Replies to post #706 on Investing in Timber

[bfl]

Hello to everyone on this board. Also thank you to all who have been doing all of the research that is a benefit to all of us. I have been reading the posts for quite awhile now but I am just now posting for the first time.

I have been a tree owner for almost 15 years now. I too own 1993 teak as well as several species that are as old or almost as old. I know several other owners also. Neither I nor anyone else that I know has received one penny from the investments. I lost faith in this investment quite awhile ago when I realized that Steve and Sherry stopped communicating with tree owners and refused to come down off of their hill when tree owners came to visit the farms. I have been there and the trees are there but I now realize that I would probably get more money from selling the seven trees in my backyard than I will ever get from the trees I supposedly own in Costa Rica. All we have done is pay for Steve and Sherry to become very rich land owners in Costa Rica. Steve and Sherry, especially Sherry, used to express how blessed they were to have all of us in their lives. It's too bad that none of us have been equally blessed by our association with them. I find it very ironic that before I made my first purchase of trees I would receive phone calls at my house from Sherry encouraging me to hurry and make my purchase, please send us money. Now when they owe all us money it is impossible to contact Steve or Sherry personally or to receive even an impersonal new tree owners newsletter.

I realize that all of this might sound very cynical but I believe that my cynicism is very warranted. I believe that Steve and Sherry are crooks and robbers and I am very willing to participate in any endeavour to recover our money and possibly prosecute Steve and Sherry. Would anyone be interested in purchasing a very large add in the Columbus newspaper telling all of Steve and Sherry's friends and family what a scam these "wonderful and world saving" people have perpetrated on all of us?

Again, thank you to everyone who has spent the time and effort doing the research that is on this board. I do not have the time or ability to do the research. Thank you to all. There is power in numbers and the numbers are increasing on a daily basis.

This post is about Tropical American Tree Farms and TATF.

[snap]

a1derfullife - I read posts 172 and 630 - looks like you have done your homework. Kudos for starting this discussion board.

What is our teak worth? I submit that what it is really worth what some one is willing to pay for it. Obviously, if referenced posts are correct, and I believe they are, we are not going to get a premium price for our lumber as is. What we need to do is create demand for a product that requires our product and own the rights to sell that value added product up front. Then when our product adds value, we receive value. Is it possible to recover what the projections falsely led us to conclude? Well maybe not - still lots of research to do here but I have a little business acumen and can easily out-compete the Brunner's in the business/product development arenas. I know that you have been at this awhile and, perhaps, the future returns appear grim (and they very well may be grim despite any interim efforts) but I, for one, intend to pursue a course(s) of action that will better maximize our trees/lumber worth. Until, someone can prove to me otherwise, with all respect to your obvious steeped experience, I think we can do better than what you have alluded to in previous posts. Maybe I am wrong but I am still going to try.