by In late summer/early fall (let’s face it, it depends on the day, the sky, and the dew point) across Wisconsin, sunflowers bloom, rise, and create an amazingly beautiful sea of yellow, brown, and green in fields. It’s a huge photo op (yes, selfies included) and quite a few farms around the state offer the chance to walk amongst them, view them from platforms, and even pick and walk away with some of the beautiful blooms. Here are some of our favorites with details – please note farms generally have specific COVID-19 restrictions in place this year. Website and Facebook page links are included so you can get the latest details on protocol, and how the sunflowers are doing! Have fun and enjoy Wisconsin’s late summer beauty as you run around doing State Trunk Tours… here we go!
Babbette’s Seeds of Hope Farm, Eau Claire
W5725 State Trunk Highway 85
Eau Claire, WI 54701
(715) 308-4949
Website
Not only a working farm but also a mission, Babbette’s Seeds of Hope salutes their family matriarch, who passed away in 2014 after a nearly 9-year battle with cancer. Today, their mission is to support cancer patients dealing with cancer treatments, as well as funding and promoting research. A visit to Babbette’s Seeds of Hope Sunflower Farm yields two large fields of beautiful sunflowers right along Highway 85 southwest of Eau Claire, with the hills in the distance and even the view of the Silver Mine Ski Jump across the Chippewa River. The fields are free to visit, sunrise to sunset; but of course donations are welcome.
Auburndale School Forest, Auburndale
10704 Park Avenue
Auburndale, WI 54412
Website
Over 90,000 sunflowers are in bloom near Auburndale High School in Wood County for your viewing pleasure, in the Auburndale School District’s farm and forest. It serves as a fundraiser for Toys For Tots, so while admission is free it is highly encouraged that you drop a donation in the box on your way in or out. You’ll find it just north of the U.S. 10/Highway 13 expressway via County N. On the way, you’ll cross Main Street, the original path of U.S. 10. The flowers should remain in bloom until Labor Day weekend or so. This video has more details:
Sopa Fairview Farm, Amherst
9280 Old Amish Road
Amherst, WI 54406
Website
This family farm dates back to 1893 and in late August their approximately 500,000 sunflowers bloom across the beautiful acres of central Wisconsin. They reported buds popping around August 11th, so their peak should be from August 20th into mid September. Plan accordingly!
Perlick Distillery Farm, Sarona
W5150 County Highway B
Sarona, WI 54870
(715) 296-5087
Website
The 2,000-acre Perlick Farm turns a century old this year; in 2004, the family added the Perlick Distillery. And on top of that, Perlick Farms also plants acres of sunflowers people can come and enjoy in the late summer. They’re past peak right now, but should still be lovely for a few more weeks. You’ll find Perlick Farms and the sunflowers (and the distillery, should you be interested) along County Highway B just north of Sarona, a few miles east of the U.S. 53 freeway and a few more miles east of U.S. 63 just north of Shell Lake, all in Washburn County.
Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center, Newton
7001 Gass Lake Road
Manitowoc, WI 54220
(920) 726-6000
Website
The Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center is right along I-43 between Sheboygan and Manitowoc at the County C/Newton exit (Exit #144.) The facility always offers great insight to Wisconsin’s farms and farming community, but right now the land adjacent also offers seas of sunflowers. According to their Instagram, the sunflower fields are included with your regular Farm Wisconsin admission. The Farm Wisconsin Discover Center is open Fridays – Sundays, 9am – 5pm.
Eugster’s Farm Market & Petting Farm, Stoughton
3865 State Trunk Highway 138 West
Stoughton, WI 53589
(608) 873-3822
Website
Located just outside Stoughton in southern Dane County along Highway 138, Eugster’s is a 349-acre farm that offers a 15-acre petting farm for kids and a market for everybody with fresh produce like muskmelons and sweet corn throughout the growing season. They also offer quite the corn maze (covering 8 acres) and a fun, spooky haunted house during Halloween. This time of year, the sunflowers pop up and Eugster’s celebrates with a Sunflower Days event. That’s already happened this year, but thousands and thousands of sunflowers will remain until… well, until they don’t. Check it out any weekday except Tuesday, between 10am and 5pm. Admission if $7.50 per person, but that also includes the farm market and the animal petting zoo.
Bergsbaken Farms, Cecil
W2095 County Road E
Cecil, WI 54111
(715) 853-6533
Facebook Page
Bergsbaken offers four walking trails through its expansive sunflower fields. You can also walk away with fresh cold-pressed sunflower oil along with sweet corn and popcorn seeds, all for sale (prices are good, too!) They had what they call “optimal bloom” around August 12th, but the sunflowers will still be a beautiful sight for a while yet. Bergsbaken is in the midst of rural Shawano County, northwest of Green Bay. They’re along County E, with Highways 29, 117, 22, and 32 a few miles in each cardinal direction. A $2 donation is suggested.
Lannon Sunflower Farm, Menomonee Falls
W204N8525 Lannon Road
Menomonee Falls, WI 53051
(414) 803-1542
Website
Facebook Page
Part of Otter Creek Farms LLC, Lannon Sunflower Farm offers a U-Pick option as well as a maze you can navigate in the midst of these colorful beauties. It’s a good (and more efficient) place to bring the whole family, especially since they charge by carload instead of by the person. $20 admission gets you in – cash only – and you can pick up to 12 “U-Pick” Sunflowers to take home. Lannon Sunflower Farm is now open 7am – 7pm daily through Labor Day. They’re in Menomonee Falls on Lannon Road, accessible via I-41/U.S. 45 or Highway 175 if you head south about 2-3 miles via Lannon Road or west 2-3 miles via Menomonee Avenue (depending on which direction you’re coming from.) From the west, you can use Highway 164 and head east via Plainview Road to County V, and then east on Menomonee Avenue.
Oh, and here’s a tidbit: the land across the street from the farm was once a NIKE missile site!
Jelli’s Market, Helenville
N5648 S. Farmington Road
Helenville, WI 53137
(262) 593-5133
Website
Jelli’s features roadside stands in Johnson Creek near Culver’s, in Watertown by Ace Hardware, and in Wales at the corner of Hwy 83 and 18, but back at “headquarters” they offer a lot all year. That includes picking of blueberries, raspberries, and even green beans depending on the time of year. But in August and September, the sunflowers come out to play! For $6/person – except for children 4 and under, they’re free – they let you do photography sessions (or Instagramming, whatever you wanna call it), plus you can pick one sunflower to take home. Additional sunflowers can be picked and taken for an additional dollar per flower.
The Bowery, Ashippun
N2201 County Road P
Rubicon, WI 53078
(262) 457-9660
Website
The Bowery is a combination farm and event space, especially popular for weddings. Located along County P in the Town of Ashippun amongst the rolling hills of Dodge County, this lovely locale hosts a sunflower farm field this time of year… and food trucks on Tuesdays! Photo session specials are available, or you can just frolic as you wish. Highway 67 is to the west, Highway 83 is to the east… Highway P is right in between, just a little bit south of Highway 60.
Kelley Country Creamery, Eden
W5215 County Highway B
Fond du Lac, WI 54937
920-923-1715
Website
They start early with sunflowers at Kelley Country Creamery, located along Hwy B just east of I-41 in southern Fond du Lac County.
They’re scheduled to run through late August, call or hit their site for the latest.
Oak Rest Farms Sunflowers, Burlington
6138 S. Pine Street
Burlington, WI 53105
(262) 308-2405
Facebook Page
Oak Rest Farms is located along Highway 83, just south of Burlington in Racine County, right by the big bypass around town. Per their Facebook page last time we checked, Oak Rest is planning to continue prime sunflower viewing for its visitors at least through August 23rd. Admission is $5 per person, and $1 for every sunflower you pick. We assume there’s a limit, but that’s just us assuming. Oak Rest is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 Noon until sunset and Sundays 10am – 5pm.
If you know of more, let us know! We’ll track these as best we can.
