Pick Your Own Tangerines
Mikan season goes from October through January in the Izumi district of Motobu.
Doc Graff and I, went up north to find out when mikan gari (tangerine picking) starts.
The stepladder by that tree is a hint that the orchards are ready for customers.
This assortment of photos was taken to give readers an idea what the fruits look like.
There are a few different varieties that are eaten when the tangerines are green.
There must have been millions of them hanging from the trees just on this farm.
It would be a good idea to wear long sleeves and shoes to go through this area.
The gal at Shiroma Mikan Farm was worried about me, going in there wearing flip-flops.
When, I took of my flip-flops and showed her my suntan marks, I was good to go.
My feet make me look like a native of these parts because, I rarely wear shoes.
The place made me remember words from an old Johhny Horton song.
We went and, "Ran through the briars and ran through the brambles and,
ran through the bushes where a rabbit couldn't go."
The orchards are dense with trees and brush and, you could get lost in there !
For under twenty bucks, you could pick fruits with your family all day long.
And, you'd have more tangerines then the whole neighborhood could eat in a year.
There are orchards loaded with these fruits all over the hills of northern Okinawa.
It seemed, to me, this farm had the most friendly owners.
Anyone, who doesn't speak basic Japanese should bring along a date to help translate.
That way, you can go around pickin' and a grinin' without any worries.
There are signs that say "みかん" everywhere along the roads of Izumi.
This just happens to be the PLACE, I'd visit whenever, I get the urge to go pickin' again !
