Growing up in a small town, where the nearest big city was an hour drive, I learned several things about growing conventional oranges. On the commute to the “big city” we passed by thousands and thousands of orange trees, and I was able to observe some interesting practices.
Lessons Learned.
#1 I watched as the orange groves were sprayed with insecticides. I can still recall the unpleasant smell, and now realize that it was not a healthy time to be passing by. Read this to find out why. And This. Both articles discuss the issues of pesticide drift.
#2 I watched as amazing cropping machines with giant rotating blades trimmed the trees to keep them all of a uniform size. I wish I could find a picture, but the nearest similarity would be Edward Scissorhands meets a giant saw blade on wheels.
#3 I watched migrant workers pick and pack oranges in season.
#4 I learned that every so many years, a crop of orange trees would be chopped down, the wood would get chipped, and the land would lie dormant for at least a year.
#5 Later, immature trees would be planted in a dormant plot to begin the cycle again.
In this cycle, there was always a dormant plot, and there were always plots with mature trees, maturing trees, and immature trees. This was the cycle of life for the conventional orange growers as I observed it living outside of Bakersfield, CA. I always wondered why the growers had to chop down perfect looking trees, wait a year, and replant. Why not let the trees continue?
Unexpected Answer.
I found the answer in an unexpected way.
While shopping at my favorite (at the time) health food store, Lassen’s, I overheard the most interesting conversation. Okay, so I was eavesdropping a little. If it was meant to be a private conversation, I guess they shouldn’t have had it right in front of the navel oranges in the produce department.
Here is what I discovered. Recently, the manager of the store had purchased an organic citrus farm, and the trees were around 100 years old. This caught my attention immediately. I had been watching the process of conventional orange growing since childhood, and this was different. Well, as it turns out, the reason conventional growers chop their trees down every five to ten years is because the oranges become unsavory. The flesh becomes inedible and tasteless. So why is this not the case with organic oranges? How can they sustain flavor and texture without having to be chopped down on a decade basis, but can live for over a century?
Healthy Soil.
The answer is in the soil. In order to sustain a healthy plant that does not need to be sprayed for bugs with synthetic, harmful pesticides, the tree needs healthy soil. Trees get their nutrition from the ground. They eat with their roots. When they have the proper nutrition, their life expectancy and fruitfulness increases many fold. This is so much like the human body that needs healthy nutrients to fight off the bugs that affect their health, such as viruses and bacterias.
So, when you eat an orange, do you want one that does not have sustainable nutrition, or do you want one that carries with it an extended life force?
For me and my household — we will choose organic — just like God designed.
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Disclaimer:
Reformed Health exists so you can take control of your own health and be all that God has designed you to be. The information shared on Reformed Health is the sole opinion of the author and is not meant to diagnose or treat any illness. None or our claims have been evaluated by the FDA or any other government organization. We are not medical doctors, nor do we have any medical doctors on staff. If you are having a health emergency, please call 911, contact your doctor, or visit a local emergency room. Always consult your doctor before engaging in any new exercise regime.
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Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.
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© 2017 Mischelle Sandowich
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