Did you know that Minnesota is the third biggest producer of sunflowers in the United States after North and South Dakota? Farmers started planting sunflower fields in Minnesota when they saw how well their neighbors in North and South Dakota were doing. Sunflowers are also a popular crop in other US states like Texas, Ohio, Illinois and more.
However, for most farmers the sunflowers were low priority. As sunflowers can be planted quite late in the season they could give areas of the land which hadn’t produced a second chance at some yields. Or some farmers grew sunflowers to use as feed for their cows.
2020 saw record years and huge growth versus 2019 in sunflower, oil crops, and sunflower non-oil crops in Minnesota. Plus there is now a burgeoning tourism industry around visiting the stunning Minnesota sunflower fields when they are in full bloom.
8 Sunflower Fields in Minnesota to Visit
1. Sunflower Ranch
The Sunflower Ranch holds the Sunflower Fest every year on the last Friday in August through to Labor Day. The owners, Phil and Shawn, planted an acre of sunflowers for their son’s wedding in 2018. So many people stopped to see the sunflowers that they decided to start a festival. 3,000 people attended the last festival.
Private reservations are available for Sunflower Ranch all year round. But remember it’s important to take into consideration when sunflowers are at their best. So when do sunflowers bloom in Minnesota? August and September provide the best time to see these stunning beauties at their best.
2. Fresh Acres
Fresh Acres was started in 2016 by two ex-corporate workers. They have 5 acres of sunflower fields and expect the flowers to be ready for mid-August in 2023. They charge admission per person and a set price for a bouquet of sunflowers.
Fresh Acres is also available for private events, photo shoots and yoga classes. And don’t miss their corn maze! This sunflower field in MN is one of the best in the state, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to snap some beautiful pics with the sunflowers this August.
3. Waldoch Farm
Waldoch Farm and Garden Centre have six acres of sunflowers – that’s about the size of six football fields full of sunflowers. Each year they hold a Sunflower Festival which allows visitors to see the 10,000 sunflowers in full bloom.
Parking is free and admission tickets include admission to the Sunflower Experience, Wagon Ride to the Sunflower Fields, one sunflower of the visitor’s choice, and a pick and play membership. Additional sunflowers can also be purchased. There is live music and wine, beer, and snacks available for purchase.
The sunflower season at Waldoch Farm is a little different as they planted their flowers to bloom between the end of July and the end of September. If you’re looking for a sunflower farm in Minnesota that is a little more forgiving, this farm gives you a lot more leeway for visits throughout July, August, and September.
Do make sure to book your tickets for the Waldoch Farm Sunflower Festival online – in 2021 they went on sale on August 15. They held the festival over three weekends in 2020 starting in late August and there was no additional charge for taking photos.
4. Minnesota Harvest Craft Cider Bar & Orchard
In previous years Minnesota Harvest has held events around sunflowers but there are currently no details about their 2022 plans. However, they have said that there are plenty of changes they are adding to their festival this year. They have also announced that they will be opening their harvest season on the 13th of August this year.
Keep an eye on their website and Facebook page for updates as they are one of the best sunflower fields Minnesota has to offer.
5. Brand Farms
Brand Farms have opened Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in September in the past to allow visitors to see their sunflower fields. Some are waist-high. This is literally a field so choose your shoes carefully. There is a small fee for each car and a fee per sunflower. Follow their facebook page to see their latesty plans.
6. Treasured Haven Farm
This family-owned organic farm is located in Rush City, Minnesota. It is a huge farm that covers hundreds of acres. They grow vegetables, corn, oats and more and produce eggs, meat and even maple syrup.
But Treasured Haven Farm is most famous for its organic sunflowers. The farm grows acres of sunflowers every year. Sunflower viewing times vary but early to mid-August is normally the best time. For 2022, Treasured Haven Farms is forecasting that there will be blooming sunflowers between late July and early September.
This Minnesota farm grows sunflowers as a genuine harvest crop. However, as they have so many requests for photo opportunities they open the farm to visitors during Sunflower Days in August. This also provides an opportunity to see the life cycle of a sunflower with the various stages of the field.
Each year the farm adds some unique experiences to Sunflower Days. For 2022 there will be farm woodland trails, creek overlooks and a special sunflower 5 kilometre trail run.
Treasured Haven Farm sells Black Oil Sunflower Seeds which can be used as food for wild birds or to grow microgreen shoots. They can also be eaten and are great in salads.
The best way to stay up to date with these Minnesota sunflower fields is by checking their website. If you’re looking for a sunflower field Minnesota is extremely proud to call its own, then be sure to visit Treasured Haven Farm.
NB: A Professional Photographer License Fee applies.
7. Fish Sunflower Field – CLOSED 2023
Johnny Fish has been planting sunflowers in the Minnesota north metro area for five years. In 2020, he decided to plant ten sunflower fields and open them up to the public. There is no admission charge, no charge for photos and no donations. The Fish Sunflower Fields are a real sight to behold so be sure to bring your camera along for this trip.
He just asked people to spread the word and to put their photos on social media. Johnny is actually a realtor and this is his side passion project.
The fields are open for visitors all the time – at the visitor’s risk. There is specific parking information for each field. Sunflower fields usually bloom for about 10 days but Johnny plants the fields at different times to stagger when the blooming takes place. So you will be able to find sunflowers blooming on his fields throughout the sunflower season.
Locations for this year haven’t been announced yet but some of the previous locations were Albert Lea, Prairie Knoll Park in Andover, Prairie Oak Church Andover, Big Lake, Dayton, Monticello, Orrock, Otsego, Rogers and Zimmerman.
Locations are normally announced only one week prior to the bloom to prevent too much traffic to these private properties.
Keep up to date with the Fish Sunflowers website and join the Facebook Group.
8. Andover Sunflower Field
Andover Sunflower has 3 acres of gorgeous sunflowers. The venue is located in the NW Minneapolis suburbs. It is the closest sunflower field to the Twin Cities metro area. Admission and parking are both free. Donations are encouraged to help the owners continue to cover the expenses of the field.
Prairie land and tall pines flank the property and there is an abundance of wildlife. Winding trails are cut through the fields and over 30 unique props are placed, making it an ideal location for photo opportunities. Children and adults alike love exploring the field and discovering new props.
Pets are not only allowed in the field, they are encouraged! There are several pet-friendly props, including a memorial where pets can be remembered.
The field opens on Friday, September 8. Field hours are 5:30am-8:30pm, 7 days a week.
Check their website for updates and more family fun.
When to see Sunflower Fields in Minnesota
August and September tend to be the two key months of the year to see sunflowers in bloom in Minnesota. The timing will vary each year of course based on the weather.
Plus, most of the sunflower fields which allow for visitors will be in bloom at different times. As you will see Fish sunflowers actually plan for this and have different bloom dates across their ten fields.
The best way to keep up to date with when Minnesota sunflower fields will be blooming is to check the websites of the various farms and follow their facebook pages. Many sell their tickets ahead of time – particularly those that do events like a sunflower festival – so make sure to get your ticket early so you don’t miss out.
Fun Facts about Sunflowers
- Not all sunflowers are yellow – they also come in purple and red.
- Sunflowers can range in height. There are two categories of sunflowers: tall and dwarf. Tall sunflowers tend to be yellow and durable and will grow between 12 and 16 feet high. Dwarf sunflowers tend to be grown in clusters in small gardens and pots. They are referred to as dwarfs because they tend not to grow taller than 3 feet. However, both sizes love the full sunlight.
- Young sunflowers track the sun. Their face will follow the sun from sunrise to sunset every day and keep repeating this until they mature.
- Mature sunflowers face East. Once a sunflower reaches maturity its internal clock starts slowing down. Also, sunflowers are more productively warmed when facing East and once warmer they can attract up to five times more pollinators.
- Sunflowers are native to the United States. Although it is now harvested around the world, the sunflower plant is native to North America. North Dakota is the leading US state for sunflower production.
- Thousands of tiny flowers create a sunflower’s head. Each petal on the circumference of a sunflower is a unique flower. The long petals are called “ray florets”.
- There is a Teddy Bear Sunflower. These sunflowers are particularly bushy and spherical. They tend to produce double blooms which gives them a full fluffy head that looks like a teddy bear.
- Sunflower Seeds are highly nutritious. They are loaded with minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron as well as vitamins. Plus they are a valuable source of protein, fiber and polyunsaturated fat.
What Can I do with Sunflower Seeds?
Sunflower seeds are most commonly used in two ways. One is to eat them and two is to grow more sunflowers. Here’s how!
How to Cook with Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are often forgotten in the pantry but they are super nutritious and can also add great flavour to food. Here are six ways to cook with sunflower seeds:
- Add to dough when making bread
- Sprinkle on your salads for some extra crunch
- Add to baked goods like muffins before putting them in the oven
- Add to vegetables for more flavor – toast the sunflower seeds before or add them to the cooking method
- Mix them in with your breakfast cereal
- When making pesto
How to Grow Sunflowers at Home
It is relatively easy to grow sunflowers at home. Sunflowers like full sun but they also need a bit of shelter so they don’t fall over. Against a wall or a fence is perfect. Literally sow the seeds where you want the sunflowers to grow. Place the seeds about 12mm deep and 45cm apart.
Mid April to May is the best time of year to sow sunflower seeds. Give them a good thorough water at least once a week.
If you want to cut your sunflowers do so early in the morning and make sure you use a tall vase so that their heads are support.
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I covered all of the costs involved in writing this article. However, this sunflower fields in Minnesota post includes affiliate links. That means if you click through and end up making a purchase I will receive a small commission. I wanted to make sure you were aware of this.
Amanda O’Brien is the creator and editor of The Boutique Adventurer. She has visited 80 countries and is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers as well as the IFTWTA. She is passionate about wine had has just completed Level 3 of the WSET. Born in Australia, she lives in London.