With all due respect to literally every other variety of flora, there’s nothing quite like a sunflower field in bloom. They’re wild, they’re whimsical, they’re fun, they’re a little chaotic…they’re not unlike your dog in all of those ways. And to add it, there are lots of dog-friendly sunflower fields in Minnesota where your pup can join you as you take in the colorful, fantastical view.
When Do Sunflowers Bloom in Minnesota?
Fields typically burst into bloom between July and September, but it all depends on when the seeds were planted and what the weather’s been like. Sadly sunflower fields don’t stay in peak bloom for too long, so you’ll want to follow the individual farms on Facebook or Instagram—or sign up for email alerts whenever possible—to make sure your trip is planned for the pawfect weekend. Just grab your pup and your camera to make some doggone memories at these Minnesota sunflower fields.
Fish Sunflowers’ Free Fields
Scattered throughout Minnesota, Fish Sunflowers’ free-to-visit fields were started 7 years ago by farmer Johnny Olson, who literally just wanted to spread joy via sunflower. He leases the land on his own dime, planting hundreds of thousands of seeds to show love for the people in his life (it’s incredibly sweet; check out this story from KSTP). And though your dog might not get the gesture, she’s welcome to join you on a sunshiney visit to one or more of Fish’s fields.
Locations vary from year to year, but have included Maple Grove, Monticello, Buffalo, Elk River, Rogers, Minneapolis, Big Lake, Andover, and Princeton. Last year they had a whopping ten fields around the state. Be sure to follow along on their website so you know which locations bloom throughout the summer. You can find the full list of locations here (not updated yet for 2022, but they’ve been sharing sneak peeks on Facebook), and sign up here to get email updates on bloom times directly to your inbox. Lastly, you can join Fish’s public Facebook Group to double check that the field you’re hoping to visit is open!
Treasured Haven Farm
Located in Rush City, Treasured Haven is a hit with trail runners who flock to the farm for 5Ks, adventure runs, and more. Your pup is welcome on the wooded, mowed trails as well—so you can take him for a hike before or after your sunflower field experience. A dry, hot season means the sunflowers are getting a later start than usual this year, but a farm spokesperson tells us they should bloom in late July. Find up-to-date info on pricing, blooming, and Treasured Haven’s Sunflower Days (held each August) here.
Note: They just ask you keep canines leashed and away from any farm animals—they’d rather not have pups messing with their sheep and cows.
Fresh Acres
Dogs are welcome at Fresh Acres all year, whether your bud prefers the sunflower fields each summer or the fall corn maze and pumpkin patch. Admission to the sunflower fields is $5 a person ($10 per person for a cut-your-own bouquet), and this year, all 5 sunflower-filled acres should be blooming by mid-August. Have a specific event in mind? Give them a shout to book photoshoots, yoga classes, and other private events in the sunflower field. You can find more details on the “What’s Flowerin’” section of the Fresh Acres site.
Brand Farms
First purchased by German immigrants and now run by fourth-generation farmers, this quaint family farm will make pup feel right at home. Located south of the Twin Cities in Farmington, Brand Farms is home to an apple orchard, free-range chickens, and sunflower fields. Visit Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in September to take in all the sunflower happiness. They charge a small fee for each visiting car and for each sunflower that pupper picks—peep their Facebook page for this season’s pricing announcement.
Did we leave out your pup’s fave flowering field? Give us a shout in the comments so we can add it before it’s in bloom! And, obvi, tag us @SidewalkDog in all your gorg sunflower snaps so we can throw heart eyes all over them.
Featured photo: Fish’s Free Sunflower Fields
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