Then & Now

A Legacy of Love, Land, and Livestock

Nestled under the sprawling canopy of ancient live oaks in western Nassau County, Plantation Oaks Farms is a rare living relic of Florida’s earliest settlement days. This land, once part of the Pedro Pons Land Grant during Spain’s colonization in the late 1700s, remains one of the oldest continuously held pieces of private property in Florida. Passed through generations—from Spanish Minorcan settlers to early American pioneers—it tells a uniquely Southern story of perseverance, grit, and deep-rooted tradition.

In the early 1800s, Maria (Mary) Pons married Seymour Pickett, one of the first Virginia settlers to Florida and founder of Pickettville. Their legacy, and that of the land they were entrusted with, has remained remarkably intact.

In 1911, Walter Willis Hodges Sr. purchased the land just outside the heart of Callahan, Florida. Initially used as timberland, it would soon become the foundation of a multi-generational farming legacy. In 1933, WW Hodges Sr. gifted the land to his son and daughter-in-law, Walter Jr. and Helen Beasley Hodges, as a wedding present—unknowingly reuniting Helen with her ancestral land through her Pickett lineage. Under their care, the Hodges Poultry Farm was born: a small yet mighty hatchery that operated for decades and was even featured in Smokey and the Bandit Part 3.

Plantation Oaks Farms is now part of the historic Hodges Estate, located just outside the heart of Callahan. Two years after the gift of land, Jean Hodges was born— their only surviving child, but one raised in a home overflowing with love.

In 1948, Jean’s life took a romantic turn when she met Dorman Mizell at the crowning of the King and Queen of the Halloween carnival. Dorman fell head over heels—and never looked back. Together, Jean and Dorman built a beautiful life on the farm, raising four sons—Clyde, Larry, Mike, and Walt—throughout the 1950s and ’60s.

After the passing of my great-grandfather, Walter, in 1965, my grandfather Dorman Mizell stepped up to run the farm. For decades, he and his sons operated the hatchery and raised poultry, continuing the family tradition well into the 1990s.

In 1983, Hollywood came calling. Over 300 chickens from the farm were featured in Jackie Gleason’s Smokey and the Bandit Part 3, filmed in Fort Lauderdale—adding a quirky, unforgettable chapter to the Hodges Estate legacy.

By the 1990s, like many small agricultural businesses, Hodges Poultry Farm was purchased by a larger national company. But the land—and the dream—remained.

In 1999, I returned home to begin a new chapter. I started developing the eastern half of the Hodges Estate into Double A Ranch, centered around my lifelong passion for horses. After studying Animal Science, Business, and History at Texas Tech and Auburn University, I came back with a vision: to transform the family farm into a thriving equestrian center.

In 2007, I met my husband Kevin Green, and we married the following year. In 2009, we welcomed our son Colt, who quickly became our greatest joy and greatest inspiration. At 18 months, Colt was diagnosed with autism. I stepped away from the business for a time to focus on his development, and we leased out the farm for a year. In 2013, we returned full-time—and with a renewed purpose, we renamed it Plantation Oaks Farms, reflecting both our roots and our evolving vision.

Since then, we’ve grown from a private horse farm into a full-scale agricultural destination. From horseback riding lessons and training, to horse shows, a horse hotel, boarding services, and our beautiful rustic event barn opened in 2014, we offer something for every guest—whether you’re here for a wedding, a ride, or a glimpse into a Southern farmstead with over two centuries of history.

And now, we’ve reached our long-awaited dream: the completion of the Belleauwood Estate. This stunning Southern Colonial manor, with its towering white columns, now serves as the perfect backdrop for unforgettable weddings and celebrations—blending timeless elegance with a working family farm.

Come take a personal tour—and experience the legacy of the Hodges Estate for yourself.