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About Walt Bethel:
Walt Bethel is a fifth generation Floridian, born and raised in Arcadia,
with a vast knowledge of all areas of Florida Real Estate and an ardent appreciation for Florida history.
The purchase and development of his first orange grove when he was just sixteen years old fueled Walt's passion for real estate.
Since then, he has bought, owned, and sold a wide variety of properties throughout a successful business career. His investments have included acreage, agricultural properties, residential homes, condos, and commercial properties.
Walt's marketing and sales experience was cultivated over time at his family's business, Bethel Farms, where he marketed, managed, and sold products to "Big Box" retailers across the Southeastern
and
Midwestern United States.
From an early age, Walt's dad instilled in him the values to work hard and always have a goal, to look for a better way of doing things, and to constantly improve on them.
The daily implementation of these principles, coupled with his enjoyment of networking with new people and his experience in business, sales, and marketing, have contributed to Walt's success as a Realtor.
Walt has served on various boards and committees throughout the years. He has coached and actively supports local youth athletic programs and leagues.
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He and his wife Jill, also a fourth generation Floridian, reside in Punta Gorda. They have two teenage children, a daughter Peyton and a son
Truman.
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Note From Neighbor
Christmas
Lights Canal Cruises
Nav-A-Gator Cruises Departs from Laishley Marina in Punta Gorda Nightly. This is a one-and-a-half hour festive light tour of Punta Gorda Isles Canals. Individuals or groups up to 30 will enjoy Christmas music, beautiful holiday decorations, and caroling.
6:00-8:00pm
Runs until
December 23rd!
To book your cruise or more information, call 941-627-3474
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Did You Know?
If you pull up a chair at a gourmet restaurant, you call it hearts of palm.
If you pull up a chair in a Florida Cracker kitchen, you call it swamp cabbage.
And look at all of its health benefits:
Full of vitamins
The hearts of palm have essential vitamins, such as vitamin A and B9, which are necessary in order to have a good health.
Millionaire's salad
Hearts of palm are also known as millionaire's salad, palm heart, palmito, burglar's thigh, aristocrat's plantar, chonta, palm cabbage or swamp cabbage.
Just a little amount of calories
A 100 gram portion of hearts of palm contains just 115 calories but also have macro nutrients such as carbohydrates, protein and fat.
Help your body
One cup of hearts of palm gives 25% of the iron required by the body. It also contains 19% of the daily requirements of vitamin C
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Welcome to the December
Edition of my
"Real Estate Resource" Newsletter.
Please
check out my website waltbethel.com
to view my listings, search for property, or to enjoy one of my archived newsletters.
As
always
, I welcome your feedback and suggestions.
Walt
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Mmmmm... Swamp Cabbage!
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You may be aware that the noble sabal palmetto is Florida's state tree, but did you know you can eat it? And we're not just talking about a survival tactic. From Wakulla and Apalachicola in the north to LaBelle and Immokalee in the south, Floridians all over the state have made a tradition out of preparing the hearts of these trees as a tasty dish called swamp cabbage.
The tradition of eating hearts of Florida palm trees likely predates the arrival of Europeans in North America. Captain Hugh Young, Andrew Jackson's topographical engineer, sketched out a few remarks on the subject in his notes regarding the territory between the Aucilla and Suwannee rivers in 1818. He wrote:
"In the cypress swamps between Assilla and Sahwanne there is abundance of cabbage palmetto. [...] It rises with a single stem to the height of forty feet and supports at the top a large mass resembling an immense pineapple, from which project a number of three-sided stems three or four feet long with leaves like the low palmetto but much larger and without prickles. The vegetable substance from which the stems and leaves are supported has in its center a white brittle mucilaginous mass composed of the centre folds of the leaves forming it, which may be eaten raw and when boiled has a taste somewhat like parsnips. In times of scarcity the Indians live on it, and it is said to be wholesome and nutritious."
As incoming settlers learned about swamp cabbage and began experimenting with it, it became a favorite side dish, especially in sparsely populated areas where the sabal (or cabbage) palmetto was more prevalent. In modern times, swamp cabbage can still be found on the menus of restaurants serving traditional Southern cooking. It is typically prepared by slicing up the heart of a section of palmetto trunk, called a "boot," and then stewing it with spices and salt pork or some other seasoning meat. The finished product is grayish-green in color, and pairs well with fried fish, pork, or other traditional Florida entrees. Swamp cabbage can also be enjoyed raw, and often appears in salads by the more refined name of "heart of palm."
Many Florida communities consider swamp cabbage something worth celebrating. Each year at the Florida Forest Festival in Perry, locals celebrate their forestry heritage with a parade, fireworks, live music, and the world's largest free fish fry. Often, the menu has included swamp cabbage. Down south in Hendry County, residents of LaBelle hold a festival each year devoted to nothing but swamp cabbage, even choosing a Swamp Cabbage Queen to reign over the festivities. In Cedar Key, heart of palm salad served
Tasty as swamp cabbage may be, the cooking and eating of it is the easy part. Cutting through layers of tough palmetto fibers to get to the edible "boot" without damaging the tender flesh inside is much more difficult
Source:
George L. Espenlaub cooking swamp cabbage.
195-. Black & white photonegative, 5 x 4 in. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. <https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/10970>, accessed 30 November 2017.
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Featured Listing
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Little Gasparilla Island Retreat
8412 Little Gasparilla Island, Placida FL 33946
CHARLOTTE COUNTY
Looking for an island retreat?
BACK ON THE MARKET and REDUCED, this rustic 2 bedroom 1 bathroom home located on the bayside of Little Gasparilla Island is it! Partner up with your buddies and own your own fishing getaway!
Cook your catch on your private wooden deck and enjoy the weekend away from the office. Spend the days fishing right off of your ~40ft deepwater dock or taking your boat out into Placida Harbor and the Gulf waters to find some of the best Florida fishing around.
Just minutes from the back waters of Bull Bay, Whidden creek, Turtle Bay and the worlds greatest Tarpon fishing in Boca Grande Pass.
Then after a day on the water, fix a cold beverage and stroll down to the pristine seven mile beach where you can catch the gorgeous sunsets.
This home offers that unique getaway where peace and tranquility prevail! Make an appointment today!
MLS #: C7242031
List Price: $359,000
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Featured Listing
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JUST REDUCED!
Joshua Creek 12+ Acres Estate
3410 County Rd 760, Arcadia, FL 34266
DESOTO COUNTY
Beauty and privacy abound in this 12.64 acre estate set among oak hammocks, a gently flowing creek and manicured pastures.
As you enter through the private gate down the paved drive you are welcomed to this custom built 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath brick home. With over 2,700 heated sq. ft., this meticulously maintained home features soaring ceilings, an open floor plan, lots of natural light, and a spacious screened back patio perfect for relaxing & enjoying the natural Florida habitat. The kitchen is complete with breakfast bar, dining area, dual dishwashers, updated appliances & opens to the formal dining room & family room ideal for entertaining. Downstairs is complete with a Guest Room/Office lined with windows and a large master bedroom featuring fireplace and an en-suite bathroom with soaking tub & separate tiled shower. Upstairs a catwalk, overlooking the family room, leads you to two additional guest bedrooms & a guest bathroom.
Additionally, there is an attached 2 car garage, screened gazebo, a detached 30X52 garage-for your RV/boat, multiple RV hookups, as well as a huge workshop. Workshop is outfitted with kitchen & office area, ideal for home business.
Much of the acreage is cleared pasture land with a pond & lends itself to cattle and horses. Property is within 5 miles from Publix, shopping, and downtown Arcadia.
Come home to privacy and peacefulness on this beautiful, natural property nestled along Joshua Creek!
MLS #: C7238071
List Price: $849,000
Heated Sq Ft: 2,779
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Featured Listing
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JUST REDUCED 30K!!
Gorgeous 3/2 Home on 5 Acres
7674 Environmental Lab St. Arcadia, FL 3466
DESOTO COUNTY
GORGEOUS THREE BEDROOM TWO BATH HOME ON 5 ACRES.
As you pull into the circle driveway, scattered oak trees welcome you to this beautiful, well maintained property. Custom split floor plan home offers over 1800 sq ft., wood and brick flooring, large kitchen with solid wooden cabinets, pot filler above stove and Corian counter tops.
The open living room with voluminous ceilings has a center, brick, wood-burning fireplace. Spacious master bedroom has a decorative brick nook, walk in closets, with newly renovated on-suite bathroom with dual shower heads, and large, tiled shower.
This home is the perfect home for the country lover in you. 2x4 Cross-fenced with Barn, Stalls, and Round pens ready for your horses, cattle, or 4-H project. High powered irrigation set up for the entire 5 acres. Appreciate the quiet and solitude in nature and relax on your expansive front or back porch.
Property is located conveniently off highly desired Kings Hwy area with a 15 min drive to either Arcadia, I-75, or Port Charlotte. This property won't last long!!
MLS #: C7243536
List Price: $349,000
Heated Sq Ft: 1,860
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Featured Listing
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26+ Acres with Kings Hwy Frontage
SW Peace River St. Arcadia, FL 34269
DESOTO COUNTY
Over Twenty-Six (26.25) Acres of gorgeous, Florida land located in the Lake Suzy area of DeSoto County, with a ΒΌ Mile of Kings Hwy frontage.
Located in an area with good traffic, primed for future development. Just 3 miles to Interstate 75, Shopping Centers, Hotels and Restaurants. Public access to the Peace River at opposite end of Peace River Street. Acreage is currently Zoned A-5.
This area has numerous existing and proposed residential developments with a few areas of commercial and light industrial nearby. Easy access to Punta Gorda Airport and Sarasota County.
MLS #: C7241812
List Price: $1,200,000
Acre(s): 26.25
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Featured Listing
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Highly Desired 5 Acre Tracts Off Kings Hwy
Only 2 Adjacent Lots Available!
SW Albritton St., Arcadia, FL 34266
DESOTO COUNTY
Highly Desired 5 Acre property off Kings Hwy!!
Offering a quiet and private setting this is the ideal building site for your dream home with plenty of space for a barn, pond, or animals.
Located right off Kings Highway (State Road 769) with quick access to Port Charlotte, Interstate 75, or to the downtown Arcadia area. Sarasota and Gulf Beaches within close proximity.
These beautiful properties won't last long!! Three Sold, Two Left!
MLS #: C7237053 & C7237055
List Price: $62,500
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Featured Listing
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Punta Gorda Isles Waterfront Lot
1101 Socorro Dr. Punta Gorda, FL 33950
CHARLOTTE COUNTY
Oversized Corner Lot with Saltwater frontage in highly sought after Punta Gorda Isles.
Quick Sailboat access to the Charlotte Harbor and on to the Gulf of Mexico. With 30ft concrete seawall and over 200 feet of road frontage there is lots of room to build your dream home with a larger footprint plus a dock for your vessel. City water and sewer available.
This property is near Punta Gorda Isles St. Andrews Golf Course, close to Fishermen's Village and just 5 minutes away from the beautiful Historic district of Punta Gorda.
Come enjoy all the wonderful restaurants, golf courses, parks, farmers markets and walking and biking paths.
MLS #: C7243503
List Price: $149,000
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Previously Featured Listing
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PENDING
Boca Vista Harbor 3/2 Condo
13113 Gasparilla Rd. #205A, Placida, FL 33946
CHARLOTTE COUNTY
MLS #: C7223376
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Previously Featured Listing
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SOLD! 24 Days From Listed to Sold
Two 1+ Acre Vacant Lots
3076 Montogmery Circle &
3097 Co Rd 760
Arcadia, FL 34266
DESOTO COUNTY
MLS #:
C7245482 & C7245447
Total Acres: 2.35 Acres
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Previously Featured Listing
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SOLD!
70 Acre Polk County Grove
Alturas Rd. Bartow, FL 33830
POLK COUNTY
Total Acres: 70.18
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