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Why does citrus fruit from Hickory Tree Grove taste better
than fruit from the
grocery Answer:
Fruit
from the grocery store is often picked green for increased shelf life.
The green fruit is then gassed to give it a ripe appearance. So, it
looks ripe but it really needed another 4 to 6 weeks on the tree to be ready
to eat. All our fruit ripens naturally on the tree before it is
picked. The difference in taste is significant.
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Who are you guys, and where can I contact you with
questions?
Answer: S. David Fedor (and
Sheila) are the owner/operators of Hickory Tree
Grove, which is located at 4510
Audubon Avenue in DeLeon Springs, FL 32130. We can be reached at (386)
985-1655 or click here to email Hickory Tree Grove
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Why do you feel that
Hickory Tree Grove citrus fruit is better for my health than store
bought fruit
? Answer:
Fruit in stores can come from anywhere in the world. Much of it is grown in Central and
South America, where the regulation of chemicals for pesticides and herbicides
is far less stringent than in the United States. Even fruit grown in the
US has been exposed to pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers.
Our fruit has been grown using only organic techniques
-- No Pesticides -- No Herbicides -- No Chemical Fertilizers
--
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What is the best way to store my citrus
? Answer:
Store your citrus in a cool, dry place. 40 to 50 defrees F is the best temperature range, and keep the fruit well
ventilated (no plastic bags).
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Why do grocery stores have Florida citrus in the early fall
and you don't sell Hickory Tree Grove fruit until early
December? Answer:
Fruit from the grocery store is often picked green and then
gassed to give it a ripe appearance. So, it looks ripe but it really
needed another 6 to 8 weeks on the tree to be ready to eat. All our fruit
ripens naturally on the tree before it is picked. The difference in
taste is significant.
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What gasses are used on citrus to turn it from green to
orange? Answer: The gasses used are ethylene
bromide and topsin-M. The fruit is placed in a room
with the ethylene bromide (a deadly gas) to make the color change,
and then dipped in the topsin-M (a fungicidal solution) to prevent spoilage
(basically "embalming" the fruit).
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You say that you only use organic grove care techniques. What does that mean
? Answer:
NO PESTICIDES! If a chemical spray will kill bugs and birds, we don't want it on our fruit.
NO HERBICIDES! If a chemical is sprayed on the weeds around a tree, we believe that chemical will find its way into the fruit tree's root system and into the fruit.
NO CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS! Most chemical fertilizers are synthetically produced and contain pertroleum based ingredients. We use only natural products on Hickory Tree Grove (manure, grass mulch, and certified organic fertilizers).
