Rains impacted Wichita-area sunflower farms, but there are still fields to visit
While rains may have washed out sunflower planting at some area farms that regularly open their sunflower fields to the public, the right amounts of rain at the right time have allowed two other area farms to join the field of where visitors can go to see acres of Kansas’ state flower.
Both Klausmeyer Farm & Pumpkin Patch in Clearwater and Cedar Creek Farm in Maize won’t have any sunflower fields open to the public this year because of heavy rains, according to their respective owners.
Rain has also put a damper on sunflower fields planted by Peterson Farms near Lindsborg and on a real estate agent’s farm in Augusta, but both farms plan to have blooms available to visit in the coming weeks.
Two other family farms within an hour’s drive of Wichita have added public sunflower fields for the first time this summer: A to Z Farm and Flower in Rose Hill and Red Barn Acres in Peck.
If you’re planning to visit a sunflower field open to the public, keep in mind that the blooming season for Kansas sunflowers lasts only about 10 to 14 days. Before you head out, it’s best to check a farm’s Facebook page, where the operators usually post updates on field conditions.
Here’s more information about activities and admission if you plan to visit one of the handful of area farms within an hour’s drive of Wichita where sunflowers are blooming in August and September. Some have blooming zinnia fields available, as well. The sunflower season at another area farm, PBR Family Farm in Goddard, was in July.
A to Z Farm & Flower, 14301 SW 180th, Rose Hill. “This is our first year to plant a sunflower field and it has been a success with all the rain we had. It is thick and beautiful,” Shelly Herbers said. She and her husband, Mike, set aside two acres of their 70-acre farm for the sunflowers.
The farm opened to the public on the weekend of Aug. 15, and the Herbers plan to be open again to the public Saturday, Aug. 23, and Sunday, Aug. 24, from 2-9 p.m., “depending on how the blooms hold up,” they posted on the farm’s Facebook page. Photo props are located throughout the field, including ladders, benches, chairs, wagons and a red antique tractor.
Admission is $5 per person, $10 a family, free for kids 12 and younger. Dogs must be on a leash and are welcome on the perimeter of the field.
More information: facebook.com/AtoZFarmFlower
Red Acres Farm, 545 E. 100th Ave. North, Peck. Located about 9 miles north of Wellington, this third-generation farm is another sunflower newcomer this year. It was so new that it was a closely guarded secret known only to a few family members that they were pursuing this new venture, said Michelle Kelly, the co-owner.
She and her husband turned a 10-acre meadow, originally meant to be where they would build a home, into five flowering patches. Along with two fields of sunflowers, other flowering fields feature fleabane that has a small daisy-like flower, wild flax “that gives Colorado and Arizona vibe” and zinnias.
“It’s been really exciting. We love talking about our farm and what we grow and do,” said Kelly, who also owns a photography studio in Andover.
The farm opened Aug. 16, and word has gotten out. The farm has attracted some international visitors from Spain, Nepal and elsewhere who wanted a quintessential Kansas experience of walking among sunflowers.
To access the flower fields, visitors need to drive through a corn field, which has been a welcome surprise for many visitors, Kelly said, noting that she’s seen kids and adults alike reaching out of their vehicle windows to touch the corn plants as they drive down the path.
Kelly said the farm plans to be open to the public again from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23, and Sunday, Aug. 24. Admission is $5 per person, free for kids ages 4 and younger.
She may hold a “come and cut” event about mid-week, around Aug. 27, as the sunflower blooms begin to fade. Check the farm’s Facebook page for updates.
More information: facebook.com/p/Red-Barn-Acres-61566240891276/, (note that there is a Michigan farm with the same name on Facebook so confirm you’re on the Peck, Kan., farm’s page), redbarnacres.com
Kansas Maze Sunflower Festival, at Gaeddert Farms 13209 E. 82nd Ave, Buhler. The fields open Saturday, Aug. 23, for their annual Sunflower Trail event. Owner Tonya Martisko anticipates the fields will be in bloom through Labor Day and a little beyond. Hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, and 2 to 8 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and Labor Day, with extended hours during special events. Regular admission is $10 per person, with ages 3 and under free. The venue has a strict no-dogs policy.
The venue provides several activities, like oversized yard games, a rope maze, and a tower and tunnel slide, and photo props for families to enjoy, with new ones added each year.
This year, visitors can rock a new gaga ball pit. The trending outdoor activity is a variation of dodgeball played inside an octagon-shaped pit. Martisko has commissioned some new photo props from the Inman High School art department. The farm’s zinnia field is also back this year.
Teacher-led painting classes featuring a sunflower scene are scheduled for 6:30-8 p.m. Aug. 24, 30 and 31, Sept. 1 and 6. No painting experience required. Cost is $35 and classes are limited to 25 participants, with a four-person minimum.
Admission for the venue’s annual Sunflower Market will be discounted during the market hours of 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31. Sunflower Market VIP tickets, which are $45, include admission, a festival T-shirt, canvas bag, vendor coupons and market spending cash ranging from $5 to $50.
Tickets for all activities and events can be purchased online in advance but will include an added service fee.
More information: kansasmaze.com; facebook.com/kansasmaze or 620-931-7667
Sunflower Trails at The Heights venue, Peterson Farm Brothers, near 2951 13th Ave., Lindsborg. The anticipated blooming dates at this venue are Aug. 27 through Sept. 5. This year’s sunflower field is smaller than in years past since part of it was drowned by July rains.
The Peterson Brothers plant their fields by their special event venue, The Heights, which takes its name from the nearby Coronado Heights bluff and castle. The field is open daily from dawn to dusk. Visitors can make a day trip out of visiting The Heights sunflower field and stop by the Coronado Heights attraction and the town of Lindsborg.
Admission is $5 per person or $10 per family; even dogs are welcome if they are on a leash.
More info: petersonfarmbrothers.com/sunflower-trails and facebook.com/PetersonFarmBros
Diana Burress/ B. Realty’s sunflower field, 9251 SW 115th, Augusta. Forces of nature have been trying to put a damper on Burress’ efforts to showcase her favorite flower. First, it was pouring rain that washed away the seeds, just a few hours after she posted a Facebook video about the planting on July 23. The replanted field was attacked by armyworms, but after spraying, the plants seem to be doing OK. She expects blooms to be ready about mid- to late September.
She’s already had some traffic to the farm.
“The people are ready, the flowers just aren’t,” Burress said.
The sunflower field is free to visit. There is designated parking; parking along the road is discouraged as it’s a busy road, often including large farm machinery. Besides taking photos in the field, another photo opportunity is the sunflower mural on a nearby silo.
More info: facebook.com/dianaburressrealtor