FRONT PORCH

From sunflowers to the Sunshine State. Dan and Barbara Hofland, who are building a new home at Daniels Place in Fort Myers, are looking forward to spending winters in sunny Florida following Dan’s recent retirement from a leadership position at his highly successful company, SunButter.

SunButter, produced using sunflower kernels, offers a delicious alternative to peanut butter. The idea for a peanut-free substitute came to Dan when he realized that, like his niece, a growing number of people are dealing with the challenges presented by peanut allergies.

In 2000, Dan was working full time as Vice President of Marketing for Red River Commodities, a sunflower processing company headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota. Any spare time he had was spent working on his peanut-free product idea. He enlisted two top food scientists in the USDA food research lab in New Orleans to work alongside of him to develop the optimal process for creating a product high in both taste and nutrition. The company continues to grow and is the largest specialty nut and seed butter in the country. Although he has since retired, Dan remains busy, volunteering at SCORE.

Now, the Hofland’s have set their sights on a sunny future with a new home at Daniels Place in Fort Myers. They plan to spend summers in Minnesota and stay at their new home in Florida during the winter. Dan points out that there are many things to love about Daniels Place, where single-family homes are designed with influences of Mediterranean and Country French architectural styles.

Daniels Place is also alluring for its estate-sized home sites. An 8.4 acre nature preserve area and a lake grace the neighborhood, giving every home site a preserve or lake view. The one- and two-story home designs hold two, three and four bedrooms and range from 1,870 to 2,912 square feet.

When out and about, community residents enjoy Fort Myers and its impressive variety of local attractions. The charming Historic River District in downtown Fort Myers features high-end shopping, dining and entertainment, while Fort Myers Beach is a short drive away.

The Old Florida appeal shines, with miles of pristine coastline, tranquil fishing spots and fresh seafood. Throughout the Fort Myers area, art festivals, farmers markets, brew fests, classic car shows and more make it a playground for year-round fun.

“We can hardly wait to move in!” Dan notes. “Not only is the weather fantastic but the people are wonderful.”

From all of us at Neal Communities, we’re looking forward to calling Dan and Barbara neighbors, when we can say, “Welcome home to Daniels Place!”