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Exotica Rare Fruit Nursery Revival Plan
Kona Coffee plants, Dwarf Banana Trees and pineapples in pots, are three indoor plants that have good-size inventories at the Exotica Rare Fruit Nursery, and are center stage in plans to increase business for the Vista nursery.
The nursery, unable to pay rent on three of five of its acres since June 2008, reached resolve November 19 in the Vista Court house, when Steven Spangler, founder, agreed to pay $2600.00 per month rent between now and August 1 and a balloon payment due August 1 of $130,000 for back payments and fees. The consequences of defaulting on a single month’s rent would be a lockout from the three acres.
The trees in the ground, some more than 20 year old, would become the property of the current owner. The value of the plants on the three acres is more than 1 million. Spangler also has the option to purchase the three acres for $345,000. Spangler also has rent due on the other two acres and operating expenses.
“I want to thank the community for coming to our aid. What we do today transforms nature our love and devotion to each other is the planting of the seeds of the soul. This is what grows beyond ourselves and makes the future,” said Spangler.
Leslie Goldman, a web blogger responded to Spangler’s plea for help in mid-November, days before his court appearance. Goldman brought the fate of 1000s of rare fruit trees and plants from around the world to the attention of allies.
Bill Tall of City Farmers Nursery brought an inventory of $1500.00. Victory Gardens, an offshoot of the Roots Sustainable Food Project, committed $300.00. La Mila Organic Farm bought trees, as did many others. The December rent was paid.
“Spangler is truly one of the great nurserymen of our times. He is a keeper of great tree wisdom. Exotica is a resource for plants that are priceless. We cannot afford to lose this nursery as a time when each of us are called to begin growing some of our own food, including food from trees,” said Goldman.
Through his project called Beet Keepers, Goldman aims to give each person confidence that they can grow a bit of their own food. Goldman, to ensure safe haven for 1000s of plants at the nursery, has launched an education campaign called “Trees are True Wealth.”
Kona Coffee bean trees, Dwarf Banana, and pineapple are easy to grow and very popular. They are selling for $12.00 from the Beet Keepers, and/or $10.00 from the Vista Based Nursery itself. Many other plants can be purchased. These include Cheramoyas, rare guavas and berries. Numbers of trees are draught tolerant, including Jojoba and pomegranate.
There is the full list of plants that can be ordered at Google: ORDER FORMS EXOTICA RARE FRUIT NURSERY, http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1530536
As The Light Connection went to press for its January issue, Spangler’s rent for January had not yet been secured. Please go to the Friends of Exotica Rare Fruit Nursery site on Facebook http://apps.facebook.com/causes/causes/399622/about to join the group and for links to Plant Your Dream Blogs on the evolving story. “Be sure to join the group and buy a rare tree or plant now,” asks Goldman. “To help make the rent, please write a check now, and pick up trees now or later.” Contact me for more information about this, asks Goldman.
Those who want to earn 20% commission for selling plants, should call Spangler directly at 760-724-9093, or fax, 760-940-0914.
Others are encouraged to step forward now to buy trees and pick them up now or later.
The nursery is located at 2508-B E. Vista Way, Vista CA 92085. Inventories are at City Farmers Nursery, 4832 Home Ave., San Diego, CA 92105-4405, (619) 284-6358; and the Enchanted Garden Intentional Community near SDSU. Email Leslie Goldman at [email protected] for directions.
Numbers of “Angels” are stepping forward with more long range plans to turn the business around. Among them are Anthony Russo of the Biosmart company, makers of compostable dinnerware made from Bagasse sugar cane byproduct.
As of April 1, Russo in a proposed plan would give the nursery a state of the art web presence and the capacity to generate sales online to student sustainability groups. Russo’s company would handle the business and sales. Spangler would fulfill orders. Others are stepping forward with plans to fundraise to help buy the land, however, most of this long-range plans are contingent on Spangler showing he can made the monthly rent of $2600.00.