Sunflower filled Sunshine at Thompson Strawberry Farm

A fourth generation berry farmer in Wisconsin brightened the lives of many when he and his wife decided to plant sunflower seeds across 22 acres of farmland. The result yielded 2 million sunflowers at Thompson Strawberry Farm. It’s now become a place frequented by visitors wishing to catch a glimpse of the sunshine filled flowers.

As the pandemic hit society, the Thompsons desired to find a way to spread some goodness around and to help others “get away from their reality for a bit.” Sunflowers are heliotropic, meaning that its buds track the movement of the sun. The leaves of the sunflower plant are phototrophic and they respond with growth in the direction of the sun.

Photo Courtesy Thompson Strawberry Farm

Sunflowers have always been associated with loyalty and adoration since the ancient Greek myth of Apollo and Clytie. Apollo being a bit of a “playa playa” had managed to capture the hearts of two women. Clytie experiencing unrequited love told Leucothoe’s father on her. Apollo, in his anger, turned Clytie into a sweet little sunflower.

Even when she was in sunflower form, she loved him. And that is how the sunflower came to be associated with adoration and loyalty. In the same way that sunflowers move to face the sun, Clythie would watch as Apollo moved the sun across the sky.

So that’s all for myth and tales time today!

Visitors have been captured by the sunflower fields ever since Thompson shared photos of the fields on the farm’s IG. Along with the ability to pick raspberries, pumpkins, and strawberries, guests can also pick sunflowers.

For a car load of up to six people, visitors can enter a vast sunflower patch and pick a dozen sunflowers for $25. Get a glimpse of this patch before the season ends in October. Thompson Strawberry Farm really is “The Berry Best Place to Be” right now! If you’re in the Bristol, Wisconsin area now would be a great time to head down and be enveloped in the vitality that only sunflowers can bring.