An Orange a day...

The End Is Near...kinda'

2012-01-24T09:51:00.000-08:00

Hold on to your hats folks…2012 ought to be one for the books! I expect this upcoming year to be one to remember. If history has taught us anything, it’s that nothing can spark the imagination quite like thought of the end of the world! Sure, we have all wondered what it would be like to be a rich and famous celebrity with an entourage which includes someone to walk behind us carrying our dog. But then we usually “snap” back to reality when we hear the bag boy ask…”paper or plastic?” Now then, you up the ante to the level of “end of the world” type of curiosity, and now we’re talking some serious imagining. Last year we had the religious group who was sure the end of the world was going to be on May 21^st (to no avail) then the date was moved to October 21^st. Of course nothing happened, and the group’s leader finally quit after realizing that maybe he really didn’t have God’s private, unlisted cell phone number, all the while leaving many followers disheartened and broke. See, since the end of the world was at hand, and you “couldn’t take it with you”, many believers spent their life savings on advertising and bill boards to get the word out across the country. Maybe for some, the end of the world really did happen, and it looks a lot like the same world we had before, except without money. Looking back, we have certainly had more than our share of “doom and gloomers” to go around, everyone from Nostradamus, Isaac Newton, The Millerites, The Branch Davidians to Marshall Applewhite’s Nike shoe wearing Heaven’s Gate crowd in Southern California, who believed it was a good idea to “cash it all in” and meet up with the gang in the UFO that was hidden behind the tail of the Hale Bop comet…or something like that. And of course, we can’t leave out the folks who believe that the earth is going come to a fiery end when it collides with “planet X” or Nibiru as it is also called. I know I am leaving out a lot of other happy folks who either had it, or currently have it all wrong about how and when the earth is going to end, but I think by now you get the point.

We have all witnessed what happens when society gets something in its collective mind about a particular date or event and its refusal to see the forest for the trees. Do we really have to remember the madness that ensued just before the whole Y2K drama unfolded into mass hysteria of nothingness? I think I still have packages of ramen noodles and batteries someplace in my garage left over from that one. And although my computer did stop working in the year 2000, I think it had more to do with dropping a cup of coffee on it than anything else. But skip ahead to 2012 and we once again hear the banging drums about being prepared for disaster! Oh no, not again? But wait, this time we have solid proof…the Mayan calendar, right? It stops on December 21, 2012. This has to be it; the moment we’ve all been waiting for…maybe.

Whether you are upset that the world is coming to an end or that Desperate Housewives is coming to an end, one thing is for certain; that for the year 2012, the level of bizarre human behavior will be taken to some new heights as we prepare for the end. Then, to add fuel to the fire, you throw into the “mix” the fact that it is a presidential election year…and all bets are off! It will certainly be interesting to watch as the days go “clicking by” as the novelty of the “end of days” turns to paranoia, then to panic by those who chose to believe that there is written somewhere the actual date when our world does comes to an end. All I know is that for every bad thing that happens this year, there will be those who say…”see, it’s a sign, it’s getting closer…the end times.” And sadly, as usual, there will be those cashing in on those who believe it. And then again, there will be those who believe that they can set off the “end times” by causing mayhem in the streets. Yes, 2012 is going to be quite a year to watch the news to see just how crazy people can actually get. But in the end (which as we all know is going to be on December 21^st), we can blame the Maya… who (just for the record) never said it was the end of times. However, like Mark Twain said, “never let the facts get in the way of a good story.” As for the Mayan calendar, sure it had to stop somewhere. And the Mayan people, they did rather fade away into history. But my theory; the Maya were also known as incredibly talented farmers, and sometimes as farmers, we get tired of being so good at what we do and just need a vacation. So, maybe, just maybe, they decided to stop making calendars and stop farming altogether and just go on long, extended vacation someplace. And when that fateful date arrives, as we are having “End of The World” parties, and prophecy believers make final preparations for the end, I think the Maya people (both past and present) will be having the last laugh. Stay tuned…

P.S.

Did you hear about the old Mayan Legend that says...that those who waited for "the end" to order their California Navel Oranges missed out? It's true, get them now before it's too late.

Sorry, I couldn't help myself :0)

The New Fall T.V. Schedule (translated farmer style)

2011-09-29T15:16:00.000-07:00

Ahh…here we are at that wonderful time of year, FALL. The changing leaves, the shorter days, the end to the hot summer heat, what could be better? But to an orange farmer, nothing signals the fall season like those “little things” that passes by the rest of the world. Things like; the shorter irrigation times that we have run water out in the field, the cooler weather that will soon turn our oranges from green to orange. And of course the beginning of preparations for our upcoming navel harvest season. Yes, all of these things signal to an orange farmer, the arrival of fall. However, I look around and I see and hear the conversations around me (when not on the farm) turn to something more critical to the arrival of fall. Would it be, politics? The Middle East? The economy? Sorry, but "no" to all three. The one thing, that to so many people indicate that fall has indeed arrived, is, you got it…the new fall t.v. lineup! Wow, America really has become a nation of television addicts! Especially with all those catchy titles…how could you possibly say no? Although, I do think some of the titles present something of what one could label as, “false advertising.” Really? How “desperate” could Eva Longoria possibly be as a housewife? But that aside, I looked at some of the titles of this fall’s t.v. line up, and most didn't make sense to me at first. So here is what I did. I made a short list of some of the titles and what they mean to your average orange farmer. After which, the titles made much more sense. So here goes.

HOUSE- what we live in

The Office- where the guys pick up their pay checks

American Dad- what I am

Bones- the things that ache the most after a long day in the field

The Middle- the space between the tree rows

Glee- what I feel when we start harvesting our new crop

Big Bang Theory- figuring out the backfire on the tractor

Burn Notice- what I have to submit to the county before burning my brush pile

Criminal Minds- who I try to keep off the property

Weeds- what we spray in the summer

Chuck- the guy that works at the auto parts store

Mad Men- what happens to my guys during the busy holiday harvesting season

Up All Night- what I have to be when there is a freeze warning

The Walking Dead- what I feel like after being up all night watching the freeze warning.

See? When put in the right context, even t.v. show titles can make sense . Thank you for reading.

If you have any questions or comments for "Farmer Tony", send them to my e mail at tony@pearsonranch.com.

Cheers!

"Bloodsuckers"

2011-08-16T14:27:00.000-07:00

So here we are…the summer is starting to come to a close, most of the kids are going back to school, football season is finally “gearing up” for another long season, and just to make this month even more exciting, America has lost its AAA credit rating. Now, I don’t pretend to know how it all works between Washington D.C., Wall Street and the rest of the economic globe. See, I try to save my brain for more important things like; how to better farm our oranges more efficiently, how to drive more business to our website, and of course the most riveting of them all…how to better appreciate my wife’s and my daughter’s love for the t.v. show “Trueblood”. But when one starts to really put one’s mind to the whole economic situation of the lost AAA rating, you start to see a connection. I see in Washington Democrats and Republicans going at it, like vampires and warewolves. We see both sides shedding blood for dominance for the sake of the future of their OWN existence, and not so much for the common good. This whole mess is deeply concerning and somewhat confusing. See, if you look at Washington through a blurry, bloodshot, “Trueblood” lens, you start to ask yourself, what should you do to escape both the economic and “vampiric”dangers? As just a mild mannered orange farmer, I am constantly bothered by the questions…do I stock up on gold? Silver bullets? Food ?...or just garlic? All I know is, no matter how America’s credit rating issue gets solved or how “Trueblood” ends up, either way…somebody is getting their blood sucked dry! Just a thought.

Weird and Wacky Summer Weather

2011-07-19T10:16:00.000-07:00

Tis been a "Weird and Wacky Summer" me thinks... Up is down and down is up. Casey Anthony was found not guilty, Tiger Woods isn't playing golf, and Charlie Sheen is probably still "winning" somewhere, but at least his has gone underground for a while...thanks Chuck. We have seen the end of some very distinct eras, with the last space shuttle mission and the last installment of Harry Potter. But even with all the change, at least the Summer weather is predictable, right? Mmmm...perhaps not. There have been parts of the Western US that has thus been colder and rainier than usual, and parts of the Mid-West and South that have been so hot, people have been seeing chickens lay fried eggs! Here on the farm where we grow our oranges, the weather has been so odd, it has left us with a smaller than normal crop for the upcoming fall and winter. I still remember reading the headline on The Fourth of July, that people were still skiing in Utah and at Tahoe! The cotton crops in the South are failing due to drought, Oklahoma City was 100.f for more than 30 days in a row, and parts of the Southwest are still smoldering from fire. All of this on top of the Tsunami and tornadoes from the Spring! Now I am not saying that the Mayan calendar is right, but maybe, just maybe, we should add to our "Summer To-Do List", somewhere between; clean out garage and paint fence...build ark (just in case).

Cheers!

Farmer Tony

Putting the Christmas music on 'pause.'

2010-11-19T08:28:00.000-08:00

Can we please hold off on the Christmas music until at least after we have gorged ourselves on Thanksgiving turkey? I can’t stand it already! It was mid November and “Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee was already being played by local radio stations! I knew there was a reason I generally renew my Sirius Satellite radio subscription 6 months at a time. Honestly, is Christmas (or “holiday” for the politically correct) music this early really necessary? This time of the year used to be special; we would get into the holiday “spirit” one holiday at a time. In the “before-time” we used to prepare for Thanksgiving by planning our trip to whose ever house, we would get the shopping list ready, we would clean the house for guests, all of it in anticipation of Thanksgiving itself. And whether we stayed home or we traveled someplace else for the “blessed day of the bird” we weren’t so anxious to “pull the trigger” on Christmas just yet. We would take in all the Thanksgiving goodness to its bitter end. The bird, the football, the pumpkin pie, the cleanup after dinner and even the long ride home, everything that was about Thanksgiving and only Thanksgiving. The next day of course…then, our attention could be diverted to the next “big day”…Christmas. But until then, there were no big “pre Christmas sales event” BEFORE Thanksgiving, and NO Christmas music on the radio! So, now skip ahead a decade or two and it’s practically Christmas in July! I realize retailers want to get everyone in the “Christmas buying spirit” as early as possible in order to “ring up” bigger sales. And since said retailers do advertise on the radio, I think I get the “jist” of this thing. I ALMOST can’t blame them, why with the economy as it is, but I think some restraint is in order here. I think comedian Lewis Black said it best about Christmas creeping into our consciousness earlier each year. He said; “…Christmas gets earlier and earlier each year. When I was a kid, Halloween was Halloween and Santa wasn’t poking his ass into it!” Maybe a bit crude, but it is to the point. So in the end, all I can say is; let’s not wish our lives away. Let’s just take it one holiday at a time and keep “The little drummer boy” at bay and focus on the turkey DRUMSTICK on the plate in front of us, if only for a few more days. HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE! And thanks for reading.

P.S.

Nothing against Mariah Carey :o)

CLICK HERE FOR THE AUDIO VERSION

2010-10-07T17:16:00.000-07:00

It's the (better) most wonderful time of the year.

By "Farmer Tony"

It’s the (better) most wonderful time of the year. I would like to wish everyone a most joyous, "Happy Autumn"! There simply is no better time of the year. Yes, there are those who will argue the point and ask..."well, what about Christmas? Isn't Christmas time is the best?" I know there are no songs of joy that proclaim autumn as "the most wonderful time of the year," such as there is at Christmas (OK, I will concede that point). However, where Christmas cannot compete, is in the natural beauty of that which surrounds us this time of year. Majestic trees with their turning leaves, the relief from the heat, the cool wisps of wind, the ever changing light from the changing angle of the sun, and the first "crackle" of a fire in the fireplace all convey the message that autumn is here! Ahhh yes...so cozy and quaint the images, but let us not be fooled as we delve into the real heart of what Fall is really all about...and that would have to be, the COLORS. Imagine an autumn without the fall colors of reds, browns, yellows, and of course ORANGE! In fact, I am sure most would agree that Orange IS the color that is most associated with fall is it not? We like the orange leaves, the orange colored decorations, of course Halloween is orange, the jack-o-lanterns are orange, and probably the most important orange item of the Fall...all together now...PUMPKIN PIE! Oh yeah, bring on the pumpkin everything. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin ice cream, even pumpkin spiced coffee! Of course, as enjoyable as this (the better most wonderful time of the year) is, tis only for a short while that we can truly revel in the delicious orange colored offerings of the Fall. For with all the greatness that is our Orange Autumn, it signals the "nearness" of what is to come. Yes, it is just a few short months before the real "feast of the orange" begins. That can only be...the California Navel Orange season! But alas, until then, we will continue to sing the songs of autumn (alright, there really aren't any), and enjoy all that is pumpkin and all that is indeed Orange. For more information on how to buy or farming Oranges, please visit my website at www.pearsonranch.com or email me tony@pearsonranch.com.

Warm Summer Haze (click here for audio version)

2010-09-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

Well, here they come…the lamentations of the end of summer. With the last 3 day weekend of the summer in the name of Labor Day, it begins to seep into our consciousness, all the things that we haven’t done before the end of summer. Did you take that extra vacation? Did you clean out your attic or garage? Did you really re-stain your patio deck? Of course you didn’t, and now it’s eating away at you. Where did the summer months disappear to? Well just “chalk it up” to something I like to call the “summer haze.” It’s the time when you get caught up in it just being summer. The heat, the bbq’s, the pool (if you are lucky enough to have one), the kids being out of school, all contributing factors to the “summer haze.” When it happens, we don’t know it until the calendar of “reality” strikes September. Why just a few days ago it felt like the beginning of June, and now here we are already at September! Next thing you know the kids will be all dressed up for Halloween! Oh where has the “summer of possibilities” gone to? It was the summer haze. I know the feeling, there are still a few “outside” projects that I haven’t gotten to yet, and it makes me crazy to know that soon the summer will be over and I haven’t gotten to them. So what happened? How did the summer haze affect you? Did it lead to having watched way too much youtube? Did you think, “I will start painting the house right after a few more blooper videos?” I know I enjoy getting lost for a while in some of the nonsense posted on youtube. But I have to admit, not only are some of the videos entertaining, I get to learn new expressions by reading the “comments” section below the videos. For instance…my new favorite term is…”Epic Fail,” a term I am very familiar with, especially if you have ever heard me try to sing. So what other problems with the “haze” has kept you from your summertime accomplishments? Or maybe you just got a lethal dose of the summer haze and told yourself, “why do today that you can put off until tomorrow?” Hey, it has happened to the best of us. But whatever you do, don’t beat yourself up over it. Let it go. Besides, the summer was made for putting things in a “lower gear” and resting up for the bigger stuff coming up in a few months, like, dare I say…the holidays? Besides don’t people call them; “the lazy days of summer?” I would like to name a holiday after the person that came up with that one. Anyway, there is still some time left to break out of the spell of the haze and get your summer “projects” done, if you really need to. But if not, just enjoy the rest of your summer, breakout the lemonade and your cool sunglasses and live for today! After all, yesterday is gone and tomorrow hasn’t happened yet.

And remember, when you need some lemons for some delicious, fresh squeezed, end of the summer lemonade… call Pearson Ranch at 1-888-667-2643, or look us up on the web at www.pearsonranch.com.

As always, thanks for reading.

-Tony

Ingorance is Bliss (in a coronal mass ejection kinda way)

2010-08-04T16:18:00.000-07:00

Finally, a good reason that people no longer read the news... See, I am usually shocked when people don’t know what is going on in the “news world” or at least abreast of the latest major headlines of the day. OK maybe I am not as shocked as I used to be, but it is still kind of unsettling to know. Nonetheless, today I am actually glad that (most) people don’t read the news, and here’s why. In a news article that I am “borrowing” for the sake of this blog posting, I present you with the following bit of information…

On 1 August, almost the entire side of the Sun that faces the Earth erupted in a blaze of activity known as a "coronal mass ejection". These storms throw up to 10 billion tons of plasma - superheated gas - off the surface of the star and hurtling into space at around a million miles an hour. It covered the 93 million mile journey from the Sun to the Earth in just three and a half days…blah, blah, blah, (more scientific stuff here) so let’s get to the end of the story already…While no damage seems to have been done by this flare, Nasa astronomers have previously warned that a much larger solar storm could cause havoc with electrical systems on Earth. In 2013, the Sun is expected to reach a stage in its roughly 11-year cycle when large storms are more likely.

So, now that you know what you missed, aren’t you glad that most of people didn’t read this? I know I am. Reason? Simple, we thankfully got to miss out on all the Mass Sociogenic Illness, (a.k.a. Mass Hysteria), that the media is prone to creating. Do we have to relive “Tsunami Watch 2010 end of Hawaii” from earlier this year, when we all watched for a giant wave to destroy the islands of Hawaii that never came? Remember the camera fixed at the dock in Long Beach, California? CNN and the rest of the news bunch were showing us LIVE images, in order to see the “tidal wave of death,” that ended up being no more than a ripple at a very low tide? Yeah…good times. I dread to think of what the news geniuses would have dreamed up for this solar event, had they "ran with the story" in order to boost up ratings. It could have been very annoying indeed. Imagine the so-called "experts" telling us, as we watched live coverage of "Coronal Mass Ejection Watch 2010, the Earth in Super Heated Peril", how a large solar storm could have occurred due to global warming, or because of the Gulf oil spill! I think we dodged a mass media bullet on this one. I also didn’t miss receiving any stupid and misguided, forwarded, e-mails telling me about how the earth was going to end on August 1st due to a “coronal mass ejection of doom” that was going to rain hell down on us and cause all the communications and electronics to go down for an indefinite period of time. ”Oh the humanity!” Besides, I just recently finished the last of my Y2K provisions that I had stored up for the end of the world back on January 1st, 2000! I couldn’t have dealt with this type of would be disaster right now. In fact, I am still wrestling with the whole impending 2012, Mayan calendar event (that I ironically have circled on my calendar) that’s coming up. Good thing the 11 year cycle of large solar storms isn’t due till 2013. If the Maya are right, we won’t have to worry about any measly “solar flares” or coronal ejections at all. Oh well, I am sure that before long there will some story that makes it to the national spotlight that all our overeager, overrated and over paid news reporters will “glom” on to and start the needless panic all over again. After all, some “real” news event has to fill the gap between now and December 21, 2012.

And just in case you are worried about getting your gourmet citrus food items stocked up for the pantry before any kind of disaster strikes (like a coronal mass ejection), don’t forget that Pearson Ranch is here to help. Get your Oranges, Orange Honey, Lemons, and more. Check us out on the web, www.pearsonranch.com :o)

As always, thanks for reading.

-Tony

Barbe-CURE for the summertime blues

2010-07-20T12:14:00.000-07:00

Though the old song says there isn’t, personally I think there IS a cure for those “summertime blues”…it’s called a barbeque. Whatever it is that may get you down during the summer usually can be solved (albeit for just a few hours) by a meal done over open flames in the back yard. Too many kids running through the house, it’s too hot, the air conditioner is down, everyone went on vacation except you, the lawn is turning brown, etc. etc., all very good reasons to get you down. But with a well organized, back yard flame-o-rama planned out, Farmer Tony says, “everything will be alright.” Who doesn’t enjoy a meal served up off the grill with friends and family? Even if you aren’t into char-grilled meats, skewered veggies and corn on the cob off the grill will make even the hardened vegetarian feel O.K. about burning up a few briquettes into the atmosphere. Don’t have a lot of money you say? Who said you had to serve up T-bone steaks and lobster tail? Everyone is feeling the economic pinch these days, but that doesn’t mean you can’t serve up a package or two of hot dogs. Mustard is pretty cheap, and if you can’t splurge for the fancy hot dog buns, white bread always worked well when I was a kid. Hey don’t knock it; at least the bread usually doesn’t split in half at the bottom. Drinks? Ah yes, anything from soda, to lemonade, cool-aid, beer, wine, and a good glass of Iced tea is all fair game in the BBQ world. In fact, I prefer coffee or cold water with my back yard meal. Alright, so maybe my tastes run a little different than most, but then again farming and blogging isn’t exactly “peanut butter and jelly-esque” either. Now what about entertainment? Music is a traditional “must have”. It too, doesn’t need to be elaborate with a rented DJ, with lights and fog machines. A simple radio will do quite nicely. But please, PLEASE either invite the neighbors over or be respectful of the “noise factor” when holding your back yard fiesta of flames. And finally, add some extra fun to the party. A little “kitty pool” is nice for the little “chillins” (children), as long as a responsible person (and no, not the oldest kid in the yard) is overseeing the fun. Board games, darts, croquet, cards, and my favorite, the water pistol, go a long way to make the food taste even better in the back yard BBQ. It also will make the guests feel like they aren’t there just to eat and go home when there is extra fun to be had. So however you decide (or can afford) to “cue it up” in the back yard, remember the key to success can be summed up in one word…FUN. Keep the conversation light, cheery and conversational for everyone. Don’t overdo anything…drink, eat, or dominate the conversation , and everyone will have a great time. So, call your friends, neighbors, and of course your favorite orange farmer over (I make a “killer” potato salad) and watch as your summer time blues go up in smoke, over the friendly flames of the back yard BBQ grill.

And for a box of lemons to make the perfect lemonade for that summertime extravaganza, you can find them at our website, www.pearsonranch.com.

Thank you for reading.

The sport of spots

2010-06-22T09:38:00.000-07:00

There’s probably a reason that most Americans aren’t as crazy about soccer as the rest of the world. And now that the World Cup is in full gear, I think I have figured it out. To sum it up in a word…commercials! Yes, it’s that simple. Americans are hooked on advertising. I really enjoy watching the World Cup matches, but only on the Spanish speaking channels for two great reasons. Not only does it give me the opportunity to further my Spanish speaking abilities, it gives me a reason to yell, GOOOOOOOOLLLLLLL at the top of my lungs for 15 seconds and not have people in the house look at me like I have lost my mind (well, more than they already do). But probably the best part of watching the World Cup on T.V., no commercials. Ah, two 45 minute haves of uninterrupted sporting bliss. No T.V. time outs, no ridiculous halftime tie-ins to the games, nada. All you get is just a little on screen logo that changes with the sponsorships of the game and a quick five second “plug” by the announcer every once in awhile. How great is that? But switch the channel to any American sporting event, and you get the McDonalds pregame show, where you get to find out about the Right-Guard, “Keys to Victory”, with the Nike score “crawler” just below the action, giving you the latest scores. Finally, after a few more announcements of the upcoming official tip off, first pitch, or kick off, right after these “important” messages, then we finally get some action. Then, only after about 10 minutes (if there hasn’t already been an injury timeout) we get the barrage of Ford-Chevy-Dodge pickup ads, mixed in with a quick Burger King spot and a Budwieser Ad, just to “wash it all down.” And so it goes until the AT&T halftime show, where it’s even more commercials. But that’s ok, because this is usually when people aren’t watching. At this point we’re usually too busy doing all the things we promised our spouses we would do at half time. Then it’s off to the rest of the game until the last two minutes of the game, which in “real time” means another 45 minutes of time outs, personnel changes, injury time outs, and so forth with commercials in between all of them. Yup, it’s the commercials I say. We as Americans are hooked on them. Not only are hooked on them, we "gotta" have them! And when it comes down to American sporting events…they wouldn’t televise them without them. Besides, someone has to pay those multi-million dollar salaries out on the playing field. I once heard someone say; “they were watching television commercials when a sporting event interrupted them.” Don’t get me wrong, I love my American sports, but maybe instead of so many commercials they could throw in a cartoon or short documentary…just a thought. “Vuvuzela”anyone? Oh yeah, I can’t forget to mention that my blog, “An Orange a Day” is sponsored by Pearson Ranch Oranges. Pearson Ranch your online citrus store for citrus and more! For the best oranges and citrus on the planet, check out the website…www.pearsonranch.com.

Any questions or comments, you can e-mail me at tony@pearsonranch.com.

Thanks for reading.
-Tony

Farming Movies

2010-06-04T13:57:00.001-07:00

Seen a good “farming movie” recently? No, I didn’t think so. I don’t know why Hollywood has recently shunned the farming community when it comes down to movie plots? The closest we ever get to a movie usually involves over the top characters wielding axes, pitchforks and knives, and are generally raised or controlled by hellish evil powers to carry out tasks that are as stupid as they are illogical… “Children of the Corn,” anyone? We also had the likes of “Farmer Vincent” in the movie “Motel Hell” who would kidnap patrons from his “side of the road” hotel and use them for…well you will just have to rent that old early 80’s “classic” on your own and see. Usually though, I have noticed that movies made with farming or agriculture as part of the theme is merely just used as a “gadget” or backdrop for the “real” subject of the movie. Enter…“Pumpkinhead”, tons of mayhem and evil, but not much in the way of growing pumpkins. The 2007 movie “The Messengers”, quite a bit of “high strangeness” out on the farm, but pretty thin on the issues of growing sunflowers. I think you get the idea. However, there have been a few exceptions when agriculture can make for a good backdrop for a movie that actually has some merit to it, despite the fact that not a lot of farming is going on. “Field of Dreams” comes to mind. We’ll just knock out a few acres of corn for a baseball field and see what happens there. This one worked for me. But then again, the movie was actually well done with good acting and a well thought out ending, despite the fact that Kevin Costner was the star. Skip ahead a few decades and we finally get the foreign/indie film, “The Lemon Tree”. Unfortunately, the main character is depicted as having the misfortune of living in the wrong place at the wrong time. And when it comes down to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, history tells us that there has never really been a good time to be raising lemons in that part of the world. So what gives? Why the lack of “love” for the farm on the big screen? Why can’t there be a big movie about agriculture that really deals with the subject of agriculture? I think I get it. Why don’t the big movie people just come right out and say it…they think farming is boring! But damn it, if they can make abysmal, crude, juvenile movies about ping-pong tournaments with every bad reference to the word “ball” imaginable, then I say; what’s wrong with a movie about farming? Maybe it’s just because Hollywood people don’t know the real “rural drama” that takes place every day on farms across the nation. You want a good psychological thriller? Ever have the County Ag Commissioner decide whether or not you were in violation of some pesticide regulation? And you thought Hannibal Lecter was a spooky guy. And maybe to the regular moviegoer, unseasonably cold weather in December is no big deal. But ask an orange farmer about cold weather in December, and you get a whole other view about what that means. Everyone else doesn’t see the long hours and the restless nights looking at weather forecasts, and driving around the farm at 2,3,4,5,6, and 7 am reading thermometers, and checking wind machines wondering if by morning time you will still have a crop to sell for the rest of the season. When you have lived through a few of those years, you really come to understand the meaning of fear and drama; not to mention the relief when you realize you have survived another cold night. That’s real folks. No CGI or special effects needed there! I guess I will just have to do my own writing and come up with my own movie about a handsome and funny orange farmer in California (played by me) that gets trapped in an espionage ring only to find out that a new world order has come to take over his orange farm. Underestimating the resolve of a modern day farmer and his Massey Ferguson tractor, these global tyrants are in for the fight of their lives!

And for the best oranges on the planet (which is way better than popcorn), you can get them from us! Please visit our web site; www.pearsonranch.com. If you have any farming or any other questions please e-mail me anytime at, tony@pearsonranch.com

Thanks for reading!

-Tony

Soul Food

2010-05-18T11:51:00.000-07:00

I recently spent a long weekend working on my vegetable garden. This way when summer comes I will have lots of fresh veggies for the family dinner table. While doing so, someone who knows that I operate a commercial orange farm with thousands of orange trees asked me why I would want more “plants” to take care of. Without much thought I quickly answered…”because it’s good for the soul.” There is just something wonderfully positive about raising your own food. You know where it comes from, you know where it’s been, you know how fresh it is, etc. All of which are very good reasons to grow your own garden. However, there is one reason (in my opinion) which rises above the rest that makes it a good idea to break out the hoe and shovel, and that would have to be; KNOWING you can do it yourself! Self reliance is the key to any successful species or society. Having the ability to provide (or at least supplement) food for yourself or for others is as basic as life itself. At the end of the summer when you’ve picked your last cucumber, after all of the broccoli has been cut, and you’re sure you can’t look at another tomato; you’ll have the pleasure of knowing that you did it with your own hands. You planted the seeds (or the starter plants) you watered, weeded, fertilized, and harvested your own food. Not just for yourself, but for your family, your friends, and even neighbors who have threatened you with physical violence if you try unloading anymore zucchini on them. Yes, the ability raise and put food on the table is indeed nourishment for both the body and the soul. If you’ve never planted your own garden before, today’s the day! Get out there, there’s still plenty of time, and it is a good form of exercise. Sure you risk a sore muscle here and there, maybe even a little bit of a sun burn if you don’t “SPF” properly. But these are but small prices to pay for the glories of the backyard garden. Speaking of prices, let’s not forget the economics involved in the decision to grow your own. Have you tried to buy a tomato in the grocery store recently? Even in California where we grow an abundance of tomatoes, I found myself asking the produce manager if they had any “regular” tomatoes that weren’t lined with 14k gold. Not to mention the price of “hot house” tomatoes, wow. You will indeed save money on just about everything you grow yourself, and these days, cutting down on the grocery bill is just a “no-brainer.” So in the end, when the growing season is over and the tools are going away for the fall and winter, you will always know you did it. You got some exercise, you got some sun, you saved money, you fed others, and more importantly, you fed both your body and your soul.

And when you’re ready to feed your body and soul the best oranges on the planet, if you can’t grow them, you can get them from us! Please visit our web site; www.pearsonranch.com.

And if you have any orange farming questions or any other questions that you want answered, please e-mail me; tony@pearsonranch.com .

Thanks for reading,

-Tony

The Sad Truth

2010-04-29T16:37:00.000-07:00

First it was the awful truth about Santa Clause, then we moved on to the "Easter Bunny," and as if that was not enough to extinguish the flames of imagination in most children, parents finally took aim at the "tooth fairy." With our beliefs in shambles, we grew up as kids knowing that there was indeed at least one thing still sacred in our ever expanding universe...the pleasures of candy. More specifically, CHOCOLATE. Yes, the candy bar was king! With nuts, with out, with caramel, with nougat or perhaps even just a plain ol' chocolate candy bar, you have to admit, those were good times. However, last week I sensed a "great disturbance in THE FORCE." I couldn't quite pin down the reason for my uneasiness until I stumbled upon a news story that once again, stirred those old feelings of something else being "stripped away" from my youth. It wasn't a long news story, or even one worthy of a big "BREAKING NEWS ALERT" flashing across my T.V. screen in bold red letters, however the "sting" was just the same. Apparently, according to the news article, a recent study done at U.C. Davis (in California) now links chocolate to depression. What!? I couldn't believe what I was reading! The article continued...people with depression appear to consume more chocolate than people who don't, according to new research appearing in the Archives of Internal Medicine. So, does this mean eating chocolate make you depressed, or does depression make you want to eat chocolate? My confusion only lead me further into despair. I couldn't help but to think of all the people on SSRI medications for depression who were now going to be held accountable (leading to even further depression) for depleting the earth of it's once plentiful resources of Snickers, brownies, hot chocolate, rocky road ice cream, and anything else sold to us as being "Fudge-a-licious." No Virginia, there is no Santa Clause, no bunny, no fairy, and to make matters worse, we now know that chocolate is linked to depression. So what's left to believe in? You tell me. At least we still have our world political leaders to look up to. As long as they don't disappoint us, everything should be just fine...in a big, heaping, 2 pound box of Sees Candy kinda way.
But the GOOD NEWS....Oranges are still good for you! Filled with rich Vitamin 'C' and always fat and cholesterol free! Now that's something we can all believe in. So when your depression over chocolate lifts, go for the orange! Check us out on the web at www.pearsonranch.com. And any orange farming questions or anything else, please e mail me at tony@pearsonranch.com. If you want to become a fan and follow us on FACEBOOK, just Click Here

Thanks for reading. -Tony

Earth Day

2010-04-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

This week on April 22 will be Earth Day again! Really? It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating Christmas. Oh my, how time flies. Our friends at Wikipedia describe “Earth Day” as: a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s environment. Sounds good to me I suppose, but do we really need a day actually designed to inspire us to appreciate all the “goodness” that the Earth provides us with? Like most people, I like to breathe clean air, I enjoy drinking good, safe water, and I’ll even go so far as to say that I love the environment. Perhaps not in a creepy, obsessive, Ed Begley Jr. kinda’ way, but there’s certainly enough love in my heart for “Woodsy Owl” of the old “give a hoot, don’t pollute” public service announcements that used to flash across my t.v. screen during my youth. But I guess the idea of dedicating an entire day in order to create “awareness” of the environment, in my opinion, is almost a bit over zealous. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m pretty well aware that the Earth’s environment is a good thing and destroying it would be bad. But a day on my calendar just to remind me of this…isn’t really necessary. “Yes,” I say “plant a tree, clean up the beaches, drive a hybrid!” Whatever makes you feel better about living on “Mother Earth,” just do it! But let’s not get carried away with the days of dedication to the obvious. If were not careful with this deep desire to create celebratory days of commemoration of the good things we deem important enough, we will have no choice but to prepare ourselves for things like: “High Speed Internet Connection Day”, “HDTV Sports Channel Day”, and the much overdue “In-ground Sprinkler Day.” Yes, all very good things indeed, and all worthy of appreciation, but a day to circle in my day planner and buy a Hallmark card? Not hardly. Don’t get me wrong, I recycle my share of plastic, cardboard, tin, and aluminum. I try not to waste water, and believe me, I have planted a good number of trees over the years, but I guess deep down inside I never felt that common sense never really needed a ceremonial day of its own…“Hoot-Hoot!”

Remember for the best oranges on Earth Day or any other special day, check us out on the web at www.pearsonranch.com. And any orange farming questions or anything else, please e mail me at tony@pearsonranch.com. If you want to become a fan and follow us on FACEBOOK, just Click Here!

Thanks for reading. -Tony

Nothing Rhymes with Orange: EXTREME SPRING!

2010-03-27T13:43:00.000-07:00

Nothing Rhymes with Orange: EXTREME SPRING!

EXTREME SPRING!

2010-03-26T12:15:00.000-07:00

Oh the joys of Spring! Now that we can shake off the effects of "Old Man Winter", what can we look forward to around the farm? In the exciting, big time, hard core, world of "EXTREME ORANGE FARMING", there is the rush to start farming next seasons crop. But wait a second, we're not even done harvesting THIS season's fantastic crop of oranges! Whoah....I know, pretty intense huh? Perhaps for some types of farming there is the "off season" where a vacation may be in order where one can bask in the glories of farming successes past. But not here, no way, because this is Spring, and this is...EXTREME ORANGE FARMING! If you want to compete, it's "all farming, all the time." No excuses, here buddy! In Spring we push ourselves to the limit of farming. When it's time to prune those trees, we attack them with our pruning loppers. When it's time to irrigate the trees, we're relentless in how we check the sprinklers to make sure each tree is getting enough water. When it's time to start weeding out the grove? It's just like the movie "300", it begins with a battle cry; "Spartans!" er, rather..."Guys...prepare for glory! Then we disc, spray and hoe every last one of them to clean out the grove, with no mercy. OK, maybe that last part was a bit of an exaggeration, but we are talking EXTREME ORANGE FARMING here, and nothing gets things going around a farm quite like Spring. So, if your Springtime is even half as exciting as it is around here, just think of how much work, whoops, I mean FUN you'll have. :O) I hope your Spring is filled with lots of great weather, and fun. Cheers!

For the the best oranges on the planet...www.pearsonranch.com . E-mail any questions or comments to me...tony@pearsonranch.com . Thanks for reading!
-Tony

Wearin O' the Green!

2010-03-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

As the St. Patrick's Day festivities go "rip-roaring" through downtown parades and pubs across America today, I can't help to remind myself about the fun and friendly tradition of pinching those unfortunate souls who forget to wear green. Funny how much this tradition has in common with the even bigger calender event coming up next month. No, not Easter, but rather April 15th...a.k.a. "Tax Day", or as I like to call it, "Federal Government Payday". It's circled on my calendar just like payday is, so why not? With "Federal Government Payday" looming less than a month away, I started to see the similarity of what happens on St. Paddy's Day, with the fun and excitement of what happens on April 15, when we don't "bring out the green". Different day, same result...a painful and annoying "pinch" just to remind you that you forgot something. Spooky coincidence, or is my imagination getting too carried away? I suppose I could just meet somewhere in the middle and call it a little of both. However, as I do sometimes, I start to think (which isn't always a good idea) maybe instead of paying my taxes this year, maybe I should just wear something green on April 15. Then again, if I want to continue writing my blog, (and farming oranges) I would at the very least need Wi-Fi in prison. Oh well, at least I still have green beer to look forward to as I call my accountant to see if he needs any other documents before next month. Cheers to all and happy St. Patrick's Day! Remember for the best California Oranges on the planet...it's www.pearsonranch.com and if you want to e-mail me it's tony@pearsonranch.com Thanks for reading. -Tony

Your New "Marching" Orders

2010-03-01T10:29:00.000-08:00

And just like that, we are now into the month of March! I know, I too began to turn the page of my day planner and saw the name MARCH on the page above and said..."whoah". Because in what seems to have been in the blink of an eye, the first 2 months of the new year are already gone! In the farming world there are certain jobs that MUST get done at certain times of the season in order to put out another crop. For example, we have to fertilize and prune the trees at certain times of the year for optimal output. But back in the world of outside of farming, have all of you accomplishing all that you had set out to do in the beginning of January? How's the "quitting smoking" thing working out? Are you more organized so far this year? Have you started to lose the weight from the holidays? And here's the best one...have you started to "spend more quality time with the family"? Yes, all very daunting tasks, but weren't these (at least one or two) some of the things you promised yourself to do this year? Hey, if you haven't, we can all understand. After all, thus far it has been quite a busy year. We had the Super Bowl, The Olympics, the return of American Idol, the earth quakes in Haiti and Chile, and "Tsunami Watch 2010 the end of Hawaii" news coverage to get in our way of "bettering ourselves". We have seen that "change" (to borrow an over hyped buzz word) is never easy. But whatever the case may be for procrastination, let Farmer Tony be your guide and give you your new "MARCH-ing" orders. Yes it's March, but don't let the calendar discourage you. You can always start today...whatever the day is. It's never to late to start something positive in your life. Tell yourself it's OK to start over, and rededicate yourself to being a better you. No matter what it is you want to change about yourself, if its positive and good, I say "who cares when you start, as long as you start". Just don't put it off too long. Because then were back to the whole New Year's Resolution thing again! So, be good to yourself, your family, your pets, eat more citrus, (like the kind you can only find at www.pearsonranch.com ) and don't let the calendar scare you into not doing something good. Thanks for reading.
-Tony

There's no better time than now.

2010-01-19T10:23:00.000-08:00

At the risk of sounding like EVERY (and I mean every) television or radio ad for new car dealerships, let me ("Honest Tony") just come right out and say it..."There's no better time to buy than NOW!" Yes sir-ee, selection is great, the new 2010 oranges have hit the show-room...er' rather the packing house floor, and we have boxes of oranges to fit almost any pocket book! No dealing with pushy sales people, you can buy online whenever you want using our "no-haggle" pricing. We know that when you're ready to buy, reputation is important. That's why you will be buying with confidence when you know that you are buying AMERICAN, directly from an orange farm in the good ol USA, that received absolutely NO BAILOUT money from the federal government! OK...maybe it did sound a car commercial, BUT the truth is there really is no better time to get your sweet and juicy California Navel Oranges! Yup, they are incredibly delicious and will be fresh picked and hand packed to ensure freshness. You can order online at www.pearsonranch.com or call us, we aren't pushy (really). There are still a lot of great things happening in the "Golden State", and deliciously sweet California Oranges are certainly one of them! Wow, that too sounded "commercial-like", and I know this is just supposed to be a blog, so what to do? Let me try this from a farmer's point of view by saying, "this year's crop is really great. All the time and effort it took is paying off. Me and the guys are very happy with the quality. The fruit is sweet and juicy and if you like oranges, there's no better time to..."
Sorry, I couldn't help it.
Cheers.

You say you want a "ResoLution"...

2010-01-03T11:14:00.000-08:00

"You say you want a reVolution well you know..." or so goes the old song by The Beatles. Maybe the British quartet really meant a RESOLUTION? With the new year of 2010 here, and the holidays safely in our rear-view mirror, I think we are all ready to start anew. However, before we get started with the crisp, fresh, new year, it seems as if most people can't get it going until they have set them selves up for the added pressure of the annual New Year's Resolution. This year (once again) we plan on quitting smoking, losing weight, getting more organized, and even trying to donate time down at the local homeless shelter. Skip ahead to mid February or even March, and for most, the resolution has been "kicked to the curb" like a bad boyfriend or girlfriend. Now, unless we just need that little "sting" of reality every year to once again remind ourselves that, "nope, we're not perfect," I am not really sure why we feel we have to create these "emotional binding contracts" with ourselves year after year. I know for myself, I am not a big fan of the tradition. However, without trying to delve too deeply into the psyche of all of those who participate in this annual rite of passage, I would like to offer up a "white flag" if you will. No, not a white flag of complete surrender, but one of compromise. Why don't we all just try a "collective resolution"? Let's all resolve to be better in general. We don't need to announce to everyone on January 1st that we are going to drink less this year (as we nurse our hangovers), let's just make good things happen. Let's resolve to do our best no matter what it is. Better parents, better co-workers, better spouses, even better farmers. Let's try to be good to ourselves as well, both mentally and physically, and for those who choose...spiritually. Would better people make a better world? I believe so. Come to think of it, maybe I did make a resolution on January 1st after all. Let's see if a "collective resolution" can actually work. We can all be a part of it in our own way. No pressure, no guilt, no gums, no pills or patches, just a better place for us all. Now THAT would be would be a successful resolution we could all stick to and live with.

Rain of Gladness

2009-10-13T10:08:00.000-07:00

Nothing Rhymes with Orange

Finally the rains come to the San Joaquin Valley of California! I use the exclamation point at the end of the sentence because it truly is worth the added punctuation. We farmers (as well as everyone else) here in the Valley have been awaiting our first weather "event" of the season for sometime now. The long months of June thru September have been filled with what seems like endless days of heat and dry, dusty conditions. But now the change has come, the clouds turn dark, the wind picks up, and then it happens...the first few drops of life giving moisture falls from the sky. Happy are the trees that enjoy the added water deep into their root systems. Their leaves soon will be cleansed from months of accumulated dust, to once again shine with the deep green color that makes every farmer happy and proud of what they do. As the rain starts being measured from drops to inches, we begin to let go (ever so slightly) of the uneasy feelings of the drought conditions we have been living with in recent years. As the evening falls we begin to rejoice in the knowledge that up high in the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains, the snow is starting to fall. The falling snow that starts to add up over the late fall and into the winter, will become the 'lifeblood" as it melts and recharges our ground water supplies in the sping. Yes let it rain, let it rain... and in this we will be glad.

Be afraid, be very afraid.

2009-09-09T17:41:00.000-07:00

Well now that the summer is almost "officially" over, I was thinking how this long hot summer had gone almost without a "hitch". We had water for our trees, the crop is looking good, and so far, all (the economy not withstanding) seemed to be working its way to what was hopefully going to be a pleasant Autumn. HOWEVER...as far as "hitches" go, some can be worse than others, as we (in the citrus farming world) would soon learn. It came to my attention (via the internet) that apparently California Citrus growers have much to fear in what was recently discovered in Los Angeles County. "Say hallo to my little friend"...the Asian Citrus Psyllid. The Asian Psyllid is actually a small little insect that often carries a disease that is devastating to Citrus. I have been keeping track of the psyllid's recent movements since it was first discovered in San Diego and Imperial Counties of Southern California. Sure it was alarming when it was found 350 miles away from the citrus growing region I am in. But now that we are talking less than 200 miles, I can't help but to have feelings of worry and a new twitch in my left eye. California's citrus industry is worth an estimated 1.6 BILLION dollars. To have that kind of money threatened in a state already strapped for cash sends a chill up my spine that could only be rivaled by free concert tickets to a double bill of the reunion tour of Menudo and The New Kids On The Block. Yes, it is that spooky. Kidding aside, Let me take a moment to ask all you "back yard citrus farmers" a huge favor. Please do not move citrus trees from one location to another. If you move to a new city and your tree is still small enough to take it with you, please don't. This is one of the easiest ways to spread the pest to a new location. That goes for oranges, lemons, and even grapefruit. In fact I urge all homeowners who have citrus trees in their yards in California to learn what to look for by going to www.californiacitrusthreat.org. Please help the rest of us in the orange industry by not spreading the psyllid even further north to the San Joaquin Valley of California where the "orange belt" still exists. There is quite a bit of information about the Asian Citrus Psyllid online if you are interested, but I thought I would save everyone else the boredom of posting on my blog. Thanks again for reading, and spread the word. Cheers, "Farmer Tony" :0)

Maiden Blog

2009-08-28T16:48:00.000-07:00

Nothing Rhymes with Orange

Welcome to what will hopefully be a long running series of blog postings into my world of Farming, Logic, Common Sense, and whatever else goes through the mind of a modern day Orange Farmer trying to earn a living in the "orange belt" of the San Joaquin Valley of California.
Sure I am a few years late arriving to the "BLOGOSPHERE", but I figured with all the doom and gloom of the news lately, and the surefire hellish end to all of mankind that the Mayan culture and their calendar has predicted for us in 2012, I thought..."could one more blog (of the millions of blogs already on the web), really make that much of a difference?" Well, here's the "rub"...see, farmers are naturally optimistic, in fact it happens to be a job requirement. So with that in mind, I started to think..."what if the Mayan Calendar was WRONG? What if the end of the world isn't actually until say 2025, what would people be reading on the web as they wait an extra 13 years? Ah-ha...yes sir, thus my blog..."Nothing Rhymes with Orange". I hope you enjoy. If there is anything in particular you would like me to blog about, let me know. Farmers are always happy to oblige. And if you have any farming questions in regards to farming or raising oranges, please e-mail me and I would be happy to try and help. tony@pearsonranch.com. If you happen to be looking for the greatest Oranges or even Pomelos on the planet...yup, look us up at www.pearsonranch.com

P.S.
in case you were wondering, nothing in the English language really does rhyme with orange.

Thanks for reading.