July/August • 2020 • GASPARILLA MAGAZINE 45
Remember earlier when I wrote about
development? This is the only kind of
development happening out there. There
could be a brush pile or two created from
fallen limbs to make shelter for birds, like
quail (it seems like a good environment for
ground-dwelling birds, but they just aren’t
there). There are several dove, teal and
various raptor bird species out there, just no
quail. So a quail pen was built and a trip was
made to southern Collier County to buy 50
birds. They were placed in their new home,
and get released a few at a time to try to see
if they will adapt to the farm.
The farm still has nearly 20 head of
cattle grazing it, with a few new spring calves
running around. Those calves have mamas
that know what time Mrs. Hager likes to feed
them treats like oranges, banana peels and
cattle pellets. There are also about 60 bee
hives there now, too.
In the afternoons, a couple of adult bald
eagles and one juvenile are usually seen
perched in the old pine trees on the run
along the property line behind the farm. It’s
very peaceful sitting behind the house
watching the cattle and wildlife.
The house on the property had been
empty for a long time, and it needed a
renovation. After that was completed, the
Hagers began fi lling the home with beautiful
old Florida furniture that they had collected
over their 47 years of marriage. The grounds
around the house have been planted with
bromeliads and other native plants, to
continue with the idea of an “Old Florida”
environment.
So what are some of the most common
questions asked about the farm? People
always ask, what’s going on there? What’s
being built? I just say, “Nothing is going on
out there, other than trying to turn the land
back into Old Florida as best as possible. The
Hager family are being great stewards of the
land, and there is no denying the efforts already
made to return this land back into Old
Florida.”