|
|
Anita SimpsonUmatilla Citrus Growers Association |
Anita Simpson never thought she'd be running the citrus operation her husband started years before. When he passed away, she and her husband's employees pulled together to keep it going.
Anita discusses the different varieties of oranges. She attests to the juiciest, best tasting citrus coming from Florida because of the agreeable growing conditions.
Though citrus growers face many challenges these days, Anita is pleased to still grow on her husband's land.
As Anita Simpson shares old photographs of the Mount Dora area from the early 1900s, she imparts that her late husband Jim's family was among the first settlers in the area. She also recalls the endless rows of citrus trees that once lined the highways and adds that the Simpson family most likely planted one of the first groves in the area. In her reverent descriptions, it's easy to see that Anita maintains pride in her adopted heritage.
Anita has taken on a lot since Jim passed away in 2001, including his most dedicated role of citrus grower and president of Simpson Fruit Company. After 34 years as a farmer's wife, she found herself deeply entrenched in the growing issues they had always discussed. "I knew very little about running a grove company," she says. "But anything I did know was because of Jim. It's hard to live with a farmer and not pick up a lot about it."
She relied heavily on Jim's employees to guide her unexpected foray into growing citrus. Chris Troesch is Jim's knowledgeable foreman who worked with him in the groves for over 25 years. Anita says he very patiently taught her things like how to find rust mites on a piece of fruit, and what an Apopka weevil looks like. "I can now test fruit for maturity, and even start the water pump, if needed," though she jokes, "I haven't needed to yet, but I could." Chris's wife Suzann has run the company's offices for over 34 years. Beyond Anita and Jim's two children and four grandchildren, the Troesches have become like extended family to her in what has proven to be a difficult time for local growers.
In an area where the pressure of development seems intent on growing only residential communities and shopping malls, Anita empathizes with the decisions growers face in this region. "The citrus industry has some challenges," she says, concerned. "When you have to sell land to keep farming, it just doesn't make sense."
Still, she presses on to keep running the company her husband spent his life dedicated to. Through cooperatives like Florida's Natural Growers, she attests, smaller growers are able to remain competitive and "keep our heads above water."
She also understands the decisions mothers as consumers must make to keep their families happy and healthy. She remains confident in the fact that when they buy orange juiceIs Your Juice Imported?
Find out where your juice comes from. from Florida oranges, they know it's made with the best fruit in the world. "Other oranges from California or Brazil look pretty," she says, "but they just don't taste as good."
When asked what her husband would say if he saw her running the company today, she answers plainly, "He would have expected it to be going still. He had planned on keeping it going for a long time." Even though she never expected to take on her husband's business, Anita Simpson found herself embracing his citrus heritage and the traditions he dreamed would continue.