Labor Day weekend usually marks the beginning of sunflower season at Grinter Farm in Lawrence, where Ted Grinter has planted about 35 acres of sunflowers since the 1970s. Thousands of people flock to see the blooms every year.
“We've had people from Nepal, China, Russia, Ukraine, all over the United States,” Grinter said.
But this year, extreme heat could shorten Grinter’s annual display.
“We always shoot for Labor Day because we know everybody has a long weekend,” he said. “We should be in full bloom this weekend, but temperatures will be hot.”
The field has become a colorful backdrop for proposals, birthdays and weddings, and the family runs a store where visitors can buy local honey and T-shirts.
“A lot of my income from the sunflowers is the smiles on people's faces and the memories,” Grinter said.
Grinter predicts that the entire field will bloom by Thursday, but he does not think the show will last long.
“I think they’re going to open faster, and they’ll die faster too,” he said the Monday before Labor Day. “That heat’s just going to dry them out quicker."
According to the National Weather Service, the heat index in the Kansas City area could exceed 100 every day through Friday, Aug. 4. Temperatures will remain in the mid-90s to near 100 degrees with heat index values between 100 and 105 degrees. Evening lows will not bring much relief, hovering in the mid 70s and lower 80s.
Kansas City photographer Roy Inman flew his drone to get a birds-eye view of the field last season, and remembers wearing a light jacket.
“Kids are running around and hiding amongst the sunflowers,” he said. “Everybody is shooting selfies and taking group pictures.”
This year might look a little different, he predicted.
“If it doesn’t cool down, the crowds might be thinner this year,” Inman said.
Although the field was still green early on Monday morning, curious people were already arriving.
Eddie Davalos stood at the edge of the field flying a drone overhead. He said he is planning to come back later in the week once the flowers are in full bloom.
“It is magical when it's all fully blossoming,” Davalos said. “Everywhere you look, there are just yellow and sunflowers and bees and bugs and everything going everywhere.”
Davalos said the weather won’t keep him from visiting. He plans to visit the sunflower field just after sunrise before the heat of the day sets in.
