Sunflower farms are starting to reopen around Toronto
It's sunflower selfie season, friends — or just about — and while you can no longer visit the famous farm that was trampled by tourist mobs in 2018 (still off-limits for pictures, on account of said tourist mobs), several others near Toronto are welcoming visitors back.
Dixie Orchards, an apple, pumpkin, sunflower and hazelnut farm in south Caledon, Ontario, announced this week that it will be opening "for sunflowers only" this Saturday, Aug. 15.
You can visit the farm's sprawling sunflower fields daily from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. until the bloom is over (approximately three weeks), but you'll need to make a reservation.
"Our sunflower fields and wagon rides are accessible with the admission fee of $10/person, age 10 and older," reads the Dixie Orchards website.
"Due to COVID 19 capacity limitations, all guests to the sunflower trail are recommended to reserve a time ONLINE especially if they are travelling a far distance or have a preferred time. Walk-ins will only be permitted if we have space."
Appointments are capped at two hours max, and masks are required for wagon rides to the sunflower fields (but not throughout the farm "as long as you can maintain 6-foot distance from those who are not in your household.")
Campbell's Cross Farm, also in Caledon, has actually been open since Aug. 3, operating under Stage 3 protocols.
The wellness-focused sunflower farm is open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily. Adults can enter for $15 a pop (kids under 12 are free) and no reservations are required — but aspiring influencers (lol) take note: You can't just show up and stage a photo shoot.
People looking to use the sunflower fields at Campbell's Cross as a photo backdrop need to book a photography session between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. (it's $100 for two hours, plus the cost of admission for any human subjects.)
The Sunflower Farm in Beaverton, Ontario, is actually starting to wind down for the season as early bloomers droop and lose their petals — but younger sunflowers are still in full bloom as of Wednesday.
Hours vary by day at this farm and admission is usually $10 per adult (kids under 10 and seniors over 90 are always free.) Starting today, however, the business is offering a reduced, end-of-season entry fee of $10 per car.
Photoshoots are also normally available within The Sunflower Farm's 10-acre fields, but they're booked up entirely in that regard for the rest of this year.
Some local sunflower fields are staying closed this year entirely, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic (or, in the case of Bogle Seeds, "due to the fiasco that occurred in 2018.")
Caledon's Davis Family Farm, which boats roughly 60 acres of sunflower fields, updated its website last week to state that it wouldn't be able to welcome the public back for 2020.
"With everything happening due to COVID 19, we feel it will only ensure the safety and health of our community and staff if we remain closed this summer," reads the update.
"We feel sad that we will not be able to share the beauty of the sunflowers with everyone this summer but feel confident that if we all work together and continue to social distance, we can all play a part in defeating this terrible virus."
Latest Videos
Latest Videos
Join the conversation Load comments
