Ecke farming out his poinsettia crop
Saturday, November 17, 2007
It's Poinsettia Time
I dropped by the Ecke Ranch Friday morning and Paul Ecke III showed me the new crop and breeds. The live poinsettia wreath was impressive. It's hard to believe that next week is Thanksgiving and that it's already time to start giving poinsettias as gifts to friends and family. It seems like summer ended yesterday.
Ecke farming out his poinsettia crop
Ecke farming out his poinsettia crop
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No offense, J.P. But who cares about Ecke and his stupid flowers after what he attempted to do to screw the citzens of Encinitas. There are more important things than the Eckes.I wouldn't buy one of their stupid flowers ever again. I am curious about this ordinance stating the citizens can be arrested for disorderly conduct. What is that about?
ReplyDeleteDoes ecke still employee illegal aleins?
ReplyDeleteI think if you knew Paul, you would like him. I do. I also think their poinsettias are gorgeous!!!
ReplyDeleteBesides that hilarious campaign to try and convince the public that building houses on granted agricultural property was good for flowers, the Ecke Family has always been very giving our Community. I bet Paul wishes he didn't let the marketing people at his Real Estate Company talk him into that joke. I really appreciate all they have given us. Thanks.
I don't know if Ecke employ’s illegals, but I know I use day labors from time to time. I have more respect for them, then the ticks on society that receive all the welfare like, WIC, rent assistance, poor me and I'm to stupid to know how to live within my means grants, I’m useless and need food stamps for food for my kids program so I can spend my other welfare on smokes and lottery tickets, I so stupid I had a kid without being about to afford them, so give me more money program, the list go’s on and on.... I wish we could keep all the hard working day labors and deport all the complacent "American" ticks who are dependent on the many forms of Welfare. It a shame that Americans have become so complacent and the government have sold out the future of our county by the huge dept that continues to grow….
For those that live more than 40 years, you will see some huge changes in this country as the debt catches up to us and we are no longer the largest and healthiest economy in the world. I wish I had the cash that the Eckes have. The rest of us better get back to work, to support all the ticks in society.
Once again- thank you Eckes!
Perhaps long time Leucadian can go work for the Ecke's, unless he is already employed by them. Perhaps he is their P.R. agent. All I know is I won't ever again buy a Poinsettia knowing it comes from the Ecke's. Paul's grandfather was a great citizen. It didn't get passed down to Paul #3. If the privious blogger thinks so, then he and I know a different Paul.
ReplyDeleteOh to be a trust fund baby. How nice for Paul. Of course he can be generous. He didn't make the money.
ReplyDeletesorry cardiffian, but P3 is only guilty of presenting the community an opportunity to be heard. he heard and for now that's that.
ReplyDeletebut look at the photos of the poinsettias. this is a plant that is a rangy weed with a red flower before hybredization. the ecke family has deligently developed a well behaved flowering plant with a broad spectrum of available color that is loved world-wide.
their positive contributions to the city and floraculture industry are rightfully ledgendary.
the ecke ranch does not employ 100%american indians so i guess you could say that their employees are all illegal aliens or their decendents.
I have neve said that their grandfather wasn't a great man. HE WAS. I am saying that Paul 3, IMHO, has not contributed anything himself, but a lot of grief of Encinitas. Yes, he put a measure on the ballot. But do you have any idea how much staff and Council time we citizens had to pay before it got that far? Not to mention the money people put out to fight Prop. A. His greed put us in that position. So, yes he gives to some charities. If I had his money, so would I He can afford it, but not by his efforts. But by past members of a once great family. And personally for te record, I don;t like poinsettias anyway. They are also toxic to cats in case people didn't know that. And, no, that is not why I don't like them.
ReplyDeleteWhat a bunch of crybaby whiners!! Ecke had his chance, he gave you the opportunity of vote( he didn't need to do that) and has moved on with his life, I only wish you whiny losers could also. So you don't like him or his flowers, I doubt he cares less.
ReplyDeleteAre any of you the dominant backbone of any industry?? Not if you live in Cardiff. Cardiff does not have industry unless you count donuts and bad surf statues as industry and I don't....
Leave the man and his family in peace. Find something else to whine about while sucking down another cup of over price, shade grown, organic, fair trade/labor coffee as you put out another cigarette on the sidewalk. How ironic you won't drink coffee that isn't PC but you smoke cigbutts that come from 3rd world countries with a tobacco picked by illiterate farm hands that live in leantos.
Crybaby whiners!!!
No one has answered the question that Cardiffian asked about the ordinance for disorderly conduct. Does anyone know more about this? This is mre pressing, in my view, that whatever is going on with the Ecke's Dr. Lorri brought it up, maybe she knows more.
ReplyDeleteProp A was about giving the Eckes another huge windfall at the public's expense.
ReplyDeleteWas the Prop A vote Ecke's choice? That was their decision?
The Prop A advisory vote was all about the Coastal Commission. The Eckes needed to be able to tell the Coastal Commission that the public was behind the Eckes breaking their promises and that the public thought they were getting a significant public benefit.
The way it went down, asking for the rezone was obnoxious. A lot of residents had to put in a lot of their own money to make sure that the Ecke's marketing campaign didn't push out the opposition voices. The Eckes didn't just ask, they fought the residents of Encinitas and the fight was not fair, open, or honest.
Anybody remember the free lunches the Eckes were giving away?
I think Gil mischaracterizes the wild poinsettia as a "rangy weed." I have seen it growing in its native Mexico at Christmas time. It makes quite a spectaclar very large, spreading shrub. There is no way it could be called "weedy." I've seen it wild in the Taxco/Ixtapan de la Sal area southwest of Mexico City and on down to the Oaxaca area. The Mexicans appreciated the plant long before Joel Poinsett brought it to the US.
ReplyDeletePaul Ecke Sr. and Jr. deserve credit for commercializing the plant and developing suitable varieties for use as a pot plant. I knew them both. I still miss the old displays of the "weedy" varieties blooming in gardens at Christmas time. There are still some of the the old shrubs growing in the older areas of San Diego.
Let's not forget that the Eckes and other growers use plant growth regulators to make the compact plant to fit in the pot. It is beautiful, but it isn't 100% natural.
I thought Paul said that he could not grow Poinsettias, or any flowers profitably in Encinitas during the Prop A campaign.
ReplyDeleteHe must be working for nothing.
Gil,
ReplyDeleteMost Diegueno descendants are American citizens. Most local illegal immigrants come from central and southern Mexico and Guatemala. They are not related to the local prehistory residents such as the Diegueno.
Are u suggesting that Ecke, Brown, or you seek out the Diegueno descendants and give them their land back? Are you only willing to take your arguments as far as it benefits you like when immigrants are exploited to carry out low skilled work at low rates and no benefits?
Are all your employees here legally? Do they all have health insurance?
Gil, the way the mayor's "be quiet and get out or we'll have you arrested" ordinance is written can give the deputies the authority to stop people from going into meetings at city hall or other buildings. The rest of the ordinance is worst for anyone exercising their rights to attend a public meeting. The deputy can then cite them with another penal code violation which is interference with a peace officer and the performance of their duty if there is a refusal to leave.
ReplyDeleteBesides city council meetings, the proposed ordinance will now include board, commission, and committee meetings.
Whether or not the arrests hold up in court is an after the fact situation.
It takes money to fight the city in the courts system over an illegal ordinance. It takes large amounts of money to fight the county on a penal code violation. Remember, goverment is using tax dollars which appears to be a bottomless pot of money.
Protest to the "boys" about the ordinance. Demand that they rescind ordinance 2007-13. Protest to all the council members.
In October, the Community Resource Center honored Paul Ecke III and his family for their contributions to the community. That fundraiser raised over $250,000 for the CRC that helps the homeless and victims of domestic violence.
ReplyDeletePaul also donated all of his blooming spring plants to the CRC in April, which raised something like $20,000.
I guess that is something...let's hear what others have done lately.
Prop A was defeated, why is everyone so bitter?
ReplyDeleteThe Ecke Ranch no longer grows the stock poinsettias that you buy in stores. The Eckes only grow the cuttings that they sell to other growers and do R&D of the new strains there. They are now growing geraniums too.
Too the people who hate wealth and the people that put in alot of work to defeat Prop A-
ReplyDeleteFirst to people who put in the hours to defeat Prop A- A HUGE Thank YOU!
Secondly to those that hate Paul because he was born into wealth, get over it. My God, if you ever thought God dealt a fair deal to humans, your flat out nuts. It’s not Paul’s fault he was born into money. He is actually a nice guy if you get to know him. I wish I was born into money, but I wasn't so I work hard to support my family. If any generations of mind end up trust fund babies, I hope they end up as normal as Paul III. I grew up with a hand full of trust fund babies and they all turned out depressed in life. It not easy to motivate when your family gives you everything to begin your life. Give the guy a break until you personally meet him, then you can judge him.
I know he is a guy who cares about Leucadia and does more for Leucadia than 98% of Leucadians. Sure he made a bad call for that “houses for flowers” thing, but so what. If you had David Meyers as a brother in law, you would probably get talked into doing stupid ass shit too. That is the dude that is wacked! David Meyers is a FREAK…..So to those screamers that say they don’t like Paul III, if you personally know him and don’t like him. OK….. For the rest of you, get involved in Leucadia like Paul is and you will soon be able to decide what kind of person Paul is.
Paul III- I know a lot of Encinitas residents are thankful for all you and your family have given all of Encinitas. If you can just get David Meyers to move to Northern CA, you would be a super hero! Cheer Bra and keep up your pressure to council to better Leucadia!
HOW IS THAT CARDIFF BLOG COMING ALONG???
ReplyDeleteThere are many people in this town who give a greater percentage of their disposable income than the Eckes.
ReplyDeleteWhen you are that rich it is very easy to give bulk amounts to charity especially when you turn around and market yourself to the public as a great philanthropist who is owed something from the community. It is an nice investment, but it is not a gift if something is expected in return. Prop A matters to this day because people discovered that the new generation of Eckes believes everyone in this city owes them something.
Don't forget that the Eckes got rich off flowers and got really really rich as developers and somehow they got away with crying poor during Prop A.
The Eckes stood in the way of incorporation for a very long time. They knew an incorporated city would be less likely to give them free rein when upzoning their low tax ag land. The city got short shafted because of this. For many years the city was sending more of its taxes to the county government and not seeing it return in the form of infrastructure. Had we incorporated earlier we would have infrastructure like Carlsbad . We would have many large sport complexes.
The Eckes give but the also take.
Excellent Point. Considering all the whining coming from Cardiffian.... Although, I actually like that all of Encinitas reads the Leucadian Blog, Its about time Council started appreciating Leucadia. Although we try to be laid back, behind the composer district; Leucadia has the wealthest property and we have many more wealth properties.... Soooooo- what that means is Leucadia pay the most property taxes to the City and receive the least amount of benefit.
ReplyDeleteThe City has just started investing in Leucadia. Its a start and they better continue for 10 years to make up for the neglect. If not we will go the Lafco and take golf course and the Shopping mall and live on our own means.
i love this blog, what a gas!
ReplyDeletei was talking about the bigger picture. about the illegal aliens that came over starting with the mayflower. (sailing vessal not a flower that blooms in may) did they all have to fill out papers with the various local tribes before landing? i wonder if they disclosed the fact they were bringing their friends smallpox and syphilis. i must have missed that in the history books.
for the most part "wild points" miss christmas in mexico. do survive all year but bloom late and are sprawling because they're a leaner.
the cats that are killed by points are either very dumb cats or housebound with owners that don't provide them grass for their diet. points don't taste very good.
yes, all my employees are here legally, or so their papers say. no, i do not provide health insurance, nor do i have any. i do have the VA, thank goodness.
yes, there was cost associated with beating Prop A. no one said democracy was cheap. i thought the fight was fair thanks to the precinct walkers and Jim Kidd, bless them.
free lunch? i didn't get invited to no free lunch. i love a free lunch.
you may not be able to grow profitably in encinitas, but you can hybridize here and produce off-shore. The Ranch is branching out into geraniums now and that is kind of exciting. geraniums have always done well here.
i like P3. works hard. cares about his family. shares his wealth. what's not to like. don't always agree with him but do like and respect him.
100% natural. have no clue how to respond. most of the varieties of food on the shelf are the result of years of hybridization and cultivation manipulation, unless you only eat heirloom vegetables, "wild game" animals and road kill.
i haven't gone to look but the ordinance is probably on-line at City's website.
typical long winded gil blog. sorry.
signing off for today. blog on.
I just red Gil's post from 1:03 and had to comment. You are an idiot and you think any first grader would buy into your illogical reasoning. Because we are not American indians we are illegal aliens. Gil, stay out of Encinitas and haunt elfin forest where you live. Leave the rest of us alone. What an idiot you are.
ReplyDeleteIs there anything that Paul III can do now to make amends?
ReplyDeleteGranted, he put something to a vote. But he technically did not have to. He lost. He has not tried any kind of "end around" moves to develop his property.
So what should he do now?
Why do anything! No need... Eckes and everyone else except Jerome Stocks (sponsored by Building Industries of America) knows that any up zoning in Encinitas will be strongly opposed by the 20,000 voting residents.
ReplyDeleteJerome is a JACKASS!!!.... and I hope he loses this next election. Let him focus on selling used cars or insurance or whatever the hell he sells to the suckers....
Man it sucks that we have an insurance salesman as a councilperson!
Poinsettias DO NOT KILL CATS, coyotes kill cats!!!
ReplyDeleteJen and anon 748,
ReplyDeleteThe Ecke family can make amends. They can end the campaign support for people like Jerome Stocks. They should probably sit out a few elections.
The Ecke family are developers and they put a lot of energy and money into supporting the same candidates getting the support of people like Doug Harwood and Barratt American.
The city is in a crappy situation because we have a terrible city council. That council got elected over better candidates because Ecke helped them get elected. That will haunt us all for decades.
Poinsettias are technically toxic non-natives. I wonder what the new Invasive/Toxic species committee will have to say about them?
ReplyDeletePoinsettia blooming is triggered by short days. They naturally bloom in the wild in Mexico and in gardens in San Diego around December 25. They are at their peak in the end of December and the beginning of January.
ReplyDeleteHowever, if you want to produce blooming plants for the prime marketing days in November and in December before Dec. 25, the plants have to be put under black cloth to trigger the natural blooming earlier. Nothing wrong with this, but it's not natural. Neither is spraying the plants with chemicals to stunt their growth so they make a nice compact pot for the home. I don't think the writer suggested anything about hybridization, which can occur naturally.
I got the free lunch from the Eckes, along with hundreds of others. Of course, I had to take the greenhouse tour first. It was part of the Ecke campaign for Prop. A. The invitation came in the mail. Perhaps Gil didn't get it because he doesn't live in the city.
One of you smart people better the the American Veterinary Medical Association that poinsettias are not toxic to cats. They still have the illusion that they are. They must feel pretty stupid.
ReplyDeleteactually the days of black cloth for poinsettia ended long ago. starting with P3's "freedom" variety production became possible for almost any nursery anywhere with minimal chemical regulation with saleable product starting around thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteevery village needs an "idiot". until someone else steps up to bat i guess i will have do the honors here. don't depend on the first graders to shoot holes in my positions, they are smarter than you think.
my mailing address has been cardiff for 32 years. there were other reasons for the non-invite.
folks, i try to add a bit of dry humor to this blog so that everyone doesn't fester and rot.
How do people know how much other people have? I am confused - some bloggers seem to have a lot of inside information about the Eckes and others (who reportably donate more as a % of income than the Eckes). Is there a source of all this finacial info, or are people guessing? Just asking.
ReplyDeleteQuija boards.
ReplyDeletePersonally I use Tarot Cards.
ReplyDeletePaul Ecke I,II and III have all been great assets to our community. We should be grateful.
ReplyDeleteGil, What happened to the plants? Half the plants are gone and the land is bare.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Athena-
ReplyDeleteLets give the Eckes a chance to prove they love Encinitas.
If they do, they will support candidates that will defeat Jerome Stocks.
If they support Jerome Stocks in the next election, its clear they are all about maximizing profit by maximizing rezoning at the public expense. If they support Jerome, its clear they don't give a shit about Encinitas.
We will be watching the contribution lists and keep reporting.
JUST SAY NO to supporting any Building Industry lap dogs!