Sky Valley Heirloom Oranges are Here!

The world's best oranges have returned to the Capital of the North, bringing with them sunshine and happiness. Sky Valley Heirloom Navel Oranges are back in the Twin Cities.

Sky Valley Heirloom Navel Oranges hearken back to the glory days of California citrus, when fruit was grown for its flavor and enjoyment, not sizing or timing. Remember the oranges from your childhood? Heavy, juicy and dizzyingly fragrant? Sky Valleys are those classic oranges from the good ol' days. They taste great. Like, really, really great. These are the fruits that solidified California's reputation for growing some of the best-tasting citrus in the world.

Sky Valley Oranges are the pride of Sky Valley Ranch, which was planted in the shadow of Smith Mountain near Orange Cove, California, in the 1930s. These truly premium oranges are grown using old line Washington Navel bud wood on sour orange root stock, common practice in the first half of the 20th century but seldom used anymore. While these old trees produce magnificent fruit, they don't yield as much and their oranges take longer to mature than conventional fruit, making them more expensive to farm. Most large-scale commercial orange growers favor a fast profit from newer root stocks that produce quickly and heavily, often at the expense of classic good taste. Their newer oranges are often overly large, less juicy and markedly less sweet than heirlooms like those grown the traditional way at Sky Valley.

In addition to great stock, the layout of the ranch contributes to consistency and quality of every Sky Valley Orange. Oranges are harvested from higher elevations first and then on down into the valley, ensuring the same great-tasting fruit each week. Just as in the production of a fine wine from a single vineyard, the microclimate and terroir (environmental characteristics, including climate and soil) at Sky Valley also contribute to the fruit's consistency in taste. That fruit is picked and shipped to order, too – not stored in inventory – so you'll always get the freshest oranges in town.

Kowalski's Markets is the only local grocer and one of the few places authentic Sky Valley Heirloom Navel Oranges can be purchased in Minnesota. They're available now through March; when the harvest is done, the season ends. You simply won't get a better piece of citrus this season.