Tenants are Gladstone Land's cash crop. Operating through its subsidiaries, Gladstone Land is an externally managed real estate investment firm that owns two farms in California. It leases its properties -- which cover about 960 acres -- to Dole Fresh Vegetables, a subsidiary of Dole Foods. Since 2004 Dole has used the firm's farmland to grow fruit crops like strawberries, as well as various types of vegetables. Recently, Gladstone has been taking steps to grow its business and is seeking to qualify as a real estate investment trust (REIT). It intends to acquire additional leasable farmland and is also planning to set up a mortgage lending division. Founded in 1997, the firm filed to go public in mid-2010.