JACKSONVILLE, FL – Live Water Properties, one of the country’s top land brokerage firms, is pleased to announce the sale of the 3,267-acre Gustafson Ranch. Live Water Southern managing broker, Hunter Brant, represented the Gustafson family in the sale of the Green Cove Springs, Florida ranch. Sherwood Gustafson has overseen the transition of the ranch to part legacy property for the family and part development of regional impact. The ranch was purchased by the Davis family, founders of Winn-Dixie supermarkets, owners of DDot Ranch and developers of Nocatee. The last asking price of the ranch was $16,500,000.
“We’re honored to have been a part of the team that would bring about the sale of this property involving two tremendous families which have been so influential in the business, ranching and philanthropic history of Florida,” says Brant. “The complex nature of this transaction made it a difficult one to complete, but the team involved made it a pleasure to work on, and we are very proud of the work we accomplished together.”
The acquisition is not only important as an integral part of the development of Northeast Florida but also as a legacy for both the Gustafson and Davis families. Both families have proven themselves to be exceptional stewards of the land, preserving the many unique resources they encompass. The Davis family has impacted Jacksonville in countless ways but none more impactful than their decision to give the land needed to bring the Mayo Clinic to Jacksonville.
The Gustafson legacy began in 1889 with one cow, Buttercup, and milk deliveries to local businesses and neighbors. The Gustafson Dairy would eventually become the largest dairy operation east of the Mississippi, at its peak milking 10,000 cows on 9,600 contiguous acres. The brand is most widely known for its chocolate milk and is one of the most iconic cattle ranches in a state that was founded and developed by the cattle and citrus industries.
The close ties between the Davis and Gustafson families can be traced back over the last three generations when Gustafson milk originally supplied Winn-Dixie supermarkets with milk and the families hunted together at each other’s ranches. The connection continued with Sherwood Gustafson traveling every summer to the Davis ranch in Colorado to help with cattle roping and ranch operations. Now the Davis family, along with the experienced team at the PARC Group, have acquired the development portion of the Gustafson Ranch.
“The Gustafson Ranch enjoys a tremendous history as a historic Florida cattle ranch and dairy operation. With the recent transaction the future of the land remains bright. The sale allows the Gustafson Family to preserve their remaining lands which previous generations labored to establish and will now be stewarded on for the enjoyment of generations to come,” says Brant.
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Live Water Southern is the Southern branch of Live Water Properties, covering the states of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina specializing in Ranch, Farm and Plantation Real Estate Sales and Consulting, with offices in Charleston, SC and Jacksonville, FL.
Live Water Properties is a land brokerage company specializing in premier fly fishing, hunting, ranching, timberland, recreational and conservation land. With a $4.5 Million average sales price and $1.75 Billion in closed deals, they are uniquely qualified to assist in all aspects of large tract land ownership.
