At the end of November...clementines.
One year they are early, and the next they are delayed. Starting from the midst of November each team member tries 5 or 6 clementines per day to make one of the most important decisions of the year: deciding on the starting date of the harvest.
Nules clementines: even though in many people they are still called "mandarins", their correct name is "clementine". The mandarin is a variety that is not cultivated anymore in Spain. Our clementines are easy to peel, they have an acidic touch and, even though it is not common, they may contain some seeds, because the blossoms are pollinated by bees. The harvest season, if the rains allow it, can take up to the beginning of January.
And from the end of December...oranges.
Our plantation "El Carmen" is situated in a region of Valencia with fresh temperatures. This contributes to the fact that the fruit ripens quite a while on the tree during favorable conditions.
Most of our oranges are of the "Navel" variety. Within this variety, we have various types with similar tastes, but different ripening times. The first ones to ripen are the navelinas, later the navel de foyos, then the famous lane-late.
But we are also able to offer you the delicious fruit of the Salustiana variety, which belongs to the “white orange” family. Salustiana fruits are distinguished by their high juice concentration and, thanks to their low limonin content, they are generally a little sweeter and their juice keeps for a long time.
It is difficult to know the exact week on which we harvest each type, depending on the weather, especially the cold. At night, they need cold, while during the day they require heat. This is key to the proper ripening of the fruit.
Between December and January: The oranges reach their optimum level of sugar and are considered ripe and ready to consume. The oranges we harvest during this first month have a strong acidic taste characteristic of a recently picked citrus fruit. Over time, they will lose this acidic note, while maintaining the sugar levels that lead to a sweeter taste. At this point, the oranges tolerate 3 weeks in good conditions, if we store them in a fresh and airy place. A good juice in the morning helps us clear our throat and fills us with vitamins.
During February and March: In the middle of the season the sweetness of the oranges gains more presence without losing the acidic touch.
During April: The oranges are sweet, scented with orange blossom and a light acidic base. The peel has suffered with the passing of the days and may be marked by branches of the tree shook by the winds and by the impact of the sun. This leads to the possibility that one of the oranges, we send you "goes bad" before it reaches you. It is important to check them and in case this happens, separate the bad fruit from the rest and eat the remaining ones quickly. For this reason, it might make more sense to order smaller quantities. Nevertheless, because they are recently harvested, they will last you at least two weeks in good conditions.
You can read about which variety we harvest and when here.