THIS COULD JUST BE THE RIPE TIME.Byline: Serena Maria Daniels Special to the Daily News WEST HILLS - Armed with fruit pickers and paper bags, dozens of families turned out early Saturday to load up on Valencia oranges and white grapefruit grapefruit, pomelo (pŏm`əlō), or pummelo (pum`məlō), citrus fruit (Citrus paradisi) of the family Rutaceae (orange family). at city-operated Orcutt Ranch. For Valentina Arizo of San Fernando San Fernando, city, Argentina San Fernando (săn fərnăn`dō), city (1991 pop. 144,761), Buenos Aires prov., E Argentina. It is a district administrative center in the Greater Buenos Aires area. , the visit brought back memories of her childhood, when she accompanied her father to his job as a fruit picker at the orchard orchard, generally an area on which fruit or nut trees are planted and cultivated. The words grove and plantation are often used when the fruits are tropical, e.g., a "citrus grove" or a "banana plantation. . ``I used to love coming out here as a child,'' said Arizo, who recalled watching the original ``Lassie'' television show being filmed at the former Spanish-style estate. ``Now I'm bringing my daughter and grandkids out here for the first time. It's such as trip.'' Arizo is not alone. For many San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. residents, the annual weekend event is a way to introduce their children to a part of nature that many urban kids miss out on. ``Coming out here is about the adventure; it's really fun, old-fashioned style,'' said Sophia Yuen of West Hills, who brought her two young daughters and family friends to the orchard. ``You really don't get to do this kind of thing anymore. Everything is processed and prepackaged pre·pack·age tr.v. pre·pack·aged, pre·pack·ag·ing, pre·pack·ag·es To wrap or package (a product) before marketing. Adj. 1. .'' Heather Underwood said she loves visiting the ranch, as well as the opportunities to teach her children, ages 10 and 12, about the Valley's agricultural roots. ``When you live in the city, you never get a chance to teach your kids about nature, about where your fruit comes from,'' Underwood said as she loaded a bag of oranges into the truck of her car. Blake Johnson, a lead gardener for the city of Los Angeles
``This is a long Valley tradition,'' Johnson said. ``I think it's catching on because more and more people are telling each other about it. It's all word of mouth'' Serena Maria Daniels, (818) 713-3636 serena.daniels(at)dailynews.com IF YOU GO The annual fruit-picking event continues at 7 a.m.-2 p.m. today at Orcutt Ranch, 23600 Roscoe Blvd., in West Hills. The cost is $2 for fruit-filled grocery bag, $3 for larger bags and $5 for boxes. Bring your own container. Fruit pickers can be rented for $1. CAPTION(S): 3 photos, box Photo: (1) Two young girls frolic Frolic - A Prolog system in Common Lisp. ftp://ftp.cs.utah.edu/pub/frolic.tar.Z. amid the rows of Valencia orange trees at Orcutt Ranch on Saturday. The ranch's annual fruit picking event concludes today. (2 -- 3) A boy totes Totes (more fully Totes»ISOTONER) is a corporation that sells umbrellas, gloves, rubber rain boots, and other similar accessories. Its headquarters is in Cincinnati, Ohio. away a cart of grapefruit, above, at the Orcutt Ranch fruit picking event Saturday. At right, 7-year-old Melanie Mizushima of Tarzana reaches for a grapefruit with a picker. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News Box: IF YOU GO (see text) |
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