The sweet fragrance of ripe oranges pierced through the air at Heritage Park, La Verne’s own citrus ranch, as local residents gathered for the annual orange picking on Saturday.

Families and friends got a taste of the past when they came together to be part of La Verne’s orange picking tradition in one of the city’s oldest preserved groves Saturday at Heritage Park.

Heritage Park – the last of La Verne’s old orange groves and home to the Weber House – is abuzz with activity this time of year as visitors come from throughout the area for the pick of the season.

More than 150 preschool and elementary school children gathered at Heritage Park on March 18 to catch a glimpse of La Verne’s past at the seventh annual Spring Squeeze.

Families, schools and people from the surrounding communities can come out to the orange groves at Heritage Park every Saturday through March to enjoy a taste of La Verne’s finest oranges.