My daughter suggested that we take the grand boys to the Nelson Sunflower Festival.  I had never heard of this, but like all things when it comes to my daughter and the boys I am always game.  Apparently this was the third annual festival and just right outside city limits.  When we got there I noticed how beautiful the sky was.  I hadn’t seen a blue sky like that since Annapolis Maryland in September of 2012.  

Sky in Annapolis Maryland September 2012 

Suddenly it dawned on me that I haven’t seen a clear blue sky in at least six weeks.  Our skies like everywhere have been full of smoke.  In the mornings when I go out to the deck with my coffee I can smell the smoke.  It just amazes me that in Nebraska we are seeing the effects of the wild fires out west 1500 miles away.  I can’t even imagine what it’s like to actually be living with it.  Your courage and perseverance is so admirable.

Upon arriving at the farm besides noticing the sky we found hay bales the boys couldn’t wait to concur and race each other.  The oldest brothers longer legs had him at a big advantage! 

 Next we went exploring and discovered we just missed the hay rack ride which was running every 30 minutes.  This put us right at the strawberry fields so of course we had buckets so we had to fill them.  We then found the tomatoes so we had to put all the strawberries together which created an overflowing strawberry bucket!  Then the boys filled the tomato bucket which made for a very heavy tomato bucket!  

You guessed it, we now had to carry these buckets everywhere we went!!!  

Soon the hayrack came back and we hopped on for a very pleasant ride around the farm and up to the sunflowers.  

Dropping us off buckets and all we grabbed 3 pair of scissors so we would be prepared to walk thru the maize and select our flowers to cut.  As we wound our way thru the maize we came upon a brightly painted Childs Adirondack chair.  

Oh, this is going to be fun.  Around the next bend was an adult size chair.  These are indoor upholstered pieces that looked like they just came out of the living room for an afternoon romp.  

Around another turn was a sofa, and then you walk thru a pair of bright blue doors 

just standing there amidst the sunflowers.  The attention to the detail of the experience was absolutely so much fun.  

Now, I have never stood next to a sunflower before. I knew they were big and tall, I knew they literally follow the sun, I knew the seeds come from the center of the flower but I was not prepared for how heavy they are.  

The stems are about 1 1/2-2″ in diameter and each flower once cut was the weight and size of a 2 month old baby.  You had to carry them like a baby too!  My intention was to cut 5 for a fun bouquet but after cutting 2 for the boys I could only manage to cut 1 for myself.  Oh well

My daughter always the photographer!

The hayrack came to pick us up and we discovered there was so much more to see. 

I was trying to decide if this farmhouse is an old house with new restoration or a new build.  On closer examination I came to the conclusion that it is a new build and I don’t think quite finished yet.  It is a lovely home and a perfect addition to this wonderful farm.

Next we stopped at the market which we decided to do after the ride.  Well since we dropped off right there we had to take a peak and we bought cookies, peaches, a watermelon, we paid for the tomatoes and strawberries and to say all of our arms were full because of course we had the sunflower babies, we needed to make a pit stop at the car.  We fortunately found a wagon to cart everything and then it was off to the barn and all the farm animals.  

These animals were so much fun and very social.  They had signs telling about each animals name, and their eccentricities.  Again attention to detail.

Then there were the tires!  

A mountain of great big farm tires  leading to and tunneling under a fun romp to the top where there were two tubes for you to slide down.  

Rumor has it that the tubes are very fast.  My daughter brave enough, myself not so much!  The boys had a blast.

The Festival will go thru next weekend and you can buy ticketshttps://www.nelsonproducefarm.com/events It was a very fun special day with the Grand boys, sunflowers, and a beautiful blue sky.  

Thanks for stopping

Shelley