No Stopping for Sunflower Pics on Jarrettsville Pike: Police

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — As sunflowers have sprung in Harford County, the paparazzi has cropped up as well along Jarrettsville Pike, to the point that police are intervening.

State troopers from the Bel Air Barrack cautioned motorists about causing traffic hazards near one of the area's top sunflower sighting spots.

"Please do not stop along Jarrettsville Pike north of Hess Road to photograph the sunflower field," Maryland State Police said in a statement this week. "It creates a tremendous traffic hazard as well as a danger to the pedestrians."

The sunflower field on Jarrettsville Pike near Hess Road is owned by Clear Meadow Farm, which produces grain, soybeans, sunflowers and other crops. According to the farm, the best viewing time for the sunflowers is from Aug. 27 to Sept. 11. Farm representatives remind the public that the flowers contribute to the livelihood of farmers, so people should be careful around them.

The large sunflower field is located on MD 146/Jarrettsville Pike at Hess Road.

In general, Maryland sunflowers bloom from late August through October. The Maryland Sunflower Festival in Monkton is Sept. 11.

While there is usually another sunflower field open for photographers and sunflower enthusiasts at Broom's Bloom in Bel Air, staff posted on Saturday that the sunflowers were no longer in bloom and "the field looks rough."

• VIEWFINDER: Sunflowers in Harford County Brighten a Cloudy Day
• Photo of the Day: Summer in Full Bloom

Photo by Ed Rybczynski.