Though citrus seeds were dropped in Orange, California soil sometime after 1500, giving the area its unique name, prior to the 1500s, the main fruits in Orange County were naturally occurring breadfruits currants, blackberries and huckleberries. Life in Orange County was harsh in 1500, forged from the land, sea and plant life we rarely identify as food today. One might ride a wild horse to capture deer or row a boat in the ocean to fish. However, most residents of Orange County in 1500 lived off the land and its plant life. They used plants for food, for protection from the elements, to build ropes, and as medicine.
