Lynd Fruit Farm’s S’Miles of Sunflowers on Morse Road in Gahanna was buzzing on a breezy Saturday morning.
Large and small people and their dogs strolled across a large field dotted with 35 varieties of sunflower, took photos and picked huge bouquets of flowers.
S’Miles of Sunflowers is in its third year but the first at this location.
Courtney and Noah Campagna of Columbus, who visited the fields last year, made a return visit this year along with their 2 year old son Anthony and their dog.
“It’s an easy Saturday outing, relaxing,” said Courtney.
“And it’s a nice way to get out of the house, not far from Columbus,” added Noah.
Anthony was busy digging stones from the paths.
“You look at them and they just make you happy”
Sheldon and Cassidy Mast took their German Shepherd puppy on an extended trip from their Cambridge home.
“We came last year and thought we had to do it all over again. I love sunflowers. You look at them and they just make you happy, ”Cassidy said.
Bradford and Michelle Sample from Lancaster were visitors for the first time.
“Every summer I say we should look at the sunflowers, so we did it this year. I like to take pictures of flowers, ”said Michelle. “I planted a whole bouquet of sunflowers in our garden this year, but they were all raised by living beings.”
Her husband agreed.
“We have a chipmunk she can plant better than we do,” said Bradford. “He buries the sunflower seeds from the bird feeder and they come up all over the place.”
Melody Weaver of Rossburg, Ohio, who was on site with her daughter Tiffany Oswalt and granddaughters Julia and Savannah Oswalt, originally had no plans to visit the field.
“We were driving home from Chincoteague, Virginia, and we were too tired to go all the way. Then we saw an ad for the sunflower field last night and I know Tiffany loves sunflowers, ”she said.
“They’re so beautiful, so bright, it’s hard to choose just one,” said Tiffany.
How much do sunflower fields cost?
Like many sunflower fields, the 15-acre S’Miles of Sunflowers offers a sunflower as part of the price of admission, and you can then buy more if you want.
“It’s a great opportunity for families to get outside. We have adjusted the price this year as in the past it was a bit of a challenge for a family to come out and enjoy due to the prices. This year we changed it to $ 8 per person, or a maximum of $ 20 for a car, no matter how many people there are. If they can put them in the car, they’ll get a damn good deal, ”said Andy Lynd, one of the owners of Lynd Fruit Farm.
Although you can buy kettle corn in the fields and play cornhole and other games, sunflowers are the main attraction.
“We found that sunflowers are a pretty pleasant attraction in and of themselves. I think people who are in a grumpy mood get really happy when they are around sunflowers. Very therapeutic! ” said Lynd.
Where to go for pictures with sunflowers
S’Miles of Sunflowers has a second, also new location in Urbana this year.
This is the first year for a sunflower field at Circle S Farm in Grove City, which has a field of more than 400,000 sunflower heads.
The field was the brainchild of Caleb Sullivan, grandson of farm owner Ethel Sullivan and that year senior at Ohio State University. studying agriculture. It serves as his senior capstone project.
“It was a little overwhelming at first to start a business from scratch,” he said. “I learned a lot, from the plants themselves to customer service and event management.”
Sullivan chose a variety of sunflower for the field.
“We have a pollination-friendly sunflower field that is safe for bees and butterflies everywhere. The flowers have a black center with a dark outer ring and the petals are bright yellow. We decided to do this so that we would have a good background for pictures. We have people who take senior and family photos and do portrait photography, ”he said.
The sunflower field at 22 Acres Farm in Newark is entering its sophomore year.
“Last year was our practice year and we had 3,000 people who made it through. We expect at least double that this year, ”said Letitia Powell, who co-owns the farm with her husband Chris Powell.
They are growing 15 varieties of sunflower, the shortest of which is the most challenging.
“It’s like a weed bomb explodes when we plant the sunflowers. Some of our varieties are only 2 feet tall, and if the weeds get taller than these sunflowers, these flowers will die. So we have to get out there and pull weeds by hand, ”Powell said.
When is the best time to visit a sunflower field?
The field is closed on Sundays and closes earlier on some Saturdays for special events, so Powell advises potential visitors to spend hours browsing the site. Also on days when it is open is the sunflower shop, where 15 local vendors sell homemade products.
August 14th and 21st offer the most action with sunflowers at sunrise, breakfast in the sunflowers, yoga in the fields, food trucks, petting zoo, sunset in the sunflowers and fire dance after dark.
But sunflowers are still the highlight.
“Last year people actually came from the field crying because it was so peaceful, and someone they loved loved sunflowers,” Powell said.
“We love it when people can use our property to create memories.”
Sunflower fields just a short drive from Columbus
If you are interested in visiting a sunflower field, here are some suggestions. It’s always best to call ahead to confirm opening times.
Champaign County
• Lynd Fruit Farm S’Miles of Sunflowers, 3523 Ostroute 36, Urbana; open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Entry is $ 8 per person or $ 20 per car, whichever is lower, free for children 3 and under. Entry includes a cut sunflower; lyndfruitfarm.com
Franklin County
• District S Farm, 9015 London-Groveport Road, Grove City; Open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission USD 5 Monday through Friday and USD 10 Saturday and Sunday, free for children under 3 years of age. Entry includes a cut sunflower; 614-878-7980, www.circlesfarm.com
Lick County
• Lynd Fruit Farm, S’Miles of Sunflowers, 9851 Morse Road SW, Pataskala: open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Admission is $ 8 per person or $ 20 per car, whichever is lower, free for children under 3 years of age. Entry includes a cut sunflower; lyndfruitfarm.com
• 22 hectare farm, 5455 Davis Drive SE, Newark: Open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., different hours on Saturdays, closed on Sundays. Entry $ 10 per person, free for children 5 and under; Tuesday entry $ 5 per person, free for children 5 and under. Entry includes a cut sunflower; www.22acresfarm.com
