Scott Thompson’s family has been farming in Kenosha County for over 70 years, and 2020 is the first year that sunflowers are decorating their fields.
Thompson Strawberry Farm is located just ten miles west of Kenosha, Wisconsin, a hot-topic community steeped in tragic current events – and in desperate need of healing. The family farm invites vacationers to simply enjoy themselves for a day – take a load off – picnic – and bring home a dozen beautiful sunflowers.
Sunflowers Make for a Sunnier 2020
CNN reports that Thompson and his family decided on the risky move together and just went for it. In a typical year, their enterprising pick-your-own farm grows strawberries in summer – then moves on to pumpkins for the fall. But if one thing is for certain, 2020 has been anything but a typical year.
“We just did it … and we just kept building…. As the season went on, the pandemic never went anywhere … and we thought people might be looking for something to do, and what a great way to social distance and… smile, basically.”
CNN
Smiling faces are coming from around the U.S. to enjoy Thompson’s Sunflower Farm
Measures of their wondrous success have come in several forms. Thompson says he has more than 22 acres of sunflowers, with more set to bloom later into the fall season. All in all – there will be over two million sunny blooms on his expansive farmland. The Thompson’s have thought of it all, too, having planted the flowers in more than a dozen separate fields to encourage social distancing.
Perhaps the truest measure of their success, however, comes from the constant smiles on visitor’s faces:
“One of the things that’s so cool about this is everyone is so happy,” Thompson said. “We get all these comments on Facebook, or if I’m out in the field, everybody is like, ‘Thanks for doing this,’ (and) ‘This is what I needed.’ People are so happy to be out there and have a place to go.”
CNN
Thompson also noted that one woman came from as far as Chicago just to escape the gloom of 2020 and surround herself with beauty for the day. If that’s not the highest compliment for a business owner, we don’t know what is. One thing’s for certain, 2020 could use a lot more Scott Thompsons sooner rather than later!
[H/T CNN]
