We’re Bringing Citrus Back!
In 1998, Florida produced 244 million boxes of citrus — grapefruit and oranges that fed families across the country and made Florida synonymous with fresh juice. By 2025, that number had collapsed to just 12 million boxes.
A 95% decline. In a single generation.
The culprit is Huanglongbing — citrus greening disease. First detected in Florida in 2005, this bacterial infection — spread by a tiny insect called the Asian citrus psyllid — has devastated the state’s groves with ruthless efficiency. Fifty million trees have been lost. Thirty-three thousand jobs have disappeared. Twenty billion dollars in revenue — gone.
Then came the storms. Hurricane Ian in 2022. Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024 — Milton alone impacted 70% of Florida’s most productive citrus acreage, knocking fruit from trees across the state’s historic growing regions.
In response, the USDA and State of Florida have committed over $675 million in disaster assistance and replanting grants — funding new tree varieties, new growing techniques, and a new generation of growers willing to do things differently.
The goal: 4.5 million new citrus trees in the ground across 25,000+ acres over the next three years.
The Next Generation
Lucas Muszynski, age 4 — already on the job. Scott and Lilly’s son is helping clear the old, dead trees to make room for the new grove. The next generation of My Fruit Tree, right where he belongs.
Every tree in our grove is part of that recovery. When you adopt a My Fruit Tree tree, you’re not just getting incredible organic grapefruit — you’re investing in the future of Florida citrus.
Why Organic Red Grapefruit in Lake County?
Lake County sits in the heart of Florida’s historic citrus belt — inland, away from the coastal flooding zones that hammered so many operations during Ian and Milton. Its rolling terrain, sandy soils, and temperate microclimate have made it one of the state’s most resilient growing regions.
Our Rio Red / Ruby Red grapefruit variety is among the most nutritious and flavorful citrus grown in America — known for its blush-pink flesh, balanced sweetness, and bright acidity. Every tree in our grove is certified organic from root to rind. No synthetic pesticides. No synthetic herbicides. No fertilizers that can’t be explained plainly and publicly.
These trees take time. They’re newly planted, full of promise, and scheduled to produce their first meaningful harvest in Year 3. We want you there for every season of the journey.
