My favorite investment of the last couple of years has not been the one yielding the greatest returns (yet). We got in on (nearly) the ground floor of a local company specializing in raspberries and raspberry products. It has expanded a lot, and landed some great deals. It’s profitable. Right now, profits are being poured back into expansion, which is just fine with me. Our dividends so far have included half-calorie, half-sugar, double-flavor jam (or, “spreadable fruit”).

The company was started at the beginning of this economic downturn, and has prospered.

There’s something to being an investor on a small, local company that you can watch grow and feel a part of. It’s an awesome feeling, even as a “silent partner” on a tiny scale who has little to say about the day-to-day activities (they very deliberately kept the investments low to make sure the family retains majority ownership).

I’m anxious to see where this goes in ten years or so.