Growing happiness
Visit Kentucky sunflower fields
THEIR FACES TURNED toward the sun, ever beaming, bright and happy, sunflowers are the very picture of summer.
“Most people’s first reaction to seeing acres of sunflowers in bloom is awe,” says Laney Snider, who owns Ruby Branch Farms in Franklin with her husband, Drew. “The second reaction is to smile— and that smile tends to remain throughout their visit. It’s impossible to not be happy in a giant field of sunflowers!”
Ruby Branch, served by Warren RECC, is devoting 14 acres of its eighth-generation farm to “Kentucky’s Largest Sunflower Maze” and an additional 2 acres to its Zinnia Oasis. The maze features a traditional sea of yellow sunflowers, but the Sniders have a separate patch of specialty-colored sunflowers in red, white, orange, bright yellow and variegated—even Teddy Bear Sunflowers that resemble feathers.
The farm where Ruby Branch sits can be traced back eight generations for the Snider Family. Photo: Simpson County Tourism Commission
From Ruby Branch Farms’ sea of sunshine to Stepping Stone Farm’s 4-acre swath of sunflowers and more patches in between, giant fields of sunflowers all over Kentucky lure happiness seekers during their blooming season of mid-summer to early fall.
“Visitors can pick sunflowers, which bloom during red raspberry and blackberry picking times, walk through the flowers and stop at the various swings and photo opportunities,” says Stepping Stone Farm owner Ally Vallandingham. A consumer-member of Blue Grass Energy, Vallandingham owns the eighth-generation farm with her brother and sister-in-law, Brandon and Hanna Barnett. The family has farmed the same land since 1790.
During peak bloom season, Honey Hill Farms, established in Mayfield in 1991 as a beekeeping enterprise, now has 2 to 3 acres of flowers blooming at one time, with about half of those fields dedicated to sunflowers. Dirt walking paths guide visitors through the fields, creating an immersive and scenic experience.
Azazel Salazar poses with a blooms as his father, Jose Salazar, of Vine Grove, and mother JoAnna Gilkey emerge from the sunflower field. Photo: Brian Bohannon
“The flowers stretch across roughly 5 acres of the property, creating a patchwork of color throughout the farm,” says Jared Phelps, a consumer-member of West Kentucky RECC whose family—parents David and Rebecca, sister Jordan, and nephew Oliver—own the farm. “The sunflower fields also attract plenty of wildlife and pollinators, including butterflies, bees, goldfinches and squirrels, all of which visitors enjoy spotting while walking the fields.”
They also are welcome to pick flowers throughout the summer as the fields come into bloom and check out head farmer David Phelps’ botanical wonders. According to Jared Phelps, his father enjoys experimenting with unique sunflower varieties and has grown Autumn Beauty, known for its red-and-yellow striped petals, and Velvet Queen, a rich maroon variety. His latest endeavor? Growing the Sunfinity sunflower, especially popular with flower pickers because they continue producing blooms throughout the season.
“Traditional single-stem sunflowers remain favorites for photography sessions, though, because of their classic appearance and towering blooms,” says Phelps.
Evans Orchard has framed a photo-worthy view for sunflower seekers. Photo: Evans Orchard
At Evans Orchard in Georgetown, a fifth-generation family farm owned by father/daughter team Kevan Evans and Jenny Evans, an entire section of the farm is planted annually with flower fields—sunflowers, zinnias, wildflowers—as part of the summer season. This year, visitors can expect about 12 acres of flowers spreading their color across the fields, creating a beautiful walk-through experience with plenty of photo opportunities.
“We’re always looking for ways to invite families to experience the beauty of the farm in each season,” says Jenny Evans. “The sunflower fields have become one of those special summer traditions.”
The Evanses plant classic yellow sunflowers throughout their larger fields, creating that bright, cheerful sea of blooms people love to photograph. They also grow ProCut sunflowers, a variety with less pollen that works especially well for cutting and taking home.
“We create the sunflower experience with families, couples and photographers in mind, with designated walking paths through the fields and almost a dozen unique photo ops and backdrops throughout the blooms,” says Evans. “Guests find fun features like an old VW Beetle, a vintage bicycle, a wooden swing, an oversized wooden picture frame and other charming setups that make the field a beautiful place to explore.”
Visitors to Eckert’s Orchard can enjoy Pick-Your-Own sunflowers during the season, plus special seasonal weekends centered around the blooms. Photo: Eckert’s Orchard
Eckert’s Orchard in Versailles is part of Illinois-based Eckert’s Farms—the largest family-owned and operated pick-your-own orchard in the country, tracing its history back eight generations to 1837. The Versailles location began growing sunflowers in 2020.
“Since then, the sunflower fields have quickly become one of our most popular summer traditions, drawing families, photographers and visitors looking to experience the beauty of the blooms each season,” says Eckert’s Marketing Director Amanda Morgan.
About 1.5 acres of the NuSun sunflower—known for its classic bright golden petals and strong stems—are planted, with a Sunflower Trail created for an immersive walk-through experience.
“The sunflower fields are also designed with photography in mind, featuring scenic views, wide-open walking rows and seasonal photo opportunities that make the perfect backdrop,” says Morgan.
“There’s something about seeing thousands of sunflowers stretching across the landscape that feels peaceful and joyful,” she adds. “Most people immediately stop and smile and often comment on how beautiful and uplifting the experience is in person.”
DESTINATONS
Sunflower season in Kentucky can arrive as early as late June and run through September andlonger—depending on Mother Nature. Find details about bloom times, U-pick costs, special events and more on each farm’s Facebook page and always call before you visit to confirm hours, admission and other information. There may be a charge for activities/events at these farms.
Featured farms
Eckert’s Orchard, 1396 Pinckard Pike, Versailles eckerts.com, Facebook: Eckert’s Orchard – KY, (859) 873-3097
Sunflower season at Eckert’s features the Sunflower Trail and pick-your-own sunflower experiences, along with special seasonal weekends centered around the blooms. Guests can enjoy the fields alongside food, shopping, family activities and time spent on the farm for a full summertime outing.
Evans Orchard, 1783 Newtown Pike, Georgetown; evansorchard.com, Facebook: Evans Orchard and Cider Mill, (502) 863-2255
The Sunflower Festival kicks off around July 25 and lasts for about two weeks, depending on the blooms. “Sunflowers typically bloom about 60 days after planting, so once they’re in the ground, we’ll be able to confirm the timing and release the full schedule,” says Jenny Evans. Festival fun includes U-pick sunflowers, photo ops, activities in the sunflower fields and later evening opportunities to enjoy the flowers and take photos in golden summer light.
Honey Hill Farms, 355 Leon Andrus Lane, Mayfield; Facebook: Honey Hill Farms, (270) 703-2419
Learn about pop-up events, held when the farm shop and concession stand are open, on the farm’s Facebook page. Likewise, guests can schedule private flower-picking experiences and photo shoots through the page and get details about Honey Hill’s annual fall festival season, which begins in mid-September and features a large community kickoff with local vendors, food trucks, games, hayrides and concessions.
Ruby Branch Farms, 780 Lake Spring Road, Franklin; rubybranchfarms.com, Facebook: Ruby Branch Farm, (270) 776-4672
In addition to sunflower season (late July-early September), Touch A Tractor Weekend is August8–9 and the farm’s inaugural Watermelon Crawl Weekend is held August 28–29, with tasting flights of farm-raised melons, live 90s country music, line dancing and more.
Stepping Stone Farm, 1674 Cynthiana Road, Paris, steppingstonefarmky.com, Facebook: Stepping Stone Farm, (859) 658-6060,
A bustling agritourism destination, the farm hosts thousands of visitors throughout the year, picking sunflowers, strawberries, apples, pumpkins and more. The family-fun Peach, Love and Sunflowers Festival is held annually at end of July/early August (depending on the sunflowers). See Facebook page for details and updates.
Other sunflower farms
McGlasson Farms, 5832 River Road, Hebron; mcglassonfarms.com, Facebook: McGlasson Farms, (859) 689-5229
Visitors are welcome to walk the sunflower fields, pick sunflowers and take photos. See Facebook page for dates and details, plus events that take place during the season.
Steenbergen Sunflower Farm, 4013 Stevenson Mill Road, Russellville (Pennyrile RECC); steenbergenfarm.com, Facebook: Steenbergen Sunflower Farm, (270) 893-5527
Fields of sunflowers for U-pick, plus a Nature Playground, picnic area and Nature Scavenger Hunt. Steenbergen Farm merch is sold in the welcome shed.
Thomas Dairy Farm & Market, 4625 Leitchfield Road, Cecilia (Nolan RECC); thomasdairyfarmandmarketky.com, Facebook: Thomas Dairy Farm and Market, (270) 401-2524
The Sixth Annual Sunflower Festival takes place in August (check Facebook page for exact dates, times, admission and special events/activities) and features 5 acres of sunflowers and more than 20 varieties in all sizes and colors, including the classic yellow sunflower; blooms in shades of red, pink, white and more; and giant sunflowers of over 10 feet tall.
