History of Citrus in Vero Beach, Florida

Vero Beach is considered to be among the best places that grow Citrus fruits in the world. The beach is located in Florida in a county known as the India River. The Indian River County is known to have the best soil, climate, and geological conditions that are ideal for the best satisfying and nutritious citrus fruits. 

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Vero Beach History

A census conducted in 2010 showed that the beach has a population of around 15,220. The beach is surrounded by serene blue water from the Atlantic ocean. You will also see a tranquil Indian river lagoon formed on the beach. 

Vero Beach is a place you can learn about history. The area has traces of the Pre Columbian settlers from 11 to14 thousand years ago. The beach started developing when the Florida East Coast Railroad was constructed to ease fish transportation from the area. The railway construction attracted more fishers and vegetable growers. 

The Indian River Citrus Formation

The league was organized in 1931 by Will Fee and other volunteers. The association was made because it was tough to establish boundaries along with the Indian River County. 

Many things like the geological survey maps, soil, traditional watersheds, county boundaries, and politics made it even worse to establish the boundaries.The difficult part was the boundaries in St. Johns Marsh in the west. 

The more the value of citrus fruits became more apparent, the more the western boundary became problematic. Each county touching the area wanted to be a part of the Indian River special act. However, the Legislature acts were disbanded, and Indian River county was forced to rely on the traditions and the general acceptance entirely.

A mayor from Vero Beach named Andrew W. Young was the first person to sponsor a bill that would remove Vero Beach from St. Lucie County. A rigorous debate was conducted in May 1925, and that is when Indian River County was formed. 

After the formation of the beach, farmers such as Arthur R. Jone began planting citrus fruits. Afterwards a league was formed to protect the newly formed region. The league was and is still financed by a per carton contribution from the citrus fruit growers. The association has now expanded from its initial responsibility of protecting the Indian River name to tabling members’ opinions.

In 1948, the league reorganized and came up with a By-law supposed to protect the Indian River citrus. The group has since grown to more than 1,000 members who grow commercial citrus fruits.

The Freeze Protection

Unlike other counties in Florida that have greatly suffered from freezing temperatures, the Vero beach farmers have not suffered much from the damage. Several factors have played a part in protecting the area, which are;

  • Its proximity to the Gulf Stream. Vero Beach is about 100 miles away to the east compared to Jacksonville. The distance makes it experience warm temperatures from the  Atlantic Ocean.
  • Since Vero Beach is located far east, the wind has to move a lot further to reach the Indian River Citrus county.
  • Vero Beach has a very flat terrain that allows the growers to flood their plantations when it is about to freeze. This process involves pumping water in their grooves as high as possible. The warm water pumped radiates the heat when it freezes, thus preventing any severe damage.

All these factors help the citrus growers to keep their fruits on the market all year round.

 Indian River Citrus Fruits

The development of the area led farmers to start growing citrus fruits. It turned out that the area could grow the best citrus fruits ranging from grapefruit to oranges. The beach has the best soil, climate, and geological conditions that produce sweet citrus fruit.

The first person to bring orange seedlings was Christopher Columbus. He got the first orange seeds during his second voyage in 1943. The first seedlings were planted at St Augustine, Florida at around 1513 and 1565. However, the first person to grow the seedlings in Florida soil was Ponce De Leon. 

On the other hand, the earliest grapefruit groove was developed around Tampa and St. Augustine. Count Odet Phillippe was the first person to introduce the grapefruit in 1806. The first grapefruit was planted in Florida soil in 1823.

Currently, there are more than 750.000 acres of citrus groves in Florida. The grooves are known to have at least 100 million trees. Previously, most citrus trees were grown in Peninsula, Florida. However, the citrus growers migrated to the southern, eastern, and northern regions in the 1980s.

The Indian River county is divided based on the soil conditions prevailing in that area. The geological conditions are one of the reasons that make Florida produce the best citrus fruits. Grapefruits plants planted in the area are still the finest even today. 

The Indian River County has an underlying distinctive Anastasia formation made of coquina limestone. The underlying coquina formation feeds the citrus trees with the essential nutrients and minerals during their growth.

By 1920, most growers had become fond of growing citrus fruits in other states of Florida. They even started describing the fruit as the Indian River.

What Makes Citrus Fruits in Vero Beach Famous

What makes the fruits grown in the Indian River  to be the best is the chemical composition of the soil. Florida is known to have unique sandy soil and an attractive subtropical climate. The combination of these two elements makes the area a suitable place to grow citrus fruits. 

The soil has an underlying Limestone layer that is rich in calcium and other essential minerals. Citrus fruits such as oranges and grapes also thrive because of the Atlantic Ocean’s salty water. The combination of saltwater and the limestone layer enhances the excellent taste of these citrus fruits.

Currently, Vero Beach and the area surrounding produces over 70% of the total grapefruits grown in Florida. Moreover, citrus growers in the area export over 10 million cartons annually. The area harvests the best citrus fruits because of the perfect balance of the climate, geological condition, and soil.

Stacy Cook
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