Sunflowers back in bloom on North Shore

Sunflowers are blooming on Oahu’s North Shore for the first time in two years.

And for a brief 10 days, sightseers can behold the beauty of these cheerful plants at Corteva Agriscience’s Waialua farm, which is expecting at least 20,000 visitors over the next week. The flowers couldn’t be planted last year due to heavy rains, but during the 2017 season the farm saw 21,000 visitors over 12 days and generated more than $52,000 for nonprofits in the North Shore area.

The sunflower fields at 67-172 Farrington Highway in Waialua will be open for tours starting today until July 20. The tours run weekdays from noon to 2 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free; but parking costs $5 and will be donated to Waialua schools and the Rotary Club of Wahiawa-Waialua.

Corteva, a spinoff of DuPont Pioneer, which merged with the Dow Chemical Co., runs the 2,300-acre farm that has for 15 years grown sunflowers, each of which produces half a cup of cooking oil. There are 20 acres of sunflowers, with 30,000 plants per acre.

Aside from sunflowers, the farm produces vegetables including corn, Asian cabbage, watermelon, honeydew melon, cantaloupe and zucchini on another 400 acres grown by local farmers contracted by Corteva.

The farm is hosting “golden hour” during sunset on July 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. The event costs $15 per person with proceeds benefiting Waialua Elementary School.