The drive down McIntosh Road in Dover from I-4 is a lot more cheerful these days. The landscape moves from fast-food restaurants and produce stands to a vast field of brilliant zinnias and sunflowers. It’s one of the many local farms that are planting fields of wildflowers, allowing people to visit and pick their own bouquet.
From strawberries to wildflowers
Planting fields of flowers was Gerald Wlliams’ way of attracting people to the small farm stand on his property at 3830 McIntosh Road. And it is working. The owner of 3 Son Farm is even planning to plant flowers again in the fall and hopes to add a U-pick pumpkin patch for families to enjoy.
“I was surprised so many people like flowers,” said Williams, who also farms strawberries and vegetables in Eastern Hillsborough County. He is not the only one. There are several summer flower farms scattered throughout the county, drawing families, grandparents and couples holding hands, all eager to pluck red, yellow, orange and purple posies to take home and enjoy. It is a business, and some would say, a public service.
With Florida’s summer heat, the winter strawberry season ends. And these days, tourists and residents, alike, get this colorful replacement–the U-pick flower farms.
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Guests can grab a basket and some shears and head out into the acres of sunflowers and zinnias to create colorful bouquets for their tables at home. For those who are not terribly interested in picking flowers, but want to enjoy the beauty of the fields, there is a trail to wander.
Recently, some of these fields were ablaze with ruby red strawberries that get shipped across the nation during the winter months. Farmers are finding new uses for their dirt during the rest of the year, including for growing squash, bell peppers, watermelons and cucumbers. Some, though, are choosing these glorious flashes of roadside color to fill in the gaps.
At 3 Sons Farm, guests grab a basket and sheers and head out. For $1, they can get one sunflower or four zinnias. So, for $10, they can walk away with enough flowers to create a substantial arrangement or several smaller ones.
“I have 11 acres I purchased two years ago, and I lease another six more,” Williams said. “I’ve had the little farm stand from the beginning, so I planted the flowers to attract people. They’ll come pick flowers and get a strawberry milkshake while they’re there. People like the flowers, so I am trying to produce different things to make it a better experience every year.” For example, he said, he is looking for various types of sunflowers that will bloom in stages, instead of every flower busting out at the same time.
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This fall, he plans to add more varieties of flowers, so people can make varied bouquets.
“I also think I am going to turn that field into a U-pick field year-round and that includes for strawberries. I am going to try to have them available in December.” Typically, Williams said, people cannot go into the strawberry fields for U-pick until after Easter, at the end of the growing season. So, this will be a new option. “We’re just playing with it, trying to get people’s attention.”
Other flower farms in Hillsborough County
Here is a list of other u-pick flower farms in Hillsborough County:
Fancy Farms
Fancy Farms on the eastern edge of Plant City also offers U-pick zinnias and sunflowers. The farm is at 5204 Drane Field Road. It offers 12 acres of flowers, a sunflower maze and photo opportunities. There are also seasonal desserts, including peach milkshakes, blackberry cobbler, and cookies. The farm is open for U-pick 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. The $5 admission includes one free sunflower. Additional sunflowers are $2 each, three for $5 or one dozen for $15.
A Land of Delight Natural Farm & Nursery
A Land of Delight Natural Farm & Nursery, at 2514 Leaning Pine Drive, in Plant City, offers sunflowers, citrus trees, raw honey and pasteurized eggs Thursday through Saturday.
Strawberry Passion Organics
Strawberry Passion/Passion Organics, at 11780 Tom Folsom Road in Thonotosassa, offers sunflowers, and a farmers’ market.
If you decide to go picking flowers in the Florida sunshine. Here are some tips:
- Bring Sunscreen
- Wear comfortable shoes
- Leave pets at home
- No smoking
- No drones allowed
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