Leaderboard

Last Saturday was the most gorgeous day of the year so far here. My husband and I drove over to Eco Park for the semi-annual Cape Coral tropical plant sale. We came home with three palms and went to work preparing planting beds for them. I took these photos not long after sunup today. In the back yard: Livistona mariae. This palm looks a bit stretched out but it is about 7-8' tall and should provide some shade for our D. carlsmithii. Trunk and fronds Livistona jenkinsiana. The fronds remind me of a Licuala but this should be much hardier. Trunk and fronds We also planted our little redneck palm near its teddybear coustin. I will post its photo in another topic.

This long awaited sale begins tomorrow, in a new location with a great selection of palms and cycads. After setting up for the sale during today and yesterday, I can say it is becoming quite the event. Thursday found us setting up amongst a few vendors who got to the center before us. It is always interesting when you are in a new location, since you have to start from scratch. All the former layouts, booth plans, and ideas all have to junked in exchange for all new ones. Friday was quite different, and I will post photos of the day's events. If you can make it down to this great garden, come by booth #57 and say hello. Jeff and I are always on the lookout for forum members. Ryan

Here's the seed still attached and the new leaf coming up. It will have shade for another twenty minutes or so and the rest of the day in full sun. This particular seed is in an area that gets watered three times a week. The orange PVC pipe in the lower left hand corner is the location of this seed. It has a lot of room for growth, sun all day and no chance of "eating my house" like bubba said! Thanks again, Kris. Peter

Hi Ryan, I went to Montgomery Botanical Center the last time I was in Miami...it was just beautiful. Your palms are always a delight to see and thanks for the post. It makes me feel like I was there and part of the sale. Good luck to you, Peter

Gileno, Fascinating! Thanks a lot for the update, had no idea! But then again, I don't really make it my business to keep up with these things! Would have been a nice touch if they could have just waited a few weeks and joined us in Rio next month for the Biennial! Bo-Göran

- 8:23AM: The center of the booth, with a Heterospathe cagayanensis on the right in the 10 gallon. - Across from the tables... - ...and the tables themselves, with various one gallon palms and cycads. - The very back of the booth, looking towards the front, through the familiar white tent. That tent has many miles on it for sure. Ryan

A Washie is a rodent?

Just be happy that yu can't hear me pronounce some of the latin names of palms. I'm always being corrected. At least he tries instead of using all the weird California "nick names" that we here in Florida roll our eyes about.

Dean - an interesting historical accounting of where the term "stumphead" derived from. Actually I have always been curious how that "classification" came about. Ron.

The Calyptrocalyx elegans will grow to about 8 ft. in height, while tolerating full sun, a rare and perfect choice for this particular use. The emergent red leaf will enhance our enjoyment of the plantings. Here they are, all in a low berm: Turns out, 18 little palms is all we can manage for the day. Phew! Time for a mai tai. A look at some of the native ohi'a trees on the property... Through a vivid green Clinostigma...

Please also post these on the new ICS site. New Site for the International Croton Society HERE with a new Gallery HERE, and an area for Unknown Cultivar IDs HERE

Man is it hot! I have a three day weekend to get these 34 crotons in the ground. I am encountering alot of rock. Regretting that I did not road trip to Tampa today, big plant sale at the University of Florida. The International Croton Society has a booth to raise funds. Alot of rare, unusual and hard to find cultivars were donated by their members for sale in the booth. Crotons have recently had a big resurgency in popularity. Despite the scale outbreak, crotons are being sought after and nurseries that specialize in them have realized a jump in sales. Back to work! Ron.

Yeah! Hope you enjoyed the photos. The last pictures: "Yellow Petra" Ron. *

"Waterfall"

"Van Buren"

"Twist and Point"

"Rudy Bachman"

"Pride of Winter Haven"

"Maximum" this is the Giant Leaf Form of Bender #2. Monster leaves on this cultivar.

"Gloriosa"

"Dayspring"

"Christian's Landscape"

This is "Baron Rothschild"

Andy - I use Palm Special #7216 12-04-12 from AFEC, Atlantic Fertilizer & Chemical Company 18375 S.W. 260th Street Homestead, FL 33090-1488 You are in North Palm Beach. Try to Private Message pdleft. Her name is Betty and is the President of the Palm Beach Palm & Cycad Society. She is a friend and can recommend where to get a palm special fertilizer that is closer to you. You could also network with members up there that are familar with your growing conditions and can give you valuable tips. There are some great growers and Palm Beach Palm & Cycad Society members that are friends and will be very helpful to you. Best regards, Ron. <H3 style="FONT-SIZE: 20px"> </H3>

Ryan, Thank you for the photo journal. I appreciate the photos and the descriptions, which are always first rate, a lot. It is an opportunity to see plants to which I may not be normally exposed to. Heck, it just means more for the wish list. To those in distant lands, it is nice the way you always indicate who the forum members are. So if we meet at a biennial, or some other function there can always be that early recognition. Thanks again on a job well done. I'm looking forward to the next episode. Robert

The first spring sale of the South Florida Palm Society at Montgomery Botanical Center, was a resounding success. I had a great time, so did many others. It was the first of many more wonderful palm events to take place at the center. The tour was the icing on the cake. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, never have so many palms, been shopped over and visted by so many, in so little time. Plans involving the fall society sale are still up in the air, so we will have to wait and see. For what ever is decided, I believe that Montgomery B. Center will always be on top of the list. Customers, vendors, and board members all had great ideas on how to improve the sale. With this much support, future society sales and events can only get better. The Friday night presale and members event was a fantastic idea. It was a pleasant, comfortable, and unique experience for myself, both as a vendor and as a customer. It should take place again, and it will definitely catch on with palm fanatics everywhere. Some sort of additional lighting would be beneficial, but then again, many of the die-hards had brought flashlights. The last four photos I took of the sale are below. I look forward to attending the next sale, it will be here in no time...as they always seem to do. - With the tour over, we all returned to the sales area, including our canine visitors. Patrick took on another load of customers, and was off again. When I walked towards the tour staging area, I noticed a familiar scene. An easel, complete with canvas and paint, set up to receive an artist's intent to recreate an image. This was a work-in-progress belonging to vendor #84, artist and Forum member Linda Apriletti (Linda Apriletti). She often paints at the sales, along with displaying and selling her artwork. The shot is focused on the painting, so don't strain your eyes. You can see the Sabal palm and tree in the distance posing for the artwork. - The form takes shape with several brush strokes, one right after another. Linda Apriletti puts brush to canvas as I photograph her in action. A few other customers had also gathered to watch her paint. I forgot to ask how much she had left to do, in order to complete it. - Time had now reached two minutes till 3:00 PM, and the sale was winding down. You could still hear customers making last minute decisions among the booths. When you see someone pull two plants to one side, then stand there staring at them, you know they have to make a tough choice. I went back to the food tent to get a drink, and stopped to snap a shot of SFPS Vice-President and Forum member John Demott (Redland). - Sale had been over for a few minutes now, and we had begun to break down the booth. Like many sales before, a well-planned 'ballet' of sorts ensues with the arrival of vendor trucks and vehicles. They come in single fashion, in order from booth to booth. This way we can all be packing up at almost the same time. We were grouping plants by size to get them ready for the truck and trailer. It is still amazing to me, after all these years, how fast these sales pass on by. The South Florida Palm Society will be holding another long anticipated Garden Tour this coming Saturday, April 7th. It will begin at 10:00 AM, and has been planned to allow people to visit excellent palm collections of Miami-Dade county. The tour will include lunch, and a selection of palms for auction. To sign up for the tour and/or get more information, please contact board member Jeff Chait. Send me a private message if you need his number. Ryan

- The tour, and the day for that matter, was coming to a close. It had been a great sale, and a wonderful time touring the center. As Patrick made some final twists and turns returning us to the sales area, we came across a dramatic geological feature unique to Montgomery B. Center, and Miami-Dade county. Running through most of the property, is this exposed limestone ridge, called the Silver Bluff Escarpment. It is comprised of oolitic limestone, and is part of a larger limestone system called the Miami Formation. Although this system, and most of the ridge runs through the county, it is most pronounced and visible in only a few locations. The Escarpment is about 150,000 years old, and marks the location of an ancient shoreline during the late Pleistocene epoch. - The drive got us very close to sections of the Escarpment, including this one part. Various tree species do their best to dig into the top of the ridge. That partially hollowed out area in the lower right of the photo, was an ancient sea cave long ago. - An area of interest along the Escarpment included this one depression, which might have included a coastline feature long ago, such as a cave or inlet. Today, it is occupied by a healthy Gumbo Limbo, (Bursera simaruba) and a couple of Coccothrinax. - The end of the tour was upon us, and we were talking amongst ourselves on the golf cart. We were relishing in what we had seen, and what we each thought was the biggest surprise of the tour. One last group of palms to temp the customers' cameras were these young but impressive Pseudophoenix vinifera. Ryan

- Heading further towards the back of the center, we drove over a land bridge separating two tidal lakes. These bodies of water are connected to the sea by way of small canals, and exhibit changes in depth according to the tides. I photographed the one on my side of the golf cart. If it was just a bit calmer, with no wind, I would have had a mirrored reflection in the water. - I turned around as we were moving, and took this shot over my shoulder. Same lake, different angle. - Near the extreme edge of the property, was a collection of a Borassus species. The cart was moving so I couldn't get the entire tree in the picture. The palm was almost to the point where it would produce trunk, or what I like to call "going vertical". The natural brush line in the background is the edge of the center. - We left the edge of the property and made our way back to the starting point of the tour, back at the sales area. In a split second decision, I spun my camera around to capture this one Bactris sp. as Patrick continued guiding us through the Montgomery B. Center. Ryan

- The tour continues, and we made our way to Nell's House via a short drive through a shaded area. Sitting all by itself, was this one Kentia Palm, Howea forsteriana. This species always has a great following, and many customers always ask for it. If it grew faster, it would be even more popular. - At 2:07 PM, the tour reached a highpoint by reaching the original Montgomery Home, now called Nell's House. The house dates back to the early 1930's and looks the same way it did back then. The house now serves as offices for the center, and contains the Montgomery Archive. I took advantage of the stop, to get off and take some shots. This is the rear of the house. All the dogs seemed to enjoy the tour as well. - In the same spot I took the above photo, I turned 180 degrees around and shot this one. This is the view looking out the back of the house. It creates a pleasing sensation just to look down the field, with the palms on both sides, illuminated with the near midday sun. Does it inspire you to work more on your yard? Hmm... You can see the grass trails left by all the previous tours that weekend. - I jumped back on board, and we were off again. We made new tracks in the grass, as we followed the vista towards the back of the center. These giant Pseudophoenix vinifera were the most talked-about palms by those who took the tour before I did. We made a slow half-circle around this section, gawking and making strange noises while staring at these perfect palms. I got flashbacks from seeing the massive ones in the Dominican Republic. A few of the trees were mature, and were in different stages of production. The palm in the right of the picture, is Corypha utan. Not a shabby plant either. Ryan

- Every section of the tour was more impressive than the last, many of these palms were full size, mature specimens. We were moving at a good pace, and I snapped away. Here is another grouping of those ultra-rare Corypha taliera, with a large one in the center of the photo. The far right edge of a Princess Palm (Dictyosperma album) grouping can be seen on the left. Almost every where you look, there is a palm to gaze at. - Within a span of a second, and the wheel-length of the golf cart, we moved in front of the Princess Palm, Dictyosperma album, cluster. They are great palms, and have been in cultivation for such a long time. Each palm has a compliment of newly-shown spathes, just ready to throw out inflorescences. One of the major pathways through the center can be seen. We didn't follow any set path, we just meandered through looking for palms and enjoying the grounds of the center. Patrick did a great job showing us the majority of the 120-acres of the center in great detail. - Here is a shot from my backyard...just kidding It would be great it was part of my yard, but it is not. This is a passing shot of one pathway we crossed as we headed towards the interior of the center. This ancient Gumbo Limbo, (Bursera simaruba) leans over the path, growing outwards into more light. I do not know how long it has been there, but nonetheless a long time. It might even be an original member of the grounds, since it is a native. - One of the biggest surprises for me by far, was the discovery of this selection of Haitian Oil Palms, Attalea crassispatha. From when I was at the center last, about fourteen years ago, I didn't remember seeing them. And I did not know there were such large specimens outside Hispaniola. A treat for the eyes and camera. Here is a close-up of the leafbases, with larger plants in behind. Ryan

- We continue along the Palm Walk, making our way into the interior of the center. This Phoenix sp. is another participant in a 'drive-by' shooting. - A very popular species among collectors, Sabal mauritiiformis specimens occupy this one corner of the Palm Walk. There are larger individuals in the center, but like always, I shoot first ask questions later. - While brightly lit by the afternoon 1:58 PM sun, we arrived at this very colorful group of Bismarckia nobilis. They were all robust, and had great color. Even though a very popular palm in South Florida, it is still nice to see them at the center. - One of the female Bismarck's had a full infructescence, so I took an additional close-up of it. Those branching palms to the right, were some more Hyphaene thebaica. Ryan

It was $175.00. Ryan

- While I was looking among Scott Cohen's plants, I looked across the aisle and noticed that SFPS Show Chairman and vendor #80 Tim McKernan was in his booth at the moment. I had been trying all weekend to get a photo of him next to his award winning Pseudophoenix vinifera. With all the duties of a show chairman, he was quite busy most of the weekend. His palm won Most Unusual Palm, and why I wasn't sure why it was so unusual, it was still a well grown palm in all respects. - An additional angle including the entire palm. It was for sale as well, if anyone was interested. - I went back into Scott Cohen's (#88) booth to photograph this one remaining Coccothrinax macroglossa. It had excellent leaf base fiber and glaucous leaf undersides. The palm was very large for the pot it was in, so it was more than ready to go into the ground. It was old enough to begin flowering, an amazing feat for any species of containerized Coccothrinax sp. - A larger view, showing the entire palm and pot. It was the perfect "grab 'n go" size for collectors. By the end of the day, I do remember it leaving on someone's cart. Ryan

- In front of the register tent, next to the entrance, a very informative display was setup to inform customers to a new potential threat. Entomologist Amy Roda Ph.D. had come on behalf of the USDA to tell people about the red palm mite. This small pest is working its way through the Caribbean on its way to Florida. Amy was one of the speakers who gave a presentation at the 'Everything Palms' workshop that took place a few weeks ago up in Broward co. She is not sure when a red palm mite infestation will occur in Florida, or to what kind of damage it will do. We will have to keep our fingers crossed. - A warming photo for those of you who are in a less than tropical climate. The weather was again perfect for the second day of the sale. Another interesting photo taken when my camera had been borrowed. - The sale is now at its peak for Sunday morning. At 10:30 AM, long time multi-society member and grower Dale Holton arrived at the sale and spent time visiting. He spent a while in the booth talking with Jeff Searle. Both Jeff and myself have known Dale for a long time. He is often a vendor at many of the palm sales. - Another specimen of a 'Ayanishiki' variegated Lady Palm, Rhapis excelsa, (Kannonchiku). It is a very detailed cultivar, and its popularity is increasing. This individual was for sale in vendor #88 Scott Cohen's booth. Ryan

- Volunteering his time in the holding area, vendor #66 Ron Croci acts as a security guard. Not holding the bulk of excitement, but this post is still important to the sale. Many customers take numerous trips to and from the holding area. There is only so much room on a cart. - Across from the holding area, I had gotten Steve Stern (#35) to pose next to his collection of Kerriodoxa elegans. One of his larger Red Sealing Wax Palms, Cyrtostachys renda, can be seen in the far right of the photo. - A large specimen of Lytocaryum weddellianum is used to sell the smaller ones beneath it. The larger one is holding a single seed on its inflorescence. The camera's flash shines on the silvery underside, a feature commonly gone unnoticed. - SFPS President, vendor #4, and Forum member Bill Olson (Bill Olson) rests for a second talking with plant valet Travis Searle. Ryan

- An all wrapped and ready-to-go Blue Latan Palm, Latania loddigesii. All you need is a way to get it home, and some help in moving it. - At 1:56 PM, a steady crowd moves through the sale, going to and fro the different booths. The weather was absolutely perfect, the entire day and weekend. The setting of the sale was memorable. - Using his favorite toy to load palms on a trailer, vendor #31 Albert Livingston demonstrates his high aptitude for using a backhoe. He uses this machine constantly, even if just to move one small tree. He has had it as long as I have known him, and he rents his services to customers who need work done. These two triple Cuban Royals, Roystonea regia, were just purchased and on their way to a homeowners' landscape. - Albert gives a thumbs-up as he turns his backhoe to pick up another palm. He loaded that trailer with a few more plants before he was done. Ryan

Well if you had made the trip you would have been welcomed to the sale with fun times and great palms. You know just about everyone, since they are the same vendors from the last sale you visited. For when-ever and where-ever Palmfest 2007 will be, try to come out and see us then. Ryan

- After talking with Chuck Grieneisen for a short while, I continued around the bend in the aisle and came to his neighbor, vendors #66 Ronnie & Ron Croci. They have been in the business for a while now, even though I can still remember their first sale years ago. Every year, their selection gets better and larger. They have one of the "must visit" booths of the sale when it comes to early morning shopping. - I took a quick second shot to show the Pseudophoenix vinifera, Ron Croci was sitting in front of. You can see their booth had thinned out a bit. It was full just a few hours earlier. - After receiving the ribbon for his award-winning Wallichia densiflora, vendor #71 and Forum member Bob Johnson (Bob Johnson) poses again in front of my camera. It had won the award for Best Grown Palm, and it was flawless. Another newer vendor, Rick Johnson (#99) can be seen in the background towards the left. - One of the original all-time vendors, #25 Carol Graf works on her inventory list while seated in front of her booth. She was lucky to get one of the first booths near the entrance to the sale. Ryan

Hey Brad, welcome to the Forum and glad all your palms made the trip back in great shape. They look very well for such a long trip. It was a pleasure to have met you, and hope to see you at future events. Ryan

Ryan, Thank you so much for all these pictures. I am always so busy running around making sure things are working that I never get to see the people enjoying the sale as it is happening. You are absolutely right about this sale exceeding expectations. I was predicting about half the number of people we got, and about 60% of of final sales totals. What a nice surprise to see that we could make this as good as any other sale on the very first try in MBC. If this becomes an annual event I promise it will get better. Bill Olson

- Many of the early bird customers, who had searched the sales area in the morning, had begun to compile their palms together. One such customer had retained the services of transporter Travis Searle (Paintball Guy) to get them to the cash register, then onto their car. - The flow of customers had increased by this point, and passes even my expectations for this sale. I was relieved and surprised to see the amount of people coming to visit the center. Arriving at the sale at 10:11 AM, for which he is a vendor at, is vendor #88 Scott Cohen stopping by the booth to talk with Jeff Searle and myself. - The booth got particularly crowded at this point so I shot across the tent to capture customers perusing the smaller palms on the tables. - During the Friday-night pre-sale, five awards were handed out to vendors who had put palms in the show. Two of those awards went to Jeff Searle, for both of the palms he entered. The palm on the left, Licuala sp. 'Togu Budo' won Rarest Palm and the award of Best Overall went to the Dypsis onilahensis. Ryan

- The time now at the sale is 8:52 AM, and many customers have arrived and are looking around the sales area. The registers were not open yet, but without charging admission, it was hard to keep them from coming in. Most didn't mind, as long as they remembered where their favorite palm was before someone else got it. One such customer, wondered into my shot of these Kentiopsis oliviformis in front of Ron Croci's (#66) booth. He had numerous sizes of this popular species for sale. - Many years ago, taking photos as a kid, I took a simular shot to this one and entered it in a contest at school and won. I took it at Flamingo Gardens during one of the Broward County Society sales years ago. I just happened upon this Chambeyronia macrocarpa in the booth of Ron Croci (#66), and took the simular shot with the morning sun in behind. - Almost every Chambeyronia macrocarpa that vendor Ron Croci (#66) had brought had a new red emergent leaf. I gathered them all up and posed them for this photo. The range of the color red that appears is quite amazing. - Also featured in the booth of Ron Croci (#66) was this well-grown group of Pelagodoxa henryana. Ronnie Croci, Ron's son, stated that some of them might be the narrow leaf form, as he got some seed in a while back. Ryan

- Anyone remember the Dominican Republic? Well if you do, and you know the star palm of that trip, you know this palm species. Steve Stern, vendor #35, brought a pair of Pseudophoenix ekmanii to the sale. You had two sizes to choose from, but only one of each. On the right side of the photo, a petiole from a Snake Skin Palm (Caryota ophiopellis) can be seen as well. - Directly across from Steve Stern's booth, was this robust cycad sitting out near the aisle. It is a very old, Encephalartos eugene-marasii, and had an even price of $3000.00. - My tour of cycads continue into vendor #91 Jody Haynes' booth. He had plenty of large specimens including this recently-flushing Encephalartos hildebrandtii. He mentioned that many of this Encephalartos species are faster than people realize. - On closer examination, you can see the bright color on the new fronds as they are emerging. With a little backlight from the sun, it is a very nice color. E. hildebrandtii has been in cultivation for some time, and it is easy to see why. Ryan

It was great idea to have this pre-sale party, and I wish more people had known about it and came. Future events can only get larger and more popular with time. I had a great time photographing and viewing this event in an uncommon, but pleasant fashion. It was a great preamble to the first palm sale at Montgomery, and it opened the door to many more to come. - SFPS Show Chairman and vendor #80, Tim McKernan acts surprised as I took his picture. He had just opened a bottle of champaigne and began to pour it for members of the SFPS Board. - Champagne anyone? Take a glass. - The recipients of the champagne, the South Florida Palm Society Board of Directors, the very people that make the society happen. There are more board members than are pictured here, but it was just luck on my part to get all these when I did. From left to right: Show Chairman, Palm Report newsletter editor and vendor #80 Tim McKernan; Board member and Palm Report newsletter editor Dr. Jeff Chait; Board member and Palm Report newsletter editor Sandra Farwell; Vice-President and Forum member John Demott (Redland); board member and vendor #35 Steve Stern; board member, artist, and vendor #84 Linda Apriletti; board member Lenny Goldstein; and vendor #4, el Presidente himself, Bill Olsen. - The alcohol is flowing quite well at this point, and many people are enjoying the company of other members. The bottles of booze can be seen on the table, I forgot to ask on the following morning how much was left over. I forgot about two other photos taken at the end of Friday... Ryan

- At this point, it had been a few hours into the pre-sale event and the sun was going down fast. Members were shopping while some vendors were setting up their booths. - It didn't take long, but daylight had left in a hurry. The main areas had lighting, but some die-hards were shopping by flashlight. One in particular, Ray Gompf, can be seen in the lower right corner looking over seedlings, flashlight in hand. With such a dark background, I couldn't resist a flash photo of the Kerriodoxa elegans. The leaf undersides just glow. - Working my way back to the crowd, I spotted these Dictyosperma album var. furfuraceum in vendor #16, Mike Harris's booth. Those persistent reins connecting the leaflets together are quite unique. - Getting that one last palm before leaving for the evening was Forum member William DeBoe (PiousPalms). He took home one of the first Dypsis sp. 'Pink Crownshaft' 3 gallons we had in the booth. He is quite the enthusiast and it was great to had met him. Ryan

- The sun begins to set, and the last few rays of sunlight reach the top of this huge Encephalartos kisambo. It was one of many featured cycads in the booth of Jody Haynes, vendor #91. The row of coconut palm varieties can be see to the left belonging to Dave & Shirley Romney (#33). - Vendors and pre-sale customers begin to gather around the refreshments as they were being prepared under the tent. There were hors d’œuvres, desserts, and plenty of other treats that guests had brought with them. There was one salmon spread that I could not get enough of. To wash it all down, there was a nearly endless supply of beverages, wine, and liquor. To be able to shop for palms, with great food and drink, was incredible with Montgomery B. Center as a backdrop. - Sharing in the members only event was John Corrigan, Ziggy Mayotte and vendor #26 Susan Casey. These are all great people I have known for years, and it is an event in itself just to see them all again. - M. Patrick Griffith, Ph.D., Executive Director of Montgomery Botanical Center, joins in and tries some of that salmon spread I liked so much. Ryan

- The sun begins to go down at this point, and decided to do a little shopping of my own. Across the aisle held this great looking group of Copernicia ekmanii. - Two of the most noticable of palm people, collector Ray Gompf and vendor #33 Dave Romney. - For what was a good idea at the moment; vendor (#16) and Forum member Mike Harris (Caribbean Palms) tries to pound a wooden stake into the solid rock pathway of the original Old Cutler road. He didn't make much headway. - Artist and vendor #84 Linda Apriletti gets in some shopping time just as the evenings' festivities began. Ryan

Ryan, Livingston's Bottle palms are bodacious. Are those field grown and then transplanted!

- The last batch of photos from Thursday just before we left to get ready for Friday. I took this photo to show this interesting path in the middle of the sales area. Most people do not know, but this unmarked dirt road is actually the original Old Cutler Road. Col. Montgomery did not like the traffic going by just in front of his house, so he moved the road about 30 yards to the west one day and its been there ever since. - The back gate of Montgomery B. Center where the sales area is located. It has since been covered with signs and was found quite easily by customers Friday night and Saturday. Ryan

- Images from setup on Thursday, March 8th. Jeff and I had set up about 80% of the booth at this point, with more palms on the way down on Friday. It took a while to layout the tables, as this is a brand new arena for us. This photo shows the front of the booth from the aisle. - A view of the next booth across from the aisle belonging to vendors #33, Dave & Shirley Romney. Rows of coconut varieties await customers and their questions. - The back of Jeff Searle's booth, showing many of the full sun palms and cycads for sale. - Obvious from even great distances, the unmistakable large material put on display by Albert Livingston, vendor #31. Bring a large trailer. Ryan