NYTimes: Indian River is one of the few corners of Floirda that still has roadside citrus stands.

New Year’s Day is the perfect time for waxing nostalgic, and that’s exactly what the New York Times did yesterday regarding the Florida that many of us knew decades ago. In a simpler time, when Florida was the undisputed global king of the citrus industry, roadside stands greeted visitors with fresh oranges, free samples and Florida souvenirs. “Before Interstate 95, Starbucks and Sbarro, roadside citrus stands lined nearly every major thoroughfare in Florida. They made buying local fun before the locavore food movement made it fashionable, but increasingly they are a dying breed.” But fear not, writes Damien Cave, here in Indian River County, “one (can) find the last handful of citrus stores that offer the stickiness and tart scent that once defined the state.” Ed Peterson’s family have managed Peterson’s Groves in Vero Beach for eighty plus years. When asked for the secret to his grove’s longevity, Ed says, “It’s my charm,” but his brother is quick to share the real reason, “We’ve worked hard; that’s what it is. We’ve refused to give up.” (Full Article and Slideshow)