May 11 2010
Orange Groves in Los Angeles

There are a few orange groves left where you can catch a glimpse of what the Los Angeles basin looked like over 100 years ago.

1. E. Waldo Ward has a two acre orange grove in Sierra Madre –

E. Waldo Ward & Son

Welcome to E. Waldo Ward – the place for unique food products. E. Waldo Ward & Son, Inc. 273 E. Highland Ave. Sierra Madre, CA 91024 (626) 355-1218

2. Orcutt Ranch which for $2 a bag you can pick your own every July in Canoga Park.

3. Cal State Northridge gives away the fruit from over 500 trees

4. Ann Bothwell Ranch in Woodland Hills, established in 1934, a 14 acre orange grove

The best bet is the Orcutt Ranch in Canoga Park, here’s more details:

Every year the ranch opens its orchards to the public in July and again after Thanksgiving for self-picked grapefruit.

The fees – $2 per full grocery bag or $5 for a medium-size boxful – are used to purchase supplies for the 24-acre ranch.

“It’s all organic fruit,” said Brad Haynes, park maintenance supervisor. “A lot of people don’t know Don’t know (DK, DKed)

“Don’t know the trade.” A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party.  you can come out and pick natural fruit.”

Organizations that feed the homeless are allowed to pick for free as often as they want at the former working ranch. Other fruit drops to the ground and is recycled back into the soil.

Haynes said the twice-a-year fruit picking for personal use is to let residents know about the ranch off Roscoe Boulevard.

The Spanish-style estate, built in 1921 as a vacation home Vacation Home

A home separate from an individual’s primary residence that is used for recreational purposes and may also be rented out at unused times.

Besides the 16 acres of citrus trees, the ranch includes more than 500 rose bushes, a 700-year-old oak tree with a 33-foot circumference and an area where local residents can rent a plot and raise their own fruits and vegetables.

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