Where Are Your Oranges From?

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October 8, 2009 – Amita Sharma, investigative reporter at KPBS, asks for your help in finding out where San Diego's oranges come from.

Related story: Slow Food Movement Aims To Change How We View Food

Video Transcript:

Did local fields and farms produce the food on your dinner plate? Or did it come from other countries? How does this affect the cost, the taste and health of your food? We're trying to find out, and would like to ask for your help. 
 
Let's take oranges. We grow 95,000 tons of oranges each year in San Diego County. We export these oranges as far away as China. But what about the oranges you’re eating at home? How far have they traveled? You can help us get to the bottom of this.  Go to your fruit bowl. Pick out an orange. There should be a sticker identifying the country or state where the oranges were grown. 
 
Leave a comment below, noting where your oranges are from. Include your zip code as well. I’ll report back in the next several weeks with what we learn. Thanks for your help.

Comments

Avatar image for user 'Joanne Faryon'

Joanne Faryon, KPBS Staff | October 8, 2009 at 5:37 p.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

Australia, 92129

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Avatar image for user 'Mom2Two'

Mom2Two | October 8, 2009 at 9:19 p.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

My oranges are from Australia. My zip code is 92120.

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Avatar image for user 'Tony1043'

Tony1043 | October 9, 2009 at 6:48 a.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

Minneola Tangelo from Australia (Riversun) 92057

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Avatar image for user 'Mom2Two'

Mom2Two | October 9, 2009 at 9:14 a.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

Out of the blue this morning my son asked me if the orange I was eating was from the tree behind our house. I was embarassed to admit that it wasn't. (We don't pick fruit from that tree for many reasons, the biggest being that the tree isn't ours).

So then he told me that it must have come from the grocery store. Because of this segment, I was promoted to have a conversation with him about where our food comes from. I told him that all oranges grow on trees, even the ones we get from the grocery store. He is 3, and he was very confused by all of this. In his mind, organges come from trees (we've picked fresh oranges before) or from the store. I don't think he's wrapped his mind around the idea of shipping food from far away to be purchased at a store.

I didn't bother to tell him that my orange was grown in Australia.

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Avatar image for user 'citydweller'

citydweller | October 9, 2009 at 10:40 a.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

My oranges came from Henry's -- no sticker, but these are Valencias and my guess is that they are from California.

In winter, I get Hamlin oranges grown in Texas. They are much sweeter juice oranges than what is produced locally.

Zip 92103

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Avatar image for user 'marmwit'

marmwit | October 9, 2009 at 10:43 a.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

my tangelos are from Peru. My zip code is 92078

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Avatar image for user 'obsterofthenight'

obsterofthenight | October 9, 2009 at 10:49 a.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

I live in Oceanside (92054) and shop at Ralph's. My oranges are from Australia (Riversun). They are smaller than oranges I am used to (I lived in Philadelphia until recently) but they still taste very nice. If I knew where to get them I would buy San Diego oranges.

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Avatar image for user 'jana'

jana | October 9, 2009 at 10:54 a.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

csa, be wise ranch, escondido.

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Avatar image for user 'kevenj'

kevenj | October 9, 2009 at 3:33 p.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

Australia - 92101

I bought these at Albertson's, but I normally buy my oranges from the Hillcrest Farmer's Market.

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Avatar image for user 'bcollins92131'

bcollins92131 | October 9, 2009 at 8:42 p.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

Bought my oranges from the farmer's market - Valley Center; 92131

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Avatar image for user 'bahrami'

bahrami | October 9, 2009 at 9:44 p.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

My oranges bought at my local Henrys Market are from Australia. My zip code is 92111.

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Avatar image for user 'helenl'

helenl | October 10, 2009 at 8:49 a.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

helenl. I bought my oranges at Whole Foods and they are from Valley Center, California. They say Sunshine Valley on them, My zip code is 92037

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Avatar image for user 'cshamel'

cshamel | October 10, 2009 at 8:55 a.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

My oranges are from my yard in Poway. My zip code is 92064.

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Avatar image for user 'pbenler'

pbenler | October 10, 2009 at 12:19 p.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

From Farmer Steve at the Poway Farmers Market. He brings oranges and other fruit from the Ramona area.

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Avatar image for user 'Scunthorpe'

Scunthorpe | October 10, 2009 at 4:11 p.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

I bought oranges at Barons Market, there were grown in Valley Center CA. My zip code is 92064

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Avatar image for user 'goldfam'

goldfam | October 10, 2009 at 4:40 p.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

We buy only organic produce - at Jimbos. Our oranges are from California. Our zip code is 92014

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Avatar image for user 'pbeck2760'

pbeck2760 | October 10, 2009 at 9:44 p.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

My oranges are from Fallbrook. I bought them at a farmers' market. My zip is 92102.

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Avatar image for user 'goswell'

goswell | October 11, 2009 at 7:02 a.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

92027

Navel oranges from Chile purchased from Henry's Escondido.

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Avatar image for user 'Dennis'

Dennis | October 11, 2009 at 8:26 a.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

The oranges last oranges I puchased are from Australia. They were purchased at Henry's Point Loma.

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Avatar image for user 'kathryn'

kathryn | October 11, 2009 at 9:09 a.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

my oranges came from Australia ... 91942

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Avatar image for user 'kiwi4'

kiwi4 | October 11, 2009 at 9:14 a.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

My orange is from Chile.

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Avatar image for user 'SteveHL'

SteveHL | October 11, 2009 at 9:44 a.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

Chile. 92103. Bought from Henry's, North Park.

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Avatar image for user 'Victoria'

Victoria | October 11, 2009 at 9:54 a.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

I purchased my oranges from the Farmer's Market in Santee. They had no stickers on them.

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Avatar image for user 'KF'

KF | October 11, 2009 at 3:37 p.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

My oranges came from one of our backyard trees (planted in the 1940s) in Encinitas, 92024.

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Avatar image for user 'NPRLVR'

NPRLVR | October 11, 2009 at 4:23 p.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

(I know this does not figure in your local survey, but the last oranges I purchased recently were navels in Cheboygan, Michigan and they had stickers from South Africa. Had not seen that before up near my "summer home") 92114

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Avatar image for user 'SDSusan'

SDSusan | October 11, 2009 at 11:03 p.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

I purchased oranges, just for this query, at Jimbo's today--they were marked "Grown in USA". Normally, I get oranges from my weekly CSA box from Be Wise Farms, San Pasqual Valley. My zipcode is 92064.

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Avatar image for user 'Mike'

Mike | October 12, 2009 at 7:49 a.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

Mike

We purchased oranges from Henry's in Poway from Chile.

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Avatar image for user 'nstassin'

nstassin | October 12, 2009 at 8:11 a.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

I bought organic valencias from People's Coop in Ocean Beach, grown in California. I buy my organic fruit and veggies there or at a Farmer's Market every week. My ZIP is 92120.

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Avatar image for user 'Amy'

Amy | October 12, 2009 at 11:48 a.m. ― 2 years, 4 months ago

Australia, 92122 bought from Vons and Henry's

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Avatar image for user 'mergan'

mergan | October 13, 2009 at 6:48 p.m. ― 2 years, 3 months ago

Vista, CA 92106 I bought them at the Ocean Beach Farmers' Market.

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Avatar image for user 'Toni'

Toni | October 13, 2009 at 8:34 p.m. ― 2 years, 3 months ago

I purchase my oranges at Farmstand West on Citracado Parkway in Escondido. They are grown in Escondido

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Avatar image for user 'pennie'

pennie | October 14, 2009 at 9:09 a.m. ― 2 years, 3 months ago

Surprisingly, the Henry's navels are from Austrailia, but the Valencias from the fruit stand are locally grown in San Diego!

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Avatar image for user 'randolphslinky'

randolphslinky | October 14, 2009 at 10:23 a.m. ― 2 years, 3 months ago

I don't know where my oranges are from but what I do know is that Amita Sharma is smoking hot. Wow!

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Avatar image for user 'JulieNadine'

JulieNadine | October 15, 2009 at 11:32 a.m. ― 2 years, 3 months ago

Australia (I was shocked to see that -- they are in season here and not there!)

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Avatar image for user 'sally6707'

sally6707 | October 19, 2009 at 4:21 p.m. ― 2 years, 3 months ago

I purchase my oranges at Ocean Beach People's Natural Food Coop. The sustainably grown Valencia oranges are from two growers, in Valley Center and Escondido. My ZIP is 92111.

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Avatar image for user 'Artbrat'

Artbrat | October 21, 2009 at 7:54 p.m. ― 2 years, 3 months ago

Backyard oranges.... in Ramona.

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Avatar image for user 'redping'

redping | October 23, 2009 at 2:06 p.m. ― 2 years, 3 months ago

Zip Code: 91942 Oranges from: - Riversun, Australia #3107 - Chile #3107

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Avatar image for user 'msjanetmoore'

msjanetmoore | October 25, 2009 at 10:06 a.m. ― 2 years, 3 months ago

My oranges are from my grove of 50 valencia trees in Escondido. Like most small groves in the area, I am unable to sell these oranges because pickers believe this grove is too small to pick profitable. Thus, I donate them. Because of water costs, I cannot continue to do this for much longer. I don't know what to do.

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