New Hanover County farm opens its first sunflower maze

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Looking for something fun to do this weekend? How about a visit to a sunflower farm to explore a one-of-a-kind maze?

A farm in New Hanover County just opened one that is in full bloom.

Trask Family Farms held the grand opening for its first ever sunflower maze a few weeks ago. We’re told that it’s been a popular activity so far for family and friends of all ages.

The 10 acres of flowers were planted in April, but head farmer George Trask said that things started off rocky because of how cold the spring was.

Fortunately Trask was able to recover and still produce flowers that are over six feet tall. We asked him where the inspiration came from, since sunflower fields without a maze are a much more common summertime sight.

“I got the idea from a farm down in Dallas, Texas, and also the field of sunflowers that was out in Burgaw. A lot of people seem to love it and we didn’t have something that close to town. So, I wanted to bring it closer to the people for more people enjoy it,” said Trask.

Creating the maze involves a process that is very different from when corn is used. Last fall, the farm used a GPS program to plant the corn seeds so they would grow into the design of the maze. This time, they planted the flowers as a full field before cutting the path themselves.

If you buy sunflowers at the store, most of the time they don’t last long. Trask said that there’s a method behind keeping this maze up and running for weeks on end.

“This sunflower field is almost 10 acres but we planted at two acres at a time so it will bloom continuously for the next three weeks. So you know, two acres will bloom up and another two acres will bloom up then another two acres will play them up and that will make a beautiful sunflower base here,” said Trask.

Admission for the maze is ten dollars a person and you’ll receive one free sunflower, which visitors have eight different kinds to choose from.

Time is ticking down to experience this perfect summer activity, and it should be open for a few more weeks. Be sure to check their website for updates on when the final day of the maze will be.

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