A-mazing field of sunflowers at Alstede Farms

CHESTER – A stunning new sunflower maze was recently unveiled at Alstede Farms, adding colorful twists and turns to the Chester farm’s pick-your-own-produce experience.

The winding path, cut through a field of 65,000 bright, blooming sunflower plants, spells out “Alstede Farms,” when viewed from above. From the ground, all you see is the splendor.

“It’s really charming,” said Kurt Alstede, owner of the 370-acre permanently-preserved farm, who noted that the maze isn’t tricky and takes just 20 minutes to complete. “This one is more enjoyable for the beauty and the interest, while the corn maze (in the fall) is more for the challenge. Corn stalks aren’t really that attractive.”

Seeds for the 6- to 8-foot-high plants were double-planted in the four-acre field on May 10, and most were in full bloom 60 days later, to the surprise and delight of Alstede and his farming team. “It just exploded,” he said.

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A few of the flowers have started to droop, weighed down by the mass of seeds they’re holding in their centers, said Alstede. Many, though, have yet to bloom.

“It’s peak right now,” he said, adding that the maze will stay in bloom for another two weeks. “We’ve got another week of perfect, then another week of nice.”

Blossoms the size of large dinner plates delight visitors to the maze, who ascend a wooden bridge midway through the maze for a spectacular view from above of the golden yellow flowers. Alstede plans to harvest the seeds once the maze is closed for the season.

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Visitors, many surprised to see such a colorful maze, said they enjoyed the variation over the more common corn variety.

“I’ve seen sunflower fields, but I’ve never seen a sunflower maze,” said Katie Hanifin, 18, of the Long Valley section of Washington Township, who walked through the maze with friends. “I love sunflowers. They’re my favorite flower.”

Hanifin enjoys photography and said the maze offered a lot of opportunity to take great photos. “There’s a cool view from the bridge,” she said. “It was really pretty. You could see all the sunflowers and you can see the farm and the fields.”

Access to the maze and the pick-your-own fields is free from 9 a.m. to noon, Monday to Thursday. There is a $5 fee every afternoon and all day on Friday. On weekends, the fee is $6.99 and allows visitors access to the open fields, the maze and hay wagon rides around the property. Live bands perform on a centrally-located stage on weekends from noon to 4 p.m.

On a recent weekday, families filled the farm, not just picking produce, but also enjoying homemade ice cream and feeding the dozens of farm animals, including donkeys, goats, sheep, ducks, peacocks, turkeys and cows. A concession stand sells refreshments and the farm market sells produce, dairy products and specialty food items.

The picturesque farm, which has been in business on Route 24 since 1984, is currently growing and selling yellow and white Clingstone peaches, blueberries, cut flowers, green beans, eggplant, basil and a large variety of peppers. Additionally, red raspberries and sweet corn are in light supply. Fall varieties of raspberries are expected to peak in one to two weeks, and broccoli will be available to pick in September. Thirty-five varieties of apples may be picked from now until November, or even December if weather permits.

Pick-your-own fruits and vegetables are priced at $1.99 per pound, while berries and currants are $6.99 per pound. Sweet corn is sold for 50 cents an ear, while cut flowers are 59 cents and sunflowers are 99 cents per stem.

Guests are free to roam the fields and pick and choose anything that’s ripe, but many prefer to take a hay wagon ride, which makes stops at different orchards throughout the property. The peach orchard, located at the highest point on the farm, is a favorite spot for shutterbugs because of its breathtaking view.

The last time Alstede had a sunflower field was in 1994. Since then, the field has been used primarily for parking during the farm’s busy fall season. “We’re having a lot of fun with it,” Alstede said, adding that the sunflower maze will definitely return again next year.

Walking through the maze gives visitors a nice encounter with nature, including an up-close view of the 2-foot wide leaves and giant flowers. Hard-working bumblebees, too busy collecting pollen to pay the people any mind, buzz overhead.

“They don’t even care that you’re there,” said Alstede about the bees. “They’re too focused on what they’re doing, too busy working the flowers to even notice you.”

Alstede Farms is located at 1 Alstede Farms Lane in Chester. A GPS map of the farm and its fields is available by visiting www.alstedefarms.com/gps.

For more information, call 908-879-7189.

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