Laerskool Stulting Primary se graad 3’s het vandag ‘n baie insiggewende, opvoedkundige uitstappie na Kougadam Invest se Sitrusplaas gehad. Die leerders het ‘n paar oulike feite geleer van verskeie sitrussoorte, self sitrus gepluk en tussendeur gepeusel ook. Laerskool Stulting Primary graad 3-klasse was 30 Mei na die Kougadam Invest Sitrus Pakhuis. Ons het geleer hoe die pakproses werk en het gesien hoe die vrugte getoets word in die toetskamers. Ons het op ‘n trekkerrit deur die lande gegaan. Dit was vetpret.

𝐃𝐈𝐃 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐄 𝐅𝐔𝐍 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐒?

• Citrus fruits are low in calories, making them a smart choice for people seeking to lose or maintain their weight.
• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is right on top of the list of nutrients that you need to keep your skin looking young. Ascorbic acid is essential because it helps regenerate collagen, which maintains the elasticity of your skin.
• Eating citrus fruits may help lower the risk of kidney stones in some people by raising citrate levels in urine.
• Did you know that citrus fruits like oranges, lemons and grapefruits are classified as berries? These juicy delights develop from a single ovary and have a delicious fleshy part surrounding their seeds.
• Harnessing the power of lemons! Lemons can actually generate electricity for LEDs due to their high acidity. It’s a refreshing way to light up your day while enjoying the tangy flavour of these citrus wonders.
• Oranges: The name that gave colour! Believe it or not, the fruit “orange” was named before the colour itself. In the past, the colour was called “geoluhread” in Old English. Oranges arrived in Europe and brought along their vibrant hue, leading to the naming of the colour orange.
• Nature’s colour-changing citrus show! Citrus fruits, such as oranges, continue to transform after being picked. Witness the magic of “degreening” as these fruits transition from green to their signature vibrant hues, enhancing their sweetness as they ripen.
• Did you know that the high acid content in lemons makes them less dense than water, causing them to float? Lemon’s float but limes sink.

Citrus trees are typically self-pollinating, meaning they do not require pollen from another tree to produce fruit. Most citrus flowers contain both male (stamens) and female (pistil) reproductive organs, allowing them to fertilize themselves. This self-pollination occurs when pollen from the same flower or another flower on the same tree reaches the stigma and fertilizes the ovules. Additionally, pollination can be assisted by the wind, which helps transfer pollen within the tree. Therefore, bees and other pollinators are not essential for citrus fruit production, making it easier to ensure consistent yields. This trait is advantageous for citrus growers, as it ensures fruit production even when there are no pollinating insects or other citrus trees nearby. However, while self-pollination is common, cross-pollination can sometimes occur and may lead to variations in fruit characteristics.

Daarna het Laerskool Stulting Primary ‘n draai by die pakhuis gemaak asook die “opkleurkamers”, ook bekend as rypmaakkamers. Dit is spesiale fasiliteite waar sitrusvrugte geplaas word om hul kleur te verbeter en die rypwordingsproses te bespoedig. Hierdie kamers is toegerus met beheerbare temperatuur-, humiditeits- en etileengasvlakke. Die temperatuur in die kamers word gewoonlik tussen 20°C en 25°C gehandhaaf, wat ideaal is vir die aktivering van die rypwordingsprosesse. Etileengas, wat ‘n natuurlike rypwordingshormoon is, word gebruik om die proses te versnel deur die afbreek van chlorofil te stimuleer, wat die groen kleur van die vrugte verminder en die lewendige oranje of geel kleur laat deurskyn. Die humiditeit word ook streng beheer om te verhoed dat die vrugte uitdroog of te vogtig raak, wat hulle vatbaar kan maak vir verrotting. Hierdie prosedure verseker dat die sitrusvrugte ‘n aantreklike kleur het wanneer hulle die mark bereik, wat belangrik is vir verbruikersvoorkeure en verkope. Ons het ook meer van die ander gedeelte van sitrusboerdery geleer, nl. die verpakking.

An amazing technology screening/camera machine takes 18-20 photos per split second of each fruit for analyzing and determining the quality of the fruit. The machine takes note of size and colour of fruit as well as the weight to make sure it gets deposited into the correct bin for packing. Once fruit is picked, you can eat it from the tree but for the perfect citrus experience: fruit is put into a colouring room. Here the temperature and humidity is checked 3 times daily until ready.

Each pallet must be brand new when used and is never reused.

Picking process!

• Picked by hand using special scissors.
• Waits to be cleaned, washed.
• Goes to colour room (temp + humidity)
• Waxed (protective layer, stops the fruit from overriping)
• Screening machine to grade the fruit.
• Packed (wrapped, boxed, and weighed for shipping.
• Fruit only gets to overseas consumers 1 to 1½ months later.

When the filled crates are moved from the orchard to the stores, they weigh 380kg each.

Die uitstappie het ook aangesluit by ons tema “gesonde eetgewoontes en voedselgroepe”, van kwartaal twee en “plante en produkte” in kwartaal vier. Laerskool Stulting Primary leerders was só bederf vandag. Wat ‘n voorreg om hier in ons pragtige vallei hierdie ervaring te kon geniet. Die leerders het daarna ‘n vinnige draai by die KOUGADAM gemaak om beter te verstaan waar ons dorp se water vandaan kom. Die leerders het ook geleer dat alles wat leef water nodig het. Ons is dankbaar vir elke druppel wat in ons damme is.

Baie dankie aan almal wat vandag se uitstappie so aangenaam gemaak het vir ons leerders. ‘n Spesiale dankie aan die Ilze du Preez- en Beukesfamilies. Sonder julle gasvryheid en beplanning sou die uitstappie nie so ‘n groot sukses gewees het nie. ‘n Groot waardering aan tannie Cindy Beukes wat met soveel liefde en geduld alles so mooi verduidelik het, asook presies hoe alles werk. Hartlike dank aan oom Dawie wat vir veilige vervoer vir ons uitstappie gesorg het. Ons graad 3’s waardeer Oom se bereidwilligheid om ons rond te karwei op ons uitstappies. Dit beteken baie vir ons dat ons altyd op Oom kan staatmaak.