While at a meeting in New Orleans I was able to break away and explore the citrus of the surrounding area. A fellow Southern Fruit Fellowship member, Lee Sharp tipped me off as to the prominent citrus areas to check out and about the Becnel citrus nursery. The Becnels Nursery is located on Hwy 23 along with a few other citrus nurseries. Unfortunately I don't think they ship.



It was getting late so I only had a few minutes to take a couple of photos before it got dark.





It was quite a production and in fact a great deal of all of the citrus planted in this region have come from this nursery. This is not a retail outlet but just up the street they have a roadside stand w/ trees, fruit and preserves for sale.









Needless to say I went away with a tree in tow

Wow! Thanks so much for sharing this-I am impressed-I would love to take a gulf states tour and photograph groves, nurseries and citrus trees at homes and parks-if only my wife could buy into the idea Too bad I live in Florida and can't buy trees from out of state

That must be the Bechnel north of Belle Chasse. I have been going to the one a little further down Hwy 23, near Myrtle Grove. There are many groves and fruit stands along that road all the way down to Venice. The Bechnel family owns most of them--at least above Myrtle Grove. They have the best naval oranges I have ever tasted, but I think the fruit is best around Jan when the cold has sweetened it up.

Last year when we went duck hunting we stayed at the Plantation Inn--about 15-20 miles south of Myrtle Grove. It is the actual plantation that is pictured on a bottle of Southern Comfort. They have turned the old plantation house into an Inn with very nice antique furnishings. Us duck hunters stayed in an out building called the bungalo. They have moved an old church onto the property and turned it into a dinning hall and bar.

Thanks for the great photos eyeckr!

Here’s an article about Saxson Becnel & Sons expanding their operation to E. TX. They're growing 85,000 seedling citrus to sell at Home Depot next fall!

There's also a poor quality video accessible from the link-

Orange's orange grove http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18896655&BRD=2287&PAG=461&dept_id=512588&rfi=6

Keith