The Mandarin Community Club opens pre-orders Tuesday, Sept. 1, for its annual Florida Citrus Fundraiser. Proceeds support both the 103-year-old nonprofit and Florida growers fighting citrus greening disease. Founded in 1923, the Mandarin Community Club maintains three historic properties, including the 1872 Mandarin Schoolhouse originally established by author Harriet Beecher Stowe.

Last year's fundraiser moved more than 3,300 pounds of fresh citrus into local homes and businesses, according to Florida NewsLine. This fall's edition adds a new partner: the Florida Farm Bureau Federation, the state's largest agricultural nonprofit.

Brett Nolan, vice president of the Mandarin Community Club's board of directors, wrote in the Florida NewsLine announcement that the Farm Bureau partnership brings additional citrus varieties, lower prices and a direct funding channel to Florida's remaining groves.

What's available

Shoppers can choose from Florida navel oranges, satsuma mandarins grown in North Florida and red grapefruit produced under the Citrus Under Protective Screens (CUPS) program. Under CUPS, trees grow inside large screened structures that block the Asian citrus psyllid, the insect that spreads citrus greening. The red grapefruit ranks among the first large-scale CUPS harvests available to the public. A combo box with all three varieties is also offered.

How to order

The pre-sale window runs Sept. 1 through Nov. 14. Residents can order online or pay in person at the Mandarin Markets on Saturday, Sept. 26, and Saturday, Oct. 24, at 2955 Orange Picker Road. Businesses interested in bulk purchases can contact the club directly at (904) 268-1622.

Pickup and the Christmas Tree Lighting

Order pickup is the evening of Friday, Dec. 4, during the Mandarin Community Christmas Tree Lighting at the club, 12447 Mandarin Road.

Why it matters locally

Florida's citrus production once reached 300 million boxes in the early 2000s. It has fallen to roughly 14 million boxes in recent years as citrus greening spread statewide. The fundraiser ties that broader agricultural crisis to Mandarin's own history: an 1879 Jacksonville newspaper reported 25,000 orange trees standing between Beauclerc Bluff and the Mandarin Post Office, a stretch of about four miles.


Upcoming community dates

  • Tuesday, Sept. 1: Pre-orders open online
  • Saturday, Sept. 26: Mandarin Markets, 2955 Orange Picker Road (in-person citrus orders accepted)
  • Saturday, Oct. 24: Mandarin Markets, 2955 Orange Picker Road (in-person citrus orders accepted)
  • Saturday, Nov. 14: Pre-order window closes
  • Friday, Dec. 4: Order pickup at the Mandarin Community Christmas Tree Lighting, 12447 Mandarin Road