Floridiana Magazine

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Albritton Fruit Company, One Family’s Legacy

Growing up in a rural community in the 70s, I saw first-hand the important role citrus and farming played in the lives of many of those living there.  But it wasn’t just about the fruit, it was about family.  Groves and farms were passed down from one generation to the next, instilling a sense of pride and family values.  Although there are half as many acres of citrus now as there were then, there are still some who are carrying on their family legacy.

One such family is the Albritton family of Sarasota.

The Past

The Albritton Fruit Company was founded in 1880 in Polk County by Civil War veteran Tom Albritton and is now considered the oldest continually operating family business in Florida. After a devastating freeze, the family moved to Sarasota, where Karl Benjamin Albritton, Tom’s grandson, carried on the family business. Karl did not graduate from high school but was accepted into the University of Florida because of his knowledge about the citrus industry.  After attending classes from 1921 – 1923, Albritton returned to the family farm.  He is credited with developing the first citrus hedging machine, along other tools and procedures. Karl was inducted into the Florida Agriculture Hall of Fame and the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame in the early to mid-1990s for his impact on the state’s citrus industry.

The Present

Sarah and John Albritton, Courtesy of Tanna Carter Photography

Karl’s great-grandson John and his wife Sarah are the sixth generation to work the family business.  On a recent Saturday, we visited the family groves where the last of the Honeybell* oranges were being picked.  We watched as the fruit was picked from the trees in a grove was planted about 30 years ago by John’s grandfather.  It’s done old-school, much like I used to see in the groves behind my childhood home.  Workers climbed ladders and hand-picked only the ripened fruit, dropped it into a bag, and later into a nearby tub.  This spot-picking meant only the fruit ripe enough was picked, while the rest remained on the trees until they were ready.

While we walked the grove, the couple’s two boys, Larit (3 ½) and Layton (6 ½), helped pick a few oranges.  They are right at home in the grove, using the proper technique to twist the oranges off the branches without tearing into the skin.  If they went a little too fast, a simple reminder from their mother to “slow your roll” was all it took to get them back on track.

If the boys follow in their father’s footsteps, they will be the seventh generation to carry on the family business.  Something John and Sarah would like to see happen.

“It’s what I’m going to do,” John says, “see if I can raise these boys and pass it on to them.”

Sarah agrees. “We’re still trying to instill the family values and the family farming in our children.  It’s been very important to John and me to make sure our boys are aware of our family history and that the tradition carries on.”

The Future

While family traditions continue, the farming business is seeing a change.  Citrus greening is taking its toll on some growers.  For the Albrittons, that has prompted them to look at other crops.

“My husband was very adamant he wanted to make sure there was something left for his kids.  Blueberries are our baby.”

Albritton Fruit Farms was born.

John Albritton walks along the blueberry field.

There is now a 25-acre blueberry field where orange trees once grew.  Planted in 2015, there are 60,000 plants of three different varieties.  The blueberries are already turning a profit, with last year’s harvest pulling in 100,000 pounds of blueberries.  Following commercial harvest, John and Sarah open up their fields for u-pick season, typically from March until early June.  It’s a family affair.  The boys join their parents in the field every weekend with Larit instructing pickers which ones are the best and how to pick them. Larit admits his favorite blueberry variety is the Jewel, because it tastes like strawberries!

What is next for the Albrittons?  More blueberries?  Resetting the citrus groves?  Only time will tell.  The couple does acknowledge they have the last big piece of property on Clark Road.  Long-time residents across the road recently sold out and 6,900 homes and a commercial development are going in.

Regardless of what happens in the future, it is certain the Albritton family will always be remembered for the major role they played in the history of Florida’s citrus industry.

 FM Notes

*Honeybell oranges are hybrids of a tangerine and grapefruit, with January being the peak month for ripening.  They have a mixed sweet-sour taste and, in my own opinion, are the juiciest (and best-tasting) I’ve ever had.

Don’t miss the u-pick season.  Keep up with the latest dates on their Facebook page here.

 

The Orange Shop, Citra

Tucked away in North Central Florida, between Ocala and Hawthorne, is the small town of Citra.  It’s not a place with its own exit off Interstate 75.  In fact, unless you drive along Highway 301 or live in the area, you probably do not even know it exists.

Citra, known as the home of the pineapple orange, was founded in 1881 in an area where citrus was prominent.  While that is part of the town’s history, it isn’t the only unique feature about Citra. It is also the home of The Orange Shop, one of the last true roadside citrus stands in Florida.

Billboards and signs along 301 direct you to the shop, which sits at the intersection with Northeast 185 Street.  A grove, packing house and store all occupy the same piece of land. While some of the fruit for The Orange Shop is grown on-site, some is also brought in from the Indian River area.

The Orange Shop has been in business since 1936.  The owners are third-generation growers who continue to harvest fruit from groves that have been producing since the Civil War.  Bright orange columns welcome you onto the front porch, a part of the building with its own story.  When automobiles became the mode of transportation in the 1930s, fruit was sold from the front porch of the house to motorists who stopped by.  That porch has been kept intact since the beginning and still serves as the entry way, flanked with bags of fresh oranges that seem to say “Welcome to Florida.”

The store is exactly what you’d expect.  If it isn’t citrus-related, it is Florida-related.  Along the wall just inside the door, guests can choose from a plethora of items bearing The Orange Shop name and logo.

In another part of the store, additional items offer up Florida flavor, from an assortment of chutney and conserves to orange blossom honey.  If you’re looking to ship some Florida sunshine to out of state friends or family, sample gift boxes are displayed to provide examples of what’s available.

For visitors wanting to pick up some good reads, a book shelf spotlights numerous books about Florida or written by Floridians. Florida literature buffs will recognize one of the authors, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, who lived less than ten miles away along Orange Lake.  Rawlings books Cross Creek, The Yearling and a cookbook are a few of the books for sale.  Other cookbooks, children’s books and books about Florida ghosts fill out the shelves.

The Orange Shop also offers up a true taste of Florida.  Make sure to try out an orange or grapefruit wedge or a sample of liquid sunshine – all available to purchase onsite. Friendly staff are on hand to help out with any of your needs.

The Orange Shop is open seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Due to the seasonal nature of citrus, the shop is open from October 15 to June 1, so if you want to stop by, plan your trip accordingly.

The Citrus Tower

Back before U.S. Highway 27 was flooded with traffic lights and vehicles, it provided a leisurely, picturesque drive through the heart of Florida’s citrus industry.  The stretch of road from Interstate 4 to Clermont was lined with orange groves as far as the eye could see.  One of the state’s most well-known structures stood tall, in the middle of it all, offering magnificent views of the surrounding area.

Back of post card says: Orange groves are seen for miles in every direction from the highest point in the state – the top of the Florida Citrus Tower.

 

Post card dated March 3, 1963. Handwritten note: “Greetings from Clermont, Florida.”

The Citrus Tower, which opened in Clermont in 1956, was built to provide visitors a 360 degree view of the acres and acres of orange trees, the rolling hills and the lakes that dotted the landscape.  Made of five million pounds of concrete and another 149,000 pounds of steel, the Tower was built to withstand winds of more than 190 miles per hour.

As a college student, I would drive Highway 27 from my home in Hardee County to school in Tallahassee, and pass by the groves and the Tower each time.  Not once did I stop to take a trip to the top of the Tower and see the area from a different perspective.  But now, the Citrus Tower beckoned – and I obliged.

On this bright Florida day, the Tower stands in stark contrast against the bright blue sky.  The ground floor houses the history of the Citrus Tower.  Photos and newspapers tell the story of this “Castle in the Air,” along with some of the original mechanics.  Lilly’s Citrus Tower Gift Shop is housed inside the main doors as well, and is filled with all things Florida.  After stopping at the counter and paying the $6.00 admission fee, we step into the elevator and take the ride to the enclosed observation deck.

Strategically placed signs indicate which direction you are looking and the distance from the Tower to surrounding locations.  Framed photos provide a glimpse into Florida’s citrus heyday – while allowing you to look out at the new landscape, dotted with housing developments, shopping centers and other businesses.

Lake Apopka is one of the many lakes that can be seen from this vantage point.  Its size is stunning enough.  Orlando’s skyline is also visible and with the help of binoculars, you can see the Orlando Eye attraction.  To the west there are views of more lakes and more development.  You can see portions of Lake, Orange, Polk and Sumter counties, and on a clear day, even parts of Pasco, Osceola, Seminole and Hernando counties are in view. Even though the landscape has changed and the groves have given way to development, the views from the Tower are still magnificent.  The few stray orange trees that can be seen serve as reminders to what was once a thriving industry.

Lake Apopka in the background.

 

The Citrus Tower is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and is closed on Sundays, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Interesting fact:  According to a display at the Citrus Tower, on February 19, 1953 a traffic count by the State of Florida Highway Department showed 3,500 cars passed by this part of Highway 27.  That was an average of one car every 24 seconds!