In 1934, during the depths of the Great Depression, the Family purchased 12,000 acres in Eastern Sarasota County, Florida, and established a turpentine operation. This property contained one of the few remaining stands of virgin slash pine in south Florida . An existing railroad, the Tampa Southern, went through the parcel, further enhancing the purchase of this land.

The Family established a corporation named Sidell, Inc. and constructed a turpentine camp consisting of a turpentine still, thirty or more houses for camp labor, a church, a schoolhouse, and a commissary. They imported labors from throughout Florida and Georgia to operate the plant.

In 1950, the Family began to raise cattle on the land. In 1960 Sidell, Inc. acquired the cattle operation and changed the corporate name.

In 1991 the Family developed 300 acres of citrus at the ranch in Sarasota . Converting 8,000 acres of raw flatwoods land into a productive, sustainable, environmentally friendly ranch has been a lifelong quest of the Family. It is their desire and hope that this land will remain in agribusiness with large areas of native habitat preserved for future generations to enjoy.