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Every year there is a charming little country art festival that occurs in early Fall in Valaparaiso Indiana in the Northwest corner of the state. It's known by the locals as the Sunflower Fest and the name says it all. It's a tiny little event and if you were to drive down the two lane hilly farmroad where it's held every year you might just pass it by thinking that its a private gathering of sorts. What makes this time so special is that it's a one-of-a-kind harvest.
There's an old renovated red barn with artwork on display from local artisans. There's homemade pastries and hayrides and lots of children running around with the sun on their little faces that have been decoratively painted for the day. There's an energy and a crispness in the air that lets you know that harvest time is about to get underway. This is when it's time for the sunflowers to take center stage.
Months before, in the spring time, a twenty acre field is planted with sunflower seeds. All season they grow, ever so slowly just waiting for the end of summer and soon enough everyone will be coming to visit them. When the
sunflower fest begins the harvesting gets underway. For a small donation you're set free into the field. There you find yourself, in the warm sun, surrounded by thousands of golden yellow sunflowers. You walk from row to row, seeking out the most perfect blooms of them all. Of course you're welcome to take all that you can cary, but still folks hunt for just the perfect looking "faces". While picking the flowers you need to take care as there are a number of honey bees out working the field with you as I'm sure you can imagine.
Once you gather you're share and your basket is full it's time to head home to give them a drink of water and to place them in your sun filled living room where their chapter will come to a close as they live out the rest of their days while bringing joy to all that come to visit your home.
~Kimberly