100,000 sunflowers cover 10 acres at York County festival
Jaime O’Malley, of Shrewsbury Township, holds her 15-month-old son Cameron in the air in 10 acres of sunflowers during the 2nd Annual Sunflower Festival at Maple Lawn Farms near New Park. (Paul Kuehnel/York Daily Record)
The 2nd annual Sunflower Festival at Maple Lawn Farms near New Park in Fawn Township has grown to 10 acres this year with 100,000 blossoms from 28 different varieties, according to Hugh McPherson, who runs the event and owns the farm.
According to McPherson, it’s peak week for sunflowers, which are quite a challenge to make 28 varieties bloom at the same time.
A wet season caused a couple failed starts for the farm, which must plant the different varieties over 55 days, according to McPherson, so that they all bloom over two festival weekends. The 28 types of sunflowers bloom from between 50 to 110 days after planting. The good news is that the wet weather will be perfect for pumpkins, which will ripen for this fall, he said.
The festival continues next Friday, Saturday and Sunday with various events, music and food. More information about the Sunflower festival and ticket purchasing can be found at the farm’s website
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