SIMI MAN HOPES PASSION FOR EXOTIC FRUITS WILL GERMINATE WITH OTHERS.Byline: Carolyn Sinclair Special to the Daily News SIMI VALLEY Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. - Edgar Valdivia's backyard garden has the makings of an exotic fruit salad: Ripe guavas, sweet figs and passion fruit are among the nearly 100 rare fruits he tends on his half-acre plot. But it's the dragon fruit - bulbous bulbous /bul·bous/ (bul´bus) 1. bulbar. 2. shaped like, bearing, or arising from a bulb. bulbous having the form or nature of a bulb; bearing or arising from a bulb. , electric-pink and studded with thick, green spikes like tentacles - that is Valdivia's pride. ``He carries pictures of his favorite fruits in his wallet,'' said his wife, Pat, joking: ``I don't think he has one of me.'' Valdivia, 63, who began raising exotic fruits when he retired three years ago from the computer industry, concedes his hobby has become his passion. ``I've learned so much about rare fruit that I became a fanatic,'' he said. ``To me it's a challenge to make them grow. I take pictures, log the data into a computer, then give (fruit) away to people who normally wouldn't have a chance to taste these.'' Moving past twining twine v. twined, twin·ing, twines v.tr. 1. To twist together (threads, for example); intertwine. 2. To form by twisting, intertwining, or interlacing. 3. vines and purple blossoms to the back of his garden, Valdivia slices off a dragon fruit with his pocketknife. Inside, the succulent white flesh is speckled speck·led adj. 1. Dotted or covered with speckles, especially flecked with small spots of contrasting color. 2. Of a mixed character; motley. Adj. 1. with tiny, black edible seeds A list of edible seeds here includes seeds that are directly foodstuffs, rather than yielding derived products. A variety of species can provide edible seeds. Of the six major plant parts, seeds are the most important source of human food. . ``I was attracted for looks,'' admitted Valdivia, who said he mistook his first dragon fruit for a bizarre but beautiful flower. ``Then I tasted it, and it's very tasty, juicy and it's so refreshing, especially in the summertime in Simi Valley.'' The dragon fruit, native to Central and South America South America, fourth largest continent (1991 est. pop. 299,150,000), c.6,880,000 sq mi (17,819,000 sq km), the southern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. , can flourish in Southern California, but most Americans have never seen or tasted it - nor the many other exotic fruits available around the globe. Valdivia and other members of the California Rare Fruit Growers Association are trying to change that. Introducing exotic fruits to the public and changing the fruit market are part of the association's challenge. California farmers face intense competition from the most popular fruits they grow - citrus and avocados - so they are looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. new markets or new crops. ``Horticulture needs new products. That's what CRFGA is for,'' said Valdivia. And California, with shoppers from all parts of the world, can be especially open to exotic fruits. ``People from different countries like fruit from home,'' he said. ``They (eat it and) have nostalgia. Once they eat fruit from their own country, they feel at home.'' Right now, only five or six commercial growers raise dragon fruit, which can sell at some specialty markets for as much as $10 each. ``The idea is to promote rare fruits, so the price goes down because there'll be more production,'' said Valdivia. Amateur botanists and association members work to perfect the exotics they raise, then pass that knowledge on to academics and eventually to commercial farmers. Valdivia's research has been shared with the botany departments of nearby universities. Ben Farber is a farm associate at University of California, Davis The University of California, Davis, commonly known as UC Davis, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, and was established as the University Farm in 1905. , who has worked with Valdivia and other small-scale growers. ``They keep pushing the envelope of what can be grown,'' said Farber. Jim Martin is a staff associate in horticulture at California Polytechnic State University This article is about the university in San Luis Obispo, California. For Cal Poly Pomona, see California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. California Polytechnic State University, commonly called Cal Poly , Pomona. ``There's a continuing pollination pollination, transfer of pollen from the male reproductive organ (stamen or staminate cone) to the female reproductive organ (pistil or pistillate cone) of the same or of another flower or cone. between people who are hobbyists and academics, people who want to explain how to develop (new products) and the farmers,'' said Jim Martin, a staff associate at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona History W.K. Kellogg develops Arabian horse ranch W.K. Kellogg, known for his famous Corn Flakes, had a life long passion for Arabian horses. After purchasing 377 acres at a cost of $25,000 USD, Kellogg developed the land into a world-renowned Arabian horse ranch. , in horticulture. ``I think people need to know about this wonderful fruit. It's beautiful and it deserves to be a part of American cuisine, the American food experience.'' Valdivia tries to introduce his fruits when he can - he and his wife invite people to their garden for fruit tastings and to learn about the plants. ``I explain how they grow and I share fruit with them, so they get some seeds and grow them in their yards,'' he said. CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1 -- color) A dragon fruit glows in the sun as Edgar Valdivia looks on in his back yard in Simi Valley. He has 26 varieties of the fruit. (2 -- 3 -- color) Edgar Valdivia, above, shows off rare cuttings and seedlings of his exotic fruits in the greenhouse of his Simi Valley home. At left, is a close-up of an electric-pink dragon fruit - Valdivia's pride. Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer |
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