This morning I made a big glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. I know it’s a bit more of an effort to squeeze your own, but it tastes soooo much better! It’s not just more delicious, but it’s also much more natural and provides you with nutrients direct from the source, rather than from a manufactured carton of juice. Buying orange juice seems so unnatural to me. By the time the manufacturers process the orange, the original nutrients and raw essence of an orange plummets. And hand squeezed at home needs no preservatives, no electricity, just a few oranges halved, and a juicer.

Making your own orange juice is so satisfying, and I love when the orange fragrance fills my house with citrus freshness!

My mother-in-law tells a beautiful story of the day my husband was born. It was a heat wave in October and a long labor. She had a home birth with no air conditioner which made everything even more difficult. Her sister arrived with a huge jug of freshly squeezed orange juice, chilled with ice. My mother-in-law still tells the story with such pleasure and delight remembering what a beautiful gift her sister had made for her.

Citrus shouldn’t be put in the compost, so here’s just a little hint of what to do with the skins! Pop any orange peel underneath your citrus trees, because as they slowly break down, they replace nutrients into the soil to create a healthier orchard for you!