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The Best Keepers of the Land: Pope Farms Land Management
“We encourage our customers to be involved in what we are doing to their property, and we like to establish a long-term relationship with each of them,” Pope, whose family has a long history of farming and ranching in Alachua County, said. Pope Farms Land Management provides comprehensive landscaping and lawn services to commercial, industrial parks, private landowners and upscale residential properties. Through the Florida Division of Forestry, the company is a registered vendor to maintain existing firebreaks in Alachua and surrounding counties.
Pope grew up on a 2,500-acre farm in Alachua where his father, the late W.D. Pope, nurtured the land and taught him the keys to a successful business – hard work, integrity and honesty. W.D. Pope was one of the pioneer growers in the state to produce Florida sta-SWEET corn that helped revolutionize the corn industry. “In farming, we set the trend, and we are continuing to do this with our land management company.”
Pope’s experience as a farmer and, later, as a produce sales representative for some of the largest shippers in Florida, provided a background for the land management business. “There are so many environmental factors that affect landscape. We always conduct a soil analysis that enables us to customize a fertilization program suited for that customers need. We don’t spend money using a product on the soil that will endanger the environment or one that is not necessary. We are always working toward maintaining the natural beauty of the area.”
While working as a sales representative, Pope was on the road and missed spending time with his family and involvement in the community. Pope is blessed with a loving family, including Leslie Cellon, a nurse on the oncology floor at North Florida Regional Medical Center, six children, three grandchildren and another grandchild on the way. He is a former member of Florida Farm Bureau, American Farm Bureau and a Leadership Gainesville XX participant.
Pope’s desire to work closer to home led him to establish his business two years ago. Some of his first customers included Baugh Southeast Cooperative, a 200-acre redistributing center for Sysco Foods in Alachua’s commercial park and Bob Bieniek, a real estate agent with Alachua Properties.
“I have been associated with Dale for many years,” Bieniek said. “He is very dependable, very reasonable and always there when I need him. He has all the equipment to handle a big job or a small one.”
For more information, call Dale Pope at 352-538-2517 or e-mail him at popefarmslandmanagement@windstream.net.
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