Harvesting Happiness

The month of August arrives quietly. It sort of just lazily saunters in without much ordeal, gives us an unassuming nod, and continues on its merry way until September is upon us. 

August is rife with many fine subtleties one can appreciate; it is a time of year when the brilliance of a New England summer, of our island, is to be truly regarded and savored.  Many local farms are at the peak of their summer harvest and opportunities to indulge in their bounty are plentiful. 

What better way to do this than to celebrate the ubiquitous sunflower? 

The bright blooms standing shoulder to shoulder like sentinels across vast fields, loyal subjects to the sun. Even if your thumb lacks even the slightest hint of green, it is impossible to overlook these beautiful blossoms as their lofty stems reach high above the ground, as if to demand attention from the sun. 

They can be seen all over the island this time of year and signs reading "Sunflowers" are appearing on street corners and farm stands alike, beckoning passersby to purchase a stem or a bunch. 

If you follow the sign on the corner of East Main Road and Hedley, it will lead you down Hedley Road to Maplewood Farm, a family operation where co-owners Judy Carvalho and Stephen Anderson grow sunflower upon lovely sunflower and the not-to-be-forgotten perennials, annuals, a variety of potted herbs and a plethora of potatoes, including a giant purple variety. 

A sign is hardly necessary to draw customers into Maplewood Farm; the field of sunflowers clearly visible from the road would seem sufficient.

This notion is exactly how Carvalho unintentionally stumbled into the business of selling sunflowers on her three-season farm years ago. 

Originally a potato farm, Carvalho inherited the land in 1988 when her father passed away. When confronted with a particularly damp patch of land unsuitable for growing much, Carvalho decided to grow sunflowers.

"I grew them in the field by the road just to make it look nice because I couldn't grow anything else … and people wanted to buy them," she said.

The numerous requests she received for her roadside attraction inspired her to research the flower so that she might successfully grow and harvest them the following year.  Since then, she and nephew Anderson have become sunflower connoisseurs, if you will, and have experimented with countless varieties including a pollen-free strain appropriate for individuals with allergies.

Once cut, the aptly named flowers, which actually track the sun across the horizon until fully bloomed, will last at least one week.

There is a mystique, an inherent magnetism surrounding the sunflower that many people find alluring. Some people may find them wistful and enchanting while others simply think they're nice to look at. 

When asked why she thought sunflowers were so popular Carvalho simply stated, "They make people happy." 

This truth was quite evident as visitors to the farm left cheerfully laden with bunches of the freshly cut flowers. 

Maplewood Farm, 234 Hedley St., is open for business daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunflowers are also available at Rhode Island Nurseries, 736 East Main Road, Middletown; and Peckham Farm, 1299 Wapping Road, Middletown.

Know of a local farm selling sunflowers that is not mentioned here? Please let us know and we'll add it to our listing. E-mail Sandy@Patch.com.