Days 865 - 920 Citrus and Climate Change in Northern CA

As we are in the midst of our citrus harvest season I thougth I would write about an NPR story I heard a while back about the concerns of climate change among citrus growers in Northern California. I would have thought that a warming of the temperatures would have only a positive effect on citrus with growers always fearing the dreaded freeze. Well, the grower that they were interviewing was talking about how much of his crop (Satsuma Mandarins) is eaten fresh and how we are accustomed to eating citrus that is orange in color (oranges, tangerines, mandarins) and how the warming of the climate will slow the colorization  of the fruit. Here is an article about Degreening of Citrus that I really thought explained what Citrus from Florida has to go through before we consumers actually find it acceptable.

This explains why the oranges that I would buy in Mexico would often be green (but perfectly ripe inside).

Well, for now our mandarins are turning nice orange and we have harvested over 900 to this date. The oranges have been tested and I plan on waiting at least a couple more weeks before starting to harvest them daily. Grapefruit will be at least a month.

A eight-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Lemons: 18 ($9.00)
Chard: 2.5 bunches ($5.00)
Kiwi: 22 ($11.00)
Limes: 11 ($3.75)
Mandarins: 790 ($197.50)
Oranges: 13 ($6.50)

Eight-Week harvest: $232.75
Total Produce Harvested : $4546.50
Total Honey Harvested: $920.00
Expenses: $480.00
Daily Details
Year 3, Day 134
1) 4  mandarins
2) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 135
1) 12 mandarins

Year 3, Day 136
1) 7 mandarins

Year 3, Day 137
1) 3mandarins

Year 3, Day 138
1) 7 mandarins
2) 1 lemon

Year 3, Day 139
1) 8 mandarins

Year 3, Day 140
1) 9 mandarins

Year 3, Day 141
1) 8 mandarins

Year 3, Day 142
1) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 143
1) 12 mandarins

Year 3, Day 144
1) 17 mandarins
2) 8 limes
3) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 145
1) 50 mandarins
2) 6 lemons

Year 3, Day 146
gone

Year 3, Day 147
gone

Year 3, Day 148
1) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 149
1) 7 mandarins

Year 3, Day 150
1) 6 mandarins

Year 3, Day 151
1) 8 mandarins

Year 3, Day 152
1) 15 mandarins

Year 3, Day 153
1) 41 mandarins

Year 3, Day 154
1) 2 mandarins
2) 2 oranges
3) 2 kiwi
4) 3 lemons
5) 1/2 bunch chard

Year 3, Day 155
1) 15 mandarins

Year 3, Day 156
1) 12 mandarins

Year 3, Day 157
1) 8 mandarins
2) 1 orange

Year 3, Day 158
1) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 159
1) 6 mandarins

Year 3, Day 160
1) 20 mandarins
2) 2 oranges

Year 3, Day 161
1) 8 mandarins

Year 3, Day 162
1) 8 mandarins

Year 3, Day 163
1) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 164
1) 8 mandarins

Year 3, Day 165
1) 12 mandarins
2) 2 oranges

Year 3, Day 166
1) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 167
1) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 168
1) 14 mandarins
2) 2 bunches chard

Year 3, Day 169
1) 40 mandarins

Year 3, Day 170
1) 9 mandarins

Year 3, Day 171
1) 12 mandarins

Year 3, Day 172
1) 26 mandarins

Year 3, Day 173
1) 18 mandarins

Year 3, Day 174
1) 32 mandarins

Year 3, Day 175
gone

Year 3, Day 176
gone

Year 3, Day 177
1) 27 mandarins
2) 20 kiwi

Year 3, Day 178
1) 38 mandarins
2) 1 orange
3) 3 limes

Year 3, Day 179
1) 11 mandarins
2) 1 orange

Year 3, Day 180
1) 14 mandarins
2) 1 orange

Year 3, Day 181
1) 47 mandarins

Year 3, Day 182
1) 5 mandarins

Year 3, Day 183
1) 8 mandarins

Year 3, Day 184
1) 27 mandarins

Year 3, Day 185
1) 50 mandarins
2) 4 lemons
3) 1 orange

Year 3, Day 186
1) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 187
1) 12 mandarins

Year 3, Day 188
1) 13 mandarins
2) 2 oranges

Year 3, Day 189
1) 4 mandarins