La Verne Magazine Orange Picking Season by Julia Carachure
photography by Tom Galaraga A taste of the citrus industry still
exists in a small corner of the city. Bonnie Brunell, secretary-
treasurer of the Heritage Foundation, is a planning committee
member for the annual Heritage Park orange picking season event.
Oranges adorn the trees like Christmas decorations. Smudge pots
that used to heat the oranges on cold nights now sit unused
beneath the trees. A thermometer hangs nearby on a post,
indicating the temperature that was once crucial in making sure
the oranges would not freeze and remained in good condition
before being shipped around the world. Welcome to the last
remaining orange grove in the city of La Verne: Heritage Park.
For residents, this is an opportunity to take a glance at what
was once the economic livelihood of the city. Residents get the
opportunity to pick oranges for $4 per bag, $6 for two bags from
the first Saturday in January until the last Saturday in March.
However, that was not alwa