juice are the most popular type of Florida oranges sold but for a different variety many people have discovered the sweet tasting Honeybell oranges. They got their name because of their classic bell shape and savory flavor.
What month are oranges in season?
From January until April is the time many are really savoring the sweet and juicy flavor of navel oranges. Whether it be by juicing them, eating them whole or making desserts, fruit salads or dressings, navel oranges are in full flavor around this time. May is generally the end of the navel oranges season.
What part of Florida grows the most oranges?
Much of the oranges in Florida are grown in the southern two-thirds of the Florida peninsula, where there is low probability for a freeze.
How many acres is orange groves in Florida?
Acreage and Growing Areas
In Florida, there are about 569,000 acres of citrus groves and more than 74 million citrus trees.
Can you pick fruit hanging over a fence Florida?
Footpaths and public spaces. And good news — if the fruit is found on public land, for example overhanging a footpath, you are well within your rights to pick it.
Can you pick fruit from public trees?
Public fruit trees:
There’s no limit, but don’t take more than you need. Take fruit that’s fallen on the ground — that’s when nature is telling us its ready to be taken.
Are there wild orange trees in Florida?
Citrus aurantium, the Seville orange tree. These trees took root in the Western hemisphere after being transported from Spain, where it had been cultivated by the Moors. Wild Seville orange trees can be found near small streams and ponds in Florida and the Bahamas.
How often do they pick oranges in Florida?
The fresh orange season typically runs from October through June. Most oranges in Florida are grown in the southern two-thirds of the state where freezes are rare. However, Polk County near Tampa in the Central part of the state remains the top citrus producing county.
What is the sweetest Florida orange?
Honey Bell Oranges are premium mail-order Florida oranges that are terrifically juicy and honey-sweet. They can be eaten fresh out of hand, tossed in a salad, or juiced.