28 JANUARY 2018 ArcAd A News By Rachael Bouley T he neighborhoods of Arcadia are lined with citrus trees, ripe full of delicious and healthy fruits, such as oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, lemons and limes. The start of a new year means that citrus has to go somewhere. January through March is the prime time for gleaning, the process of removing all the abundant ripe fruits from the citrus trees and collecting it. With thousands of trees bursting full of ready-to-pick fruit, gleaning has become a tradition in Arcadia, with locals doing their part to help others and donating their extra citrus to local food banks and those in need. Every year, citrus donations from generous Arcadia residents and local organizations make it possible for low-income families to get their fill of healthy, nutritious produce. The discovery of roof rats in 2002, a common pest that are attracted to the fruit and often make an appearance when citrus is left uncollected, spurred Arcadia’s Citrus Program. Through the program’s annual collections over the past two decades, over 2 million pounds of citrus has been collected and donated, making a huge difference to those in need. St. Mary’s Food Bank in Phoenix has been one of the main recipients of citrus donations in years past. United Food Bank has also picked up citrus in the past from pre-approved gleaning sites after the fruit has been gleaned by homeowners. Both places will have information coming out this month on citrus drop-offs in 2018. For more: firstfoodbank.org and unitedfoodbank.com. Arizona, with its warm climate, boasts ideal weather conditions for growing citrus. By taking the time to glean and donate their citrus, residents can make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. Collecting citrus for the community Tangerine Sherbet • Zest of 3 Tangerines • 4 cups Tangerine Juice • ¾ cup sugar or Corn syrup • Pinch of salt • 2⁄3 cup half and half • 1.5 tablespoons orange flavored liqueur (cointreau, grand marnier)* * liqueur is optional, but if leaving out, may want to use corn syrup to reduce formation of ice crystals for creamier texture. Heat zest, half the sugar and salt together in small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add remaining tangerine juice and stir. Chill until cold about 30 minutes. Add half and half and liqueur. Freeze in ice cream maker as per manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to container and freeze for 4 hours. — Recipe contributed by Arcadia resident Aida Hatem. Limoncello • 4 ½ pounds of lemons • 4 ¼ cups pure alcohol (1 Liter Everclear) • 4 ½ cups water • 4 cups sugar Remove yellow peels from 4 ½ pounds of lemons, leaving the bitter white pith.Using sealable glass container like a mason jar, steep peels in 4 ¼ cups pure alcohol for 21 days in cool & dark place. Boil 4 ½ cups water with 4 cups sugar for 5 minutes. Let water return to room temperature. In separate bowl, strain/filter alcohol from peels. Combine alcohol with sugar water. Discard peels. Put concoction into sealable glass container and let sit for 30 days in cool & dark place. Bottle the Limoncello. — Recipe contributed by Arcadia resident Jimmy Fox. WHAT TO DO WITH TANGERINES WHAT TO DO WITH LEMONS WE CATER! DINE-IN DRIVE-THRU CARRY-OUT CATERING 4046 E Thomas (40th and Thomas) 602-354-8194 · GoHogWild.com

29 JANUARY 2018 ArcAd A News By Greg Bruns In early 2002, phone calls to the Arcadia News turned from the usual neighborhood queries to the alarming discovery of roof rats in the area. There was a little panic in the air, as the rats were definitely not welcome in Arcadia. Sightings increased over the next few months as Arcadia worried about whether these interlopers carried disease, or what they might do to property values. Enter Maricopa County Vector Control, which held a neighborhood meeting in the Hopi Elementary School cafeteria. It was standing room only. Some neighbors expressed anger and some expressed fear, but all of us walked away from that meeting with a sad truth: we got rats. Vector Control promised swift action and they followed through with bait stations. Six thousand bait stations, actually – nailed to every single telephone pole in Arcadia, and other public land areas. The return on the bait stations was less than 1%. Turns out, it’s tough to get the rats to eat poison in the middle of a ripe fruit orchard. As time went on, Arcadians learned the best way to deal with roof rats is prevention: 1. “One of the top things you can do is ensure your trees and bushes are well manicured and cut back from the roof line and foundation of your home,” said Jon Anderson, who works for Green Home Pest Control in Phoenix. Trimming trees and bushes remove travel paths that allow rats access to all parts of your property. 2. Seal the holes and cracks around your property. Paul Curtis, a manager at Terminix, says rats can also get into homes “through turbines, box vents or cables leading into homes; most people may not think to take preventative measures toward these areas.” “Steel wool- or wire mesh-reinforced sealant along any holes or cracks larger than a quarter inch can help keep rats from entering your residence,” Curtis said. Rats like to nest in attics during the winter, for the warmth, shelter and safety. Plus, there’s plenty of wires and other stuff they can nibble on in between fruit snacks. 3. Clean up and remove food sources. Gleaning your trees is good, but make sure the ground is free from dropped fruit at all times. Rats also like pet food, so keep pet dishes and pet food supplies inside or in sealed containers. If the roof rats still show up and attempt to setup a citrus snack shop, it might be time for setting your own traps or calling in rodent removal professionals. More in-depth information is available at roofrat.net. Rattus Rattus Linnaeus, aka Roof Rat • Did you know Arizona is one of only four states in the U.S. that provides citrus for consumption? The other three are California, Texas and Florida. • One whole lemon contains a full day’s supply of vitamin C. (However, about 33% of it is in the peel.) • Citric acid in lemons is said to help dissolve kidney stones and maintain liver health. • A single lemon tree can produce between 500 and 600 pounds of fruit in a year. • Oranges originated in southern China and northeastern India, but the Spanish introduced them to Arizona. Missionaries began to cultivate oranges in what is today southern Arizona in the early 1700s. • Most Arizona oranges bloom October through December. • After chocolate and vanilla, orange is the world’s favorite flavor. • A grapefruit is a hybrid of a sweet orange and a pomelo, a mild Asian citrus variety that is not commercially popular in the U.S. The pomelo is the world’s largest citrus fruit. • Grapefruit can be yellow, pink, white, or ruby in color. Arizona mostly grows the Foster variety, a seedy but juicy type with tender pink pulp. • Grapefruit grows in clusters on the tree. These clusters resemble bunches of pale grapes on the vine. This is how the fruit got its name. • Grapefruit can help lower cholesterol. • The tangerine is a variety of mandarin orange. • Japan and China have been cultivating mandarin oranges for over 3,000 years. • Tangerines are named for Tangier, Morocco, where they were first shipped to Europe. • Oil from the aromatic skin of the tangerine is used in several orange-flavored liqueurs. — Source: www.arizonaexperience.org FUN CITRUS FACTS Anna McDowell-Isaacson 602-526-1213 AnnaMcDowellRealEstate@gmail.com www.AnnaMcDowell.com ABR, CRS, GRI Anna McDowell-Isaacson Anna McDowell-Isaacson 602-526-1213 602-526-1213 AnnaMcDowellRealEstate@gmail.com www.AnnaMcDowell.com www.AnnaMcDowell.com ABR, CRS, GRI Anna McDowell-Isaacson Anna McDowell-Isaacson AnnaMcDowellRealEstate@gmail.com AnnaMcDowellRealEstate@gmail.com www.AnnaMcDowell.com www.AnnaMcDowell.com Exquisite & warm home on 1.3 acres w/ tennis court, parking for 7, gorgeous mountain views. 5409 EAST CAMELHILL ROAD • $1,650,000 • 5 beds/5 baths, 5200 s.f. 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