It’s Colorado summer gold, as the sunflower fields on the eastern plains go into full bloom.
“What determines when a sunflower will bloom, is the amount of heat we get,” said Ron Meyer with the Colorado State University Agricultural Extension. “So at a certain point in time, it’s got enough heat, and it triggers the reproductive stage. And that’s what we are seeing now, it’s entering the reproductive stage.”
Meyer said those gold petals will look their best over the next couple of weeks, before they start to dry out a bit, and then eventually fall off.
It’s that time of year, similar to the falls colors, when amateur photographers, and sight-seers gas up their rides, and venture out with their cameras in hand. Same goes for the professional photogs.
“I think there is just something just universally beautiful about sunflowers,” said Colorado portrait photographer Mia Minoletti. “You know they’re really happy, they’re these huge, large flowers that are larger than life, and that’s always kind of fun.”
Minoletti knows the stunning backdrop a sunflower field can provide but said she would not do a shoot in them without proper permission.
“It’s private property for one, and we get a lot of requests for shoots out in the fields, but it’s one of those things that you want to be respectful,” said Minoletti.
Several farmers that 9NEWS interviewed on the phone Thursday morning, said they generally welcome a few clicks along the side of their fields, but they all said they get damaged and stolen heads every year, and that is not only frustrating but very sad.
So, if you can’t get ahold of the farmer to ask permission, at least keep them in mind as you enjoy the wonderful scenes of a Colorado summer that their crops provide.
“And be respectful that this is their livelihood, this is something they make money off of, we don’t want to do any damage to the fields,” Minoletti said.
