Oranges and Lemons. And Mandarins.

Citrus time again and I know I say/write it every year but...Is there anything yummier than an Orange plucked from the tree on a sunny Winters day and eaten outside with the juice running down your chin?  Or is that just me...We lost a lot of Oranges this year due to them splitting for some reason but as always there are still lots left for us.   And enough for the daughters to take a bag away with them when they are here and the son and his girlfriend...We have emptied the first tree and have started on the second main tree.  We have had a dozen or so off a young tree in the chookpen but I won't count that until next year when it can hold it's own with the 3 main ones in the yard.   Though there is a big one in the chookpen which will be ready to eat by the time these next 2 are empty.    And the Valencia is full too but they wont ripen until November...I lurve Oranges and want at least 1 more Summer ripening one but am yet to convince the husband that we need another one.  He thinks 6 is enough...I scoff at that and one day we will have at least 1 more...


The Bush Lemon is chockers too.

 

 

Husband doesn't like this tree as it has huge thorns/spines throughout and can be quite dangerous when out there and not paying attention.  He is often out there not paying attention and not wearing shoes so I get to hear his thoughts on this tree throughout the year.  He has recently given it a prune but we didn't lose many fruit this time.  Last year he cut it right back and wasn't at all concerned with all the lemons that came off with the branches but this year the fruit is mainly on the bottom half and he only pruned off the top so we have heaps.   I will be taking a lot to the markets on Sunday if daughter and I decide to go and I have put an ad up on Facebook too.   I managed to sell some Chokoes and beeswax from there so will see how we go with these.



They are juicy but don't seem as sour as the usual Lemon that is sold in the shops.  Lemon drinks throughout Winter are one of my ways to ward off colds and other Winter lurgies and this week I am adding chopped up lemons to water kefir and drinking it throughout the day.  So far so good, no sniffs or sniffles and if I do happen to get a sore throat I will add honey and drink more.   Natures own medicine.

I am yet to juice some but will need to do that so we have juice for Summer cordial.  We now have an Eureka lemon tree too and that is also full with branches touching the ground from the weight of the fruit.  I think husband needs to drink lots more cordial instead of buying Coke but he scoffs at that idea...There seems to be too much scoffing at ideas of others and not enough scoffing of fruit happening here...  



Over the last month or so I have been hearing of people eating Mandarins and wondering why ours weren't ready yet, started thinking we might not get any...but they are here now, ripe and ready to eat.  Unfortunately the tree has scale which means sooty mould on the leaves and fruit.  It doesn't affect the taste though and we just wash it off before we eat them but I will need to get out there and deal with the stuff on the tree.  I usually just squirt the branches soapy water and wipe over with a rag.  Some people say to spray but I never remember with what or when so it doesn't get done.