Looking for the perfect photo backdrop? A sunny spot in Olathe offers the perfect op
It was a seasonal no-brainer.
After all, why wouldn’t autumn pumpkin people enjoy summer sunflowers?
And so, in 2016, the owners of the KC Pumpkin Patch in Olathe took a portion of their pumpkin patch and developed a new crop and a new festival. This year’s KC Sunflower Festival will be held on weekends beginning Aug. 9.
The logic behind growing sunflowers was simple.
It would be a way for people to enjoy walking through the flowers with family and friends, photo opportunities all around them, said Taylor Roesch.
Roesch is co-owner of KC Pumpkin Patch, which was started by her parents, Kirk and Julie Berggren, in 2003. At first, the patch had a small petting zoo, a tricycle tracks, a few bales of hay, a bin of corn and a barrel train. Visitors now find even more family activities.
More than 20,000 sunflower seeds are planted in the fields for the August festival.
“We plant many varieties of sunflowers every year,” Roesch said. “They range from traditional field sunflowers to gold and orange, bushy types to giant mammoths that grow to over 11 feet tall.
“We try to have a variety so people can see the great varied sunflowers available in Kansas.”
The massive undertaking means tending to things before planting, said Kirk Berggren, co-owner of the business.
“We prep the land before planting to minimize weeds and fertilize to maximize growth,” Berggren said. “We time the planting so that the sunflowers are mature during the height of our viewing season.”
Mother Nature does bring challenges.
“Weather, especially lack of rain, is always a challenge,” Berggren said. “Fortunately, we are able to irrigate our field from our 5-acre pond. Sunflowers are moderately easy to manage.”
Berggren said visitors are very respectful of the field and each other.
“They wait patiently for others to take pictures with any of our numerous photo ops,” he said.
“When our daughter, Taylor, was pregnant with our first grandchild, she took several professional photos in the field with flowing dresses and headbands. On the first day open, I noticed at least a half dozen very pregnant women come in with beautiful dresses and several changes of clothes along with a professional photographer.”
Berggren said he watched the photo sessions in the field.
“It was very humbling to be a part of such a momentous moment in a young mother’s life,” he said.
After sunflowers, the fields aren’t quiet for long.
“After the sunflower season is over, we plow the sunflowers under and use the area to lay out thousands of small pumpkins to allow easy access for our school field trips,” Roesch said.
KC Sunflower Festival information
Where: KC Pumpkin Patch, 13875 S. Gardner Road, Olathe
When: Weekends from Aug. 9-25. Hours are 4 to 8 p.m. Fridays; noon to 8 p.m. Saturdays; and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays.
Cost: Tickets are $14.95 online and $19.95 at the door. Admission to the festival includes unlimited photo ops and more than 60 activities, including a mega slide, corn cob beach, trike track and ninja course.
Extras: Food and drink is available for purchase, including adult beverages.
Information: Go to www.kcpumpkinpatch.com.
