Sad news: City of Raleigh is not planting the summer sunflower field at Dorothea Dix Park in 2020 due to social distancing concerns.
Good news: There are othe options! Here are some for our consideration --
4911 Hunt Road, Hillsborough, is a small family-owned farm that grows a wide variety of flowers, as well as vegetables. You can visit and either buy pre-picked flowers, or you can pick your own.
They plant sunflowers in a staggered fashion so they will continue to bloom all summer, in bursts.
In addition, you can pick Zinnias, Cosmos, Black-eyed Susans and other flowers.
You can also purchase vegetables. They grow vegetables for their own family and sell the extra in their online store.
Your best bet for scheduling is to like Firefly Farm’s Facebook page. They will update U-pick dates. Coming up:
Wednesday, July 1, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday, July 3, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Saturday, July 4, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Order online for U-pick flowers or for pre-cut flowers, as well as vegetables. You probably should look at their Facebook page before heading out, in case weather or crop conditions affect any plans.
12701 Buffalo Road, Clayton grows sunflowers, as well as a large variety of vegetables. Every year they hold a Sunflower Day (or days) when you can come and cut sunflowers to bring home, for $1 a stem. You can also take pictures in the sunflower fields. No professional photography sessions are allowed during Sunflower Days.
They are waiting until the crop is just right to announce the dates of Sunflower Days, but it’s expected to be very soon, in the first two weeks of July. Follow them on FACEBOOK for announcements.
Dogwood Farms is a flower farm at 8096 Belews Creek Road, Belews Creek, in Forsyth County. This is northwest of Greensboro, so it’s a bit of a drive from the Triangle, but they take their sunflowers really seriously here!
The farm is open every day until sunflower season ends, from 9 a.m. to sunset.
It costs $5 to go into the fields. Age 8 and under are free, age 65 and older are $3, and veterans and active duty military members get in for free.
Sunflowers are $1 a stem and wild flowers are $3 fo ra half dozen and $5 for a dozen. This includes wrapping and cutting the flowers.
Professional photographers must pay a $25 per hour fee.
In addition to the sunflower days that are taking place every day during sunflower season, Dogwood Farms is hosting Freedom Flower Event on 4th of July weekend.
On July 4th and 5th, from 9 a.m. to dark on both days, celebrate Independence Day on the farm. Besides posing with flowers and buying stems, there will be vendors and local craftspeople.
There will be a contest for the craziest patriotic outfit. If you show up wearing anything with the American flag on it, get $1 off admission
Do you know of others? Please share!
Please be sure to contact these folks to make sure they are open when you plan to go. And, contact me if you'd like to look for a new home.
SOURCE: Triangle of the Cheap