Support Citridea's Mission to Preserve Redlands

Citridea is an anti - pick & dump effort within Redlands aimed at addressing issues citrus and its growers face by properly picking, handling, juicing and packaging as product for sale exclusively within our city.

Within the Inland Empire, Redlands reigns as a diminishing fortress against the many perils citrus faces. The 2023 & 2024 crop season bore numerous difficulties for our cities’ preservation committee and local growers due to an infamously known pest called the oriental fruit fly. Alongside the Asian psyllid, it is the most prominent threat to Redlands heritage and the culture that it has become to be. Not only does the oriental fruit fly, or OFF, affect citrus but a broad range of crops numbering in the hundreds. The manifestation of the OFF plaguing our agriculture results in, not only total loss of crop and its harvest but the annual revenue farmers and private growers depend upon. Without incentive, which is being discouraged by the OFF, there is less of a reason to continue business efforts in citrus. This could eventually invite other interests in our land such as commercial development and/or the planting of avocados as a crop replacement.

The solution to the agricultural pandemic we face has been a state mandated quarantine and eradication of citrus by the California Department of Food and Agriculture also known as the CDFA. What this has entailed is the removal of homeowners personal fruit, the inability to pick and move fruit off-site, a historic amount of waste and major loss in revenue for growers.

Citridea was created as en effort against not only the OFF but ultimately to combat waste and preserve Redlands heritage. As time went by it became apparent that, aside from short term solutions, there was a need for a long term solution. In the short term, picking as fast and efficiently as possible would eliminate potential housing for the OFF and waste but that doesn’t solve the long term issue of grossing for farmers.

The question arose as to why there isn’t a cooperative effort towards finding a solution that would allow farmers to harvest and profit as they had prior to the quarantine. This is where the development of Citridea’s mission rooted from - if there was a storefront downtown that operated as a co-op for local growers to distribute to, not only would it keep our citrus local and preserved but it would solve the issue of waste, logistics with picking & reinstate profit gains to growers while introducing revenue into the city.

A storefront on state street would be most ideal since the foot traffic is constant and abundant but the issue becomes the cost of rent and materials. Unfortunately, at the state of Citridea’s maturity as a business, that option would be considered a long term goal. A short term and long term solution arises within the construction of the Redlands Public Market who has personally expressed interest in Citridea’s mission and business model but they want more than just an orange juicing operation. They want a full fledged juicing business to occupy apart of their space. This is a demand that Citridea can realistically fulfill but in order to do so, Redlands Public Market needs to be completed which isn’t projected to happen until the end of August.

As navel season ends and valencia begins, the concern of being able to pick and utilize citrus without waste and for profit builds. Citridea’s business has been consistent and fruitful under the arm of Olive Ave. Market & is showing promise of a strong and faithful community but from an owners standpoint, it is not where it needs to be in order to survive. There have been numerous Redlands based businesses that Citridea has approached in hopes of finding business and support but sadly near to none have followed up. That leaves Citridea acting in a smaller capacity as a street vendor and if we are to be real with the readers… business can be very hit or miss.

Short term approach in hopes of a long term opportunity is the reality Citridea finds itself in. If Citridea were able to raise the donation goal - the ability to attend local markets, fulfill deliveries within town via bike and basket & build an orange cart that would course the streets of downtown would become available to you. With those business avenues in play, the actuality of owning a storefront and/or occupying Redlands Public Market becomes all that much more of a reality. If this reality manifests, Citridea will be aiding in a reinstatement of history that hasn’t existed within our town for decades. As a community, we would be collectively and consciously combating an ominous threat that challenges not only our citrus and heritage, but agricultural in its entirety.

Citridea is a sole proprietorship type of business. There is just an “I” behind what Citridea is doing but there is a community of “we” behind what it stands for. I am asking you to give what you can whether that be an instagram follow or shoutout, a share of this gofundme statement/link, a conversation of the existence and effort of Citridea, a trip to Olive Ave. Market for an orange juice or “bomber” as we like to call it, or even a donation. Monetary donations will aid in the purchasing of a health permit, fees for markets, materials for a custom vending cart, donations for research and savings for a storefront amongst many other necessities. Citridea may be breaking even but it is dedicated to this mission and its purpose. Citridea will persist through this war and prevail in hopes that our heritage and agriculture sees the dawn of generations to come. Thank you for reading and supporting. Peace and love to you fellow travelers.