Grinter's Sunflower Farm
2019 Update: The weather made for a latter sunflower planting and the blooms are not expected until about Labor Day. We will update as more info is available.
Ted and Kris Grinter's Sunflower Farm in Leavenworth County has become a phenomena. Although Kansas has a great many sunflower fields, those fields are primarily in central and western Kansas. These fields are in the far eastern part of the state (near the population centers) and the Grinter family let the public come into the fields, take photos and take home flowers for a dollar a bloom. A great many people want to have their photos taken with the sunflowers. Professional photographers even schedule sessions here.
Sunflowers begin their blooming with the flowers following the sun as it crosses the sky. As the seeds grow heavier, the flower heads start to droop and finally just hang down, with the majority of them facing the east. The photo above was taken on September 10, 2015, when the flowers were several days past their best, but there were still several hundred people in the fields taking photos on a Thursday evening. The seeds will continue to swell and the flower heads will turn black in the next few weeks.
For the best photography, come on as sunny day in the first couple of hours after sunrise or before sunset. The peak time for the flowers changes each year. It usually is in late August or early September and the fields look their best for about two weeks.
Sunflower General is a local goods & bake shop. Sunflower General will open starting September 1, 2018 Saturday 9AM - 5PM & Sunday from noon - 5:00PM, but may have extended hours when the sunflowers are in bloom. The peanut butter filled chocolate chip cookies are very good!
The 2019 sunflower seeds were planted in early July and the peak blooming in 2019 may be a week into September. The flowers bloom about 2 weeks or less. Thousands of people visit the sunflower farm and at the peak, it is recommended that you go in the daytime on a week day for the best experience.
Be sure to respect the farm and the neighbors. Please do not go onto other property and carry out your trash.
The parking becomes very muddy when it rains and there is a big risk of getting stuck in the first 24 hours after a heavy rain
source:
http://www.kansastravel.org/lawrence/grinterssunflowerfarm.htm
photos by:
Kelsee Pietz