Food Mission: Help Others Grow Their Own

Real Estate Influencer: Lori Griffith

Jupiter and the surrounding area are home to numerous incredible nonprofits deeply committed to their community and making a meaningful difference. One such organization is Nourishing Food for Thought, founded in 2017 by Suzie Dudas, affectionately known as Farmer Suzie. “My sole purpose in starting a farm was for my children, Zale and Saxon,” Suzie shares. “I wanted to feed them right and give them this incredible outdoor experience, away from TV and electronic devices.”

Suzie Dudas, also known as Farmer Suzie, established Nourishing Food for Thought to empower people to grow their own food by providing resources and skills.

Suzie envisioned her children developing a connection to their food, learning responsibility, and enjoying time outdoors.

What began as a personal mission quickly grew into something more. “They would milk the cow, and their friends would watch me. Soon, those friends wanted to be involved on the farm and spend time outdoors,” Suzie recalls. “It really began organically.”

Driven by her desire to feed her family clean, nutritionally dense, soy-free, and non-GMO foods, Suzie struggled to find such items locally. “Where did that glass bottle of milk go? What happened to local dairies where you could trust where your food came from and how it was raised?” With ten acres of land, she bought a cow and began producing milk for her family. This eventually expanded to friends, neighbors, and the larger community. Over time, the farm’s offerings grew to include eggs, butter, soap, and other natural products.

As interest in the farm flourished, Suzie recognized an opportunity to make a broader impact. She established Nourishing Food for Thought to empower people to grow their own food by providing the resources and skills needed to transition from consumers to producers.

One standout initiative of the nonprofit is a program designed for parents seeking an educational experience for their children on a working farm. This program introduces kids to the profound connection between their food and the environment, offering unique opportunities for hands-on learning and personal growth.

The benefits of exposing children to a working farm are immeasurable, from building responsibility to cultivating an enduring connection to nature.

Through this program, children gain a deeper understanding of the food chain by learning about food sources and sustainability. They also develop an appreciation for healthy eating. Caring for animals fosters empathy, patience, and respect for living beings, while witnessing the life cycles of plants and animals—from seeds to crops and from birth to adulthood—provides invaluable lessons in biology and the natural world. The benefits of exposing children to a working farm are immeasurable, from building responsibility to cultivating an enduring connection to nature.

Tragically, Suzie’s children, Zale and Saxon, lost their lives in a heartbreaking accident. This loss has given even deeper meaning to her mission. Creating an educational farming experience for other children and families is Suzie’s way of honoring her children’s memory. “I hope that eventually, the nonprofit grows enough and becomes successful enough to buy my farm from me so that when I’m too old to farm, this land stays in Palm Beach County as an education center for generations to come,” she says.

To learn more about Nourishing Food for Thought or to donate, intern, or volunteer, please visit nourishingfoodforthought.org and follow them on social media.