Thursday, November 06, 2008

Citrus season

This is the time of year when citrus trees bear fruit in Louisiana. I don't know the psychology behind it, but fresh-picked fruit is much more soul satisfying than the store-bought variety. I would imagine that people who grow their own vegetables feel the same way. Maybe it's some kind of primal, connection-to-the-earth thing.

One of my boss's former clients has come to the office twice in the past couple of weeks to deliver bags stuffed with satsumas, oranges, and the biggest lemons I've ever seen. We've eaten them for snacks at work, and we've all taken home plenty to share with our families.

Tonight, though, I tasted the most satisfying fruit of all, a tangelo grown right in my own backyard. The spindly little tangelo tree is only three years old and isn't much taller than I am. It's produced fruit every year since Kim planted it, but we picked it too early the first two years. This year we exercised a little patience, and the results are juicy and delicious.


You know, I may have missed something by not trying my hand at gardening. Except for the dirt, the hot sun, the constant watering, the allergies, and (not the least consideration) my aversion to physical labor, I think I might have enjoyed it.

5 comments:

  1. LOL! Those are all the reasons I gave it up!

    Still citrus trees are relatively easy and so wonderful. I'm partial to a sweet lemon. I have one in my yard but forget to water it!

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  2. I can't imagine these growing in LA. Amazing.

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  3. sone say you need to wait till the 1st frost to pick them...It makes them sweeter...me I just am thinking it would ruin the fruit...My orange tree produced a lot of fruit last year but it was not sweet...

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  4. Creekhiker, gardening is one item on a long list of things I might have enjoyed if not for my laziness.

    Sister-Three, I think we're in the south just far enough to grow citrus.

    4th Sister, I hadn't heard that about the first frost but will look it up. They're mostly all still on the tree, but I want to be sure to pick them before they get overripe.

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  5. loved your last paragraph. really strikes a chord with me-- the aversion to physical labor, that is.

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