Citrus orchard

Today I took the scooter off the beaten track to a citrus orchard. This eco venture not only grows many varieties of oranges and lemons but allows visitors to wander a route with many boards explaining the varieties and the processes. The orchard was a haven of peace and we sat at various stations around the path listening to the birdsong and sampling the fruits at tables provided. Chickens scratched around helping to keep the soil turned over. At the end of the visit, we were treated to a lunch with freshly squeezed orange juice and tomatoes and olives on bread drizzled with olive oil in the shade of a hackberry tree. The lady managing the enterprise preferred to communicate in French explaining the close connections between Soller and France. In earlier times it was easier to transport the oranges across the sea to Marseilles or Sete rather than across the mountain range to Palma. We also had loquats straight off the tree which were delicious. At other times of the year there are avocados, pomegranates, medlars and pistachios.