Golden Ridge Groves opens citrus U-pick showcasing local produce

Picking your own grapefruit at citrus grove

FOX 13's Carla Bayron showcases the local produce that you can find one Polk County Citrus Grove.

ALTURAS, Fla. - A citrus grove in Polk County has been working with a major university to fight against citrus greening, a disease that has plagued growers all across the state, and now they're bringing that innovation straight to the consumer.

Byron Maynard lives near the newly opened Golden Ridge Groves in Alturas. He and his family wanted to check out their market, which showcases local produce.

"We definitely wanted to try their ice cream, the drinks, and everything they make here," said Maynard. "The juice is really good. We bought some of that and took it home. They offer a lot here."

Another thing the business offers is Pick Your Own grapefruit in the Citrus under Protective Screen (CUPS) structures, which help combat citrus greening.

The backstory:

Over the last decade, the grove has partnered with the University of Florida to develop this innovative way to fight the disease that has ravaged the industry.

Bevilacqua says they may be the only grove in the state offering you-pick in the structures as a chance to educate the community about their efforts.

What they're saying:

"Ag is such a resilient industry," she said. "We battle a lot of things we can't control whether it's bugs; the list goes on. I think there's a real story and inspiration in how farmers react and innovate against all these challenges."

"We have areas out here that have just grown off and not grown anymore, so I'd love to see our area grow back and have our oranges back to how they used to be. That'd be good, so I think the CUPS are definitely helping," said Maynard.