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(plantation I). Don and Kelly Shooter owned AI. Earlier in the
year, the Shooters told the principals of the Meinke firm that
the climate in Yuma, Arizona, was suitable for growing jojoba.7
Don Shooter was the onsite manager and handled all of the
activities related to plantation I. No one from AI testified at
the trial.
AI provided the physical labor involved in the preparation
of plantation I for farming jojoba and the maintenance of the
jojoba plantation. Pursuant to its management contract with
Mesa, AI tilled the ground, planted the jojoba, installed the
irrigation system, and applied herbicide and fertilizer to the
jojoba. Funding for these activities was provided pursuant to
the contracts described above among Yuma Mesa, HTP, Mesa, and AI.
e. Hilltop Ventures, later Townhill Equities, Inc.
Hilltop Ventures8 was originally formed as a general
7 Joint exhibit 3-C, Description of the Project, as set forth
in the private placement memorandum states:
Climatic conditions in the area * * * [Yuma, AZ] are
believed to be quite favorable for growing Jojoba.
High and low daily temperatures recorded since 1949
have ranged from a summer high of 119/F to a winter
night-time low of 22/F. Average annual rainfall is
approximately three inches.
8 These cases concern the planting of jojoba on 160 acres
owned by Hilltop Ventures. Throughout the trial, witnesses refer
alternately to Hilltop Ventures and Hilltop Equities. Hilltop
Equities, a general partnership, owned another 160 acres of land
in Yuma, Ariz., that might have been developed as a jojoba
plantation if Yuma Mesa and Cactus Wren had been successful.
Hilltop Equities was capitalized by its general partners,
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