Ten Gables Cottage

Ten Gables Cottage
Ten Gables Cottage

Monday, November 15, 2010

Navel Oranges at Ten Gables Cottage


Hi everyone from Ten Gables Cottage,
The navel oranges are wonderful this year, so sweet and juicy! I love to go out in the field and pick one and just eat it right there with juice running down my elbows. They are so much sweeter and the flavor is so good right off the tree. I finally figured out why that is so. When you pick them or buy them, into the refrigerator they go. Well, that diminishes the flavor and the sweetness and they are much better at room temperature. So now, I pick just what is needed and leave them on the counter in a basket, then pick more when those are gone. If I have too many and have to refrigerate some, then I sit them out to go to room temp. to improve the taste. It makes all the difference! Even fresh orange juice is best at room temperature.
You can see some Spanish moss in the orange tree. I try to pull it out, as it can stifle the tree. It doesn't seem to bother the Live Oak trees in the front yard (Garden as my English friends say), and above is a photo to show you how loaded the two big trees are with Spanish Moss. Here is a bit of trivia: Did you know that Spanish Moss was once used in the upholstery of automobiles?

Between those 2 trees is my little Fall scarecrow display. After Thanksgiving it will be taken down and something put up for Christmas.

3 comments:

  1. It must be so wonderful to be able to walk out and pick an orange to eat. I love the Spanish Moss in your Oak tree. I never considered before that it might strangle off some of the trees from their growth. What fun trivia to know it was used in upholstery. Have a wonderful week.
    Lona

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  2. I agree with you on the temperature thing Egretta. I don't (can't) grow oranges, but the same principles apply to tomatoes. They are always so much better if eaten straight from the vine. OK, trivia question now: why is Spanish Moss called "spanish"? Was it imported from Spain? Or is this just a derogatory term -- like we might say "French Leave" when we mean being absent without permission.

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  3. Thanks for your comments, Lona. The moss really doesn't harm the trees, but does cut down on fruit production.
    Mark, I had to do a little research on the Spranish Moss. The native Americans, the Indians, called Itla-okla, meaning tree hair.
    But the French who came to Louisana thought it looked more like the Spaniards, (who were early explorers of American), black beards, so they said Spanish hair or beard. The Spaniards thought this a ridicule and called it French Hair. So on it went until the name Spanish moss finally was settled on. So your analysis was pretty close!

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