🍋Limonchello Cake and some Citrus History of Southern California
One of the thousands of crate labels from the Groves!
California. At the turn of the 20th-century, easterners flocked to Southern California for the sun, weather, and the movie stars! People still are. Even 20 years ago, Orange County was dotted with groves within an earshot of Disneyland. Today you would be hard-pressed to find one Orange Tree. I live in Riverside County (next to Orange County), and downtown, you will find the original two Navel Orange Trees that all were grafted.
Winter brings snow and storms throughout the Midwest and East coast, while here in California, we are shipping crates of fresh sun-drenched citrus. On the crates' sides, you would find the beautiful drawing of the orchards, the palm trees around the groves, and maybe a snow-topped mountain in the foreground (yes, we have mountains with snow 1-1/2hrs from Los Angeles.
Here is a great little video from PBS on the Citrus Movement in Southern California.
Orange Groves in the Historical Park
When we purchased our home, the land had been groves just the year prior; a few miles away, we had orchards that would permeate the air with the aromas of citrus this time of year. Sadly, they were all bulldozed for housing. Around the city, you can see some areas with mini groves. I tend to drive to the California Citrus State Historic Park in Riverside to get my citrus. Here is the link: LINK
In the orange groves in 80F weather this past weekend.