I spent a beautiful day (78 degrees!) as a Master Gardener volunteer at one of our local annual Citrus Clinics. I was assigned to the coffee, fresh-squeezed orange juice and donut table! I did not eat or taste even one donut! I knew if I started I could not stop. I certainly did not want anyone to see me inhale a dozen donuts in less than 5 minutes! We did a brisk business and sold out the donuts before noon.
I prepared myself for donut abstinence by eating oatmeal at 5 am and bringing a low-carb, high protein drink to the Clinic. I did allow myself 4 ounces of orange juice in mid-morning. We used a machine where you just drop whole oranges down a chute, and the machine cuts them in half, squeezes them, and out comes the juice at the other end. The rinds drop into a bin that had to be dumped when full. It took about three oranges for a cup of juice. I wish I had one of those machines, but at $3500, I guess I'll squeeze my oranges by hand.
We juiced Trovita variety oranges in the machine. It was fun to watch through the little window at how the thing worked. People were fascinated with it.
THE MACHINE
This was my favorite blood orange.
Tasting tables were set up and classes held throughout the orchard on everything to do with citrus. This will be the last year the research farm will be operated in our end of the Valley. The acreage is now surrounded on three sides with housing developments. Such is progress! I hate to see all those varieties of trees just abandoned and left to die.
As you can see, there are more varieties of citrus than you can find in the grocery stores. The farm has about 100 varieties of citrus.
We grew up on a farm that had 1/4-acre devoted to citrus. Most days we would eat over a dozen or more grapefruits and oranges. In fact, we ate our fill of anything that was in season. We never had any digestive disorders, never felt sick and we were never overweight! My problems with weight came on after I stopped smoking 28 years ago. I gained 35 lbs. in two months after I stopped, and it has been a struggle ever since! I think I will try eating a couple dozen oranges a day and see if I can get thin again! I'll let you know. Lol.
Strange looking citrus--it has no fruit, just rind.
2 comments:
Now, when confronted with any difficult task, you can tell yourself "I once spent a day sitting beside several dozen donuts without eating one, so this will be a cinch!"
Just for the record, I like blood oranges too... what a great way to spend the day!
We have the buddha hands at our local Greenwise Market...I didn't realize there was nothing inside to eat!!! Good thing I did not buy one! LOL.
What a fun, and beautiful day this must have been!!!
My daughter and I found a WiiFit today and it is a LOT OF FUN!!! We have gotten back to eating all fresh and REAL food, and just doing that I lost 10 pounds over the last 6 months, without even trying!!! I only found out when I went to the MD for my blood pressure check!!! We are trying even harder now, but with the idea of eating fresh and REAL food...not greasy or things with fillers, etc.
I like to drink fresh grapefruit juice...YUM!
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