We have a Garden of Eden in this valley of ours where we can grow almost anything.
However, a lot of citrus like oranges, lemons and grapefruit end up on rotting on the ground. People are just too lazy to pick them up.
This is not the first time we have written about this terrible waste and to be honest, we are as guilty as the next person. Being a citrus lover, we have planted a yard full of trees. Then we take off for Mexico to take advantage of the warm winter.
Many of our oranges, lemons and grapefruit are not harvested before hitting the ground. As guilty as we are, we feel the need to reach out to local churches, nonprofits and food providers to ask them to organize, or re-organize, a local fruit pickup program for the needy.
Government agencies should also become involved. This fruit could be provided at no cost. Citrus is packed with vitamin C which is so important in the flu season.
How about starting with a Free Citrus Day in our community? Anything would be better than watching fruit go to waste on the ground.
Homeless residents could be notified of the day and place. Maybe when we pass the homeless on the corner of the roadway, instead of handing a dollar, which could end up buying alcohol or drugs, it would be better to give a small bag of citrus.
It would certainly come as a big surprise.
Let’s get our children involved in the harvest too.