Florida Citrus Daddy Loves to Eat Juicy Oranges Raw—And He’s Fighting to Save Citrus Groves From Greedy Developers
“We saw Florida Citrus Daddy standing there,” one contractor reported, “eating oranges like apples and just... staring—It was unnerving, he never blinked”
Deep in the sun-drenched heart of Florida, where the scent of orange blossoms dances on the wind and the groves stretch out like emerald oceans, lives a man known only as the Citrus Daddy. No one knows his real name. He might be part myth, part hero, part sweaty fruit-loving lunatic—but to the small farmers who still cling to their land, he’s nothing short of salvation.
Every morning, Citrus Daddy rises before the sun, bare-chested in a threadbare orange tank top that reads I AM THE CITRUS DADDY in peeling letters. His skin is bronzed by decades of sun, his hands calloused from years of pulling weeds and hugging trees. He walks barefoot through the dewy rows of fruit trees, whispering to them like old friends. And when the fruit is ripe, he doesn’t slice it, juice it, or turn it into some corporate concentrate. No—Citrus Daddy eats his oranges raw. He bites straight through the peel with a satisfying crunch, letting the juice drip down his chin like some Floridian Dionysus.
Florida Citrus Daddy Loves to Eat Juicy Oranges Raw—And He’s Fighting to Save Citrus Groves From Greedy Developers
“Processed citrus is for cowards,” he growls, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “You gotta taste the grove. You gotta taste the sun.”
But Citrus Daddy isn’t just a citrus glutton—he’s the protector of Florida’s last family-run groves. For decades, developers have circled like vultures, eager to flatten orchards in favor of lopsided McMansions and “Tuscan-style” condos that bake in the sun like regret.
So Citrus Daddy made a promise. He would watch over the groves. He would watch over the farmers. And if anyone dared bring a bulldozer too close, they’d have to deal with the man in the orange tank top, holding a grapefruit like a grenade.
His presence alone has stopped more than a few construction crews dead in their tracks. “We saw him standing there,” one contractor reported, “eating oranges like apples and just... staring. It was unnerving. He never blinked.”
Florida Citrus Daddy Loves to Eat Juicy Oranges Raw—And He’s Fighting to Save Citrus Groves From Greedy Developers
But Citrus Daddy knows he can’t do it alone.
That’s where the Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation steps in. This grassroots nonprofit is dedicated to protecting and preserving Florida’s historic, small-scale citrus groves from being erased by unchecked real estate development. The foundation works directly with independent citrus farmers, offering resources to help them stay in business—whether that’s legal support to fight unfair zoning changes, funding to improve irrigation and disease management, or connecting them with buyers who care about supporting local agriculture.
They also raise awareness about the cultural and environmental value of Florida’s citrus heritage, advocating for the state to do better by its small farmers. The foundation helps keep groves thriving instead of turning into another soul-sucking strip mall or golf course.
The mission is simple: Keep Florida’s citrus groves in the hands of the people who love and live off the land. Citrus Daddy may be the sweaty, juice-dripping face of the cause—but it’s the Foundation doing the hard, strategic work to make sure this fight is more than just symbolic.
Because Citrus Daddy loves to eat juicy oranges raw—and he’s not letting anyone pave over paradise.
The time to act is now. Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation: Donate today to help save the future of the iconic Florida orange