SNOHOMISH, Wash. — They're stunning in singles, but sunflowers shine by the thousands in fields at Thomas Family Farm in Snohomish.
The 100-year old farm launched an annual event called "Sunflowers in Snohomish" to celebrate the vibrant but brief bloom season.
"I didn't realize how big of a craze the sunflowers were going to be," said Jake Thomas, who runs the farm with his family. "I made an event on Facebook, and boom, all of a sudden 30 thousand people were on the event list, and it was nuts."
His father Marv originally planted the flowers to attract bees. A fellow farmer warned him, they may also attract visitors.
“Bob told me to hide them, so I did. I put all the corn by Highway 9 and we didn't have any problems at all," Marv said. "But as soon as these sunflowers crept above the corn, then we started having people drive in all the time, taking pictures.”
The family decided to begin sharing the bounty during the last two weeks of August.
During Sunflowers in Snohomish, visitors can walk through 12 acres of fields, pose for photos, and pick their own bunches of sunflowers. Blooms are $3 each.
Colors range from light yellow to dark brown, heights from 15 foot tall ‘Grey Stripes’ to a knee-high variety called ‘Teddy Bear’.
"It's our little small field of dreams here," Marv said. "If you grow it, they will come."
Events for 2022 include U-Cut Sunflowers during the week ($12 admission,) special 21+ "Sip and Pick" nights on Friday 19 and 26, and the Sunflower Festival the last two weekends of August — which includes a kids' fun park, vendors and two beer gardens. Tickets are available online.
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