Specialization???

It always surprises me when I travel through the produce section of the grocery store to see only California oranges in both Minnesota and Michigan.  They are usually orangy-orange and unblemished and wearing the clearly printed sticker identifying their state of origin (along with their bar scew and produce code number, of course.) 

 In fact, even in the grocery stores in Florida, the oranges are often from California and not from a grove just down the road - or even in the state.  I do know that much of the orange crop that grows just east of us in Florida is trucked to the nearby factory to created bottled juice (your morning "C" in the 'fridge.')  When I have seen those oranges in the farmer's market and even heaped in the transport trucks, they are not the pretty orangy-oranges in the produce aisle.  Instead they are blemished, yellowy-green with a tinge of orangish tones here and there, but actually look more like a battle-ready lemon than a picturesque orange.

Heavy salmon-color orbs residing down a couple of bins from the California oranges proudly wear the Florida sticker.  They are round and smooth and could almost pass for a colorful slow-pitch softball.  In Minnesota they are usually sold by the pound, and not by the piece, which means half a grapefruit with the morning meal could be a costly addition to the meal.  

In the Immokkalee farmer's market, there were several venders with huge boxes of grapefruit heaped in a corner.  There, you could buy 10 fruit for $5.00 - or $1.00 each.  Clearly the "deal" was to get 10 - even at $6.00, 10 was still the bargain.  Of course, the challenge appeared to be twofold:  finding 10 grapefruit you would want AND being able to reach far enough down into the massive box to reach 10 choices.  At any rate, I didn't take advantage of this fine offer, or did I see anyone else stocking up.  

Come to think of it, I don't think I can remember a time in a Minnesota produce department when I have seen anyone buy a grapefruit....someone must be buying them.......