Ecuador Avocado Farm for Sale - By Gary Scott

by Gary Scott

Our last real estate tour looked at a number of new properties including an Ecuador Avocado farm.

Studies of avocados suggests that people of the Valdivia, an ancient. Ecuadorian culture, probably brought avocado to Ecuador and neighboring northern Peru where they grew well.

In fact Ecuador avocados played some role in the development of California’s avocado industry from the 1920s. An interesting report from the 1920s entitled AVOCADOS OF THE CHOTA VALLEY, ECUADOR was written by WILSON POPENOE, an Agricultural Explorer for the United States Department of Agriculture.

The introduction of that report said:

Synchronously with the increased demand for hardy avocados of good commercial
quality, which has arisen in California since the cold weather of January 1922, comes the discovery of a hitherto unknown avocado region, in the remote Andes of northern Ecuador, which seems likely to supply such varieties. I refer to the Chota valley, home of an unusual series of large-fruited avocados of the Mexican race, some of which have been introduced into the United States by the Office of Foreign Seed and Plant Introduction, United States Department of Agriculture, and which will soon be sent to California and Florida for testing.

I have put a link to that report at the bottom here if you wish to read it for fun. The point though is that this is the area where avocados have been grown for at least a century… maybe much longer.

This appeared to me (but I am not a farmer) to be a really well organized 12 acre avocado farm just on the outskirts of Ibarra. The owner has returned to Loja.

The land feels isolated though it is only about 15 minutes from Ibarra.

To get to the farm you take a long winding road…

past a dairy.

The land looks rich.

Here is the entrance to the avocado farm.

the main house.

inside living room and…

kitchen.

with many cabinets.

The house is a modest two bedroom, one bathroom affair appearing in very good order

plus there is a helper’s house.

We did not go in the helper’s house as it is occupied.

There are very well kept gardens.

Here are both houses from the rear and…

the back garden.

Here, in front of the houses, is the fruit… the cash generator.

The avocados are flowering for their first crop.

Some more shots…

We are told they will offer a $50,000 a year income after two years… $25,000 potential this year. (Be sure to check this out as we are not avocado farmers so cannot discern the truth.)

Here are the early buds.

Behind the houses, I walked up the hill where they have an irrigation system collecting water for several holding ponds.

Along this system there are Naranjilla trees growing as a secondary crop.

This is the naranjilla.

Another secondary crop here is the chirimoya.

Chirimoya, is also called the cherimoya or custard apple. This is a rare exotic high priced fruit used to make sweets and desserts.

They are grown a lot in Spain but originate in subtropical zones such as Ecuador, Peru and Colombia.

Asking price with these two houses, land and crops is $260,000. I am not a farmer… do not know how to sell avocados, naranjilla or chirimoya and have written everything I know about the property here, so please if this property interests you, do your due diligence and contact the broker.. not me with your questions.

The broker on this is Paola Mena. Her telephone is 593 09804479

web site: www.bienesraicesimbabura.com

email: paolamena14@yahoo.es

I have had complaints that she does not answer her email often, so be persistent. The best bet is to get a Spanish speaking person to call her.

Since we are on the subject of avocados and naranjilla, here is a great recipe for avocado and naranjilla muffins.

The Avocado Naranjilla Muffin (substitute limes or sour orange if you cannot get naranjlla).

Cream:

* 2 sticks butter
* sweeten to taste
* 1 Cup wheat flour
* 1 Cup quinoa flour
* 4 Eggs

Blend (stiring clockwise).

* 2 avocados
* 1 tablespoon of Naranjilla juice

Stir avocado mash and the zest of the narnajilla into the creamed mixture.

Pour into a muffin tin and bake at 350 for 30 min.

Avocado Frosting

* 1 avocado
* 1 cup of powdered sugar
* 1/4 cup of butter

Mash the avocado and mix with the butter and powdered sugar.

This recipe was derived from an avocado lime cupcake recipe which you can read here

Until next message, make all your living be good in Ecuador or anywhere.

Gary

Join us in Ecuador at a 2009 course or tour.

Ecuador Coastal Real Estate Tour May 16-17. $499 Enroll here. $749 For a couple.

Imbabura-Cotacachi Real Estate Tour May 20-21. $499 Enroll here. $749 For a couple.

Ecuador Amazon Herbal Tour May 22-24. $399 Enroll here. $499 For a couple.