e-mail from 3.4.2025
Hi Frank,
We are at a unique moment in our orange groves. The trees are beginning to fill with orange blossom, filling the air with their scent across our fields. At the same time, the new fruit is beginning to sprout for the next season, while the Lane Late Oranges have reached their optimum point of ripeness.
To ensure a good harvest next year, now is the time to pick them.
Practices to regenerate our soils (in progress)
Removal of the weed blankets: Years ago, when the trees were still young, we put down blankets to prevent the grass from competing with the seedlings for water and nutrients. We believe that although we achieved this goal, the blankets have compacted the plateaus and the soil is less oxygenated. Now that we have removed the blankets, the soil receives more oxygen and light.
Soil decompacting: We work the soil with a wide pitchfork to improve the soil structure and facilitate the absorption of water and nutrients. This helps the roots to grow better and allows the trees to use resources more efficiently.
Biofertiliser production: We are going to generate 10,000 litres of biofertiliser per month. We capture the microbiology of the soil and multiply it with molasses and rice flour, adding microorganisms, ash, field soil and phosphate rock. From April, we will apply it through irrigation. With this biofertiliser we can save on the purchase of fertilisers from outside which, although organic, have become much more expensive in recent years.
Happy April!
Gonzalo Úrculo
e-mail from 30.3.2025
Hello Frank Lehmann,
We are coming to the end of a very rainy March, which we have received with great joy. At last the drought is giving us a break and it looks like we will have a quiet summer. The reservoirs of the Júcar, which is the basin that feeds us, are close to 60%, almost 10 points above the average of the last 10 years.
With the heat of the last week, the orange blossom has burst into full bloom. The best thing for the trees is for us to pick all the oranges as soon as possible. That way they reserve all their energy for the sprouting of the future harvest.
We have been selling our oranges directly for 14 years now. Thank you for joining us for another season.
Happy April!
Gonzalo Úrculo
Gonzalo Úrculo | Farmer
Covering letter to the delivery from 11 Mar 2025
Our Salustiana oranges
Salustiana oranges are often undervalued and dismissed as mere juice fruits. But that does not do justice to this versatile variety. Is their juice particularly sweet? Yes, that’s right. But they have more to offer. Salustiana oranges are also perfect when freshly cut and served as a snack. Their natural sweetness is retained in every piece of orange.
These fruits have a higher juice content than many other varieties. In terms of flavour, it is characterised by a pleasant sweetness with just a hint of bitterness. This is due to the lower limonin content, a bitter substance that is mainly found in the peel of citrus fruits and can get into the juice when they are squeezed. The reduced limonin content ensures that the juice of Salustiana oranges is particularly mild and balanced. It can also be stored in the refrigerator for a few days without any problems.
Covering letter to the delivery from Finca Masía del Carmen:
These oranges that you see as you read this letter were grown under the sun of Valencia. The summer has been very hot in Spain, especially in the region of Levante where we are located. In addition, in some areas we had a problem with clogged irrigation pipes. Clogging is a good sign because it means that there is a lot of microbial life in our soils, but on the other hand, it means that the drip systems are not delivering the right amount of water. Some trees got thirsty at a crucial time for orange growth. We are saving up to change the pipes before next summer.
We don’t throw the fruit away because of its size. Compared to other years, you will receive on average more pieces per kilogram. And we have good news for you: large size does not mean superior quality. On the contrary, small oranges tend to have a higher concentration of natural sugars. During the first few days they will have the acidic freshness of a recently harvested fruit.
“Can I use the peel for cooking?” Yes, you can. They don’t have any wax treatment or skin preservation. They were harvested the same day they were shipped, and without going through holding rooms or artificial ripening, they traveled in that cardboard box to your home.
What variety do we send now? Salustianas: it is a variety of white orange (“naranja blanca”) that is characterized by the fact that its juice contains little limonine and it keeps very well. In general, this variety has medium to small fruits that stay fresh for a relatively long time once harvested.
Gonzalo Úrculo
How to preserve oranges?
In a cool, well-ventilated place without direct sunlight. As there is no treatment to preserve the skin, it is normal that the skin can dry out, but the pulp will take longer to dry. Be careful if you store them in a heated room, as this dries out the fruit from the inside!
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