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Feb 6, 2013 07:17 AM

In search of Florida Oranges!

In Publix, most of the stores have a beautiful display of oranges and grapefruits, ALL FROM CALIFORNIA!! Is the orange on the license plates an illusion?

Fresh squeezed juice, fuggeddaboudit!!! Same Tropicana that's available anywhere in the US.

I went to a farmer's market last Sunday at a hospital parking lot in Miramar, but only one vendor had a few oranges, got a couple, and they were tasteless...

Is there anywhere in SE Fla where one can get real, short-traveled, great Fla oranges? And what about fresh-squeezed, non processed, non pasteurized juice? (Prefer Broward, but will travel for something special.)

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  1. No personal experience, but I'd start with one of the you-picks:


    (horrible graphics, but good info)

    2 Replies
    1. re: sunshine842

      Good for veggies, but you may have noticed that not ONE place on this entire list has oranges!

      1. re: lemarais

        ask one of them. There are still commercial groves in and around Miami -- there HAS to be one or more that has you-pick.

        Try localharvest.org
        Try the classified ads in the Herald.

        Ask at your local health-food store (they're frequently in the know for locally-produced fruits and veg)

        Pick up one of those local shopper magazines. Page through the one that shows up in your mailbox.

        Try a smaller supermarket.

        They're there -- even if you have to actively look for them (and it drives me INSANE that Publix brings in produce from California -- especially the biggies like tomatos, strawberries, and citrus, when it's all grown right here in Florida!)

    2. Bob Roth's New River Groves, on Griffin road, in Davie, should have the fresh squeezed juice and flavorful fruit you're looking for. Their Key Lime Pie was what convinced the state legislature to make Key Lime Pie the official state pie.

      1. For me it's easy to get Florida oranges from Whole Foods or the Fresh Market and lots of the juice, even some of the Tropicana is clearly marked from Florida. Florida's Finest is Florida juice, though processed. I also have a tree. I think you must look harder.

        1 Reply
        1. re: taiga

          But I'm not interested in processed juice, no matter where it's from. And P.S.-- a large number of Tropicana products are made from oranges from Brazil!

        2. I think part of the problem is that Florida Orange country is further North in the state - closer to the Orlando area and more central. While you might be able to buy Florida oranges in South Florida picking your own is more prevalent up north. When I drove up to Orlando last month there was a temporary farm stand at the rest area at the Port St. Lucie exit and they were selling local oranges. Hard to believe we have an orange industry in this state!!

          2 Replies
          1. re: DolceFarNiente

            there are commercial groves all across the southern end of the state -- more than in Orlando, because of the devastating freezes of years past. (of COURSE not in the Glades; but either side of them)

            Why is it hard to believe that there's an orange industry in FL?

          2. Actually I don't care about pick your own, looking for mainly Florida oranges and/or fresh-squeezed juice. A little off-putting that in Publix all they sell is California oranges!!

            1 Reply
            1. re: lemarais

              just that pick your own usually have buy-your-own onsite, as well, and you can't get much fresher than buying them 15 feet from the tree....