Blooming sunflowers
Visitors to Gibbon field can play piano, doante to NUMAS Haus and 2B Continued
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GIBBON -- Soft piano music could be heard coming from the Gibbon sunflower field as bees and monarch butterflies darted around the bright, yellow flowers on the west edge of the city Thursday.
Denise Johnson of Bernadotte listened to her daughter Mandy Felger of Mora play piano music on a piano available for public use next to a sunflower field on West 8th Street in Gibbon. The women stopped at the field while touring some of their favorite places in southwest Minnesota.
"I tour the sunflower field every year," said Johnson. "I've noticed they now plant a variety of sunflowers here. Some of the sunflowers are a lot taller now."
She said their trip route follows places they visited many years ago that were part of the "Little House on the Prairie" television series about American pioneer life.
"I'm really glad that they grow the sunflowers. I hope they keep it up. Look at all the monarchs and bees," said Johnson. "We found some sunflowers that haven't opened up yet."
"Lots of the larger sunflowers have bloomed, but the smaller ones are really blooming well," said Felger. "It's really nice different varieties of sunflowers have been planted."
Dave Theis of Gibbon said he and his wife Terry bought the field next to their home on the west end of town and decided to grow sunflowers on it -- many of which are consumed by migratory birds and squirrels over the winter.
"We consider it a give-back to local and area communities including Winthrop and Fairfax," said Theis. "We should draw a few thousand people to the field this year. We've seen people on the guest list from as far away as Switzerland."
There is no admission charge to visit the field, but charitable donations go to NUMAS Haus in New Ulm and 2B Continued. They can be made using a QR Code on field signs.
NUMAS Haus provides shelter and services to homeless women and their children primarily in Brown County.
2B Continued promotes awareness of suicide prevention, mental health and wellness through advocacy, education and outreach events for schools in communities in south central Minnesota counties.
Theis welcomes businesses and organizations to create artistic props including a children's playhouse, benches and chairs for families to use for photos near the sunflower field.
Some businesses are using promotions offering free products and discounts to people who take photos of themselves with the props, said Theis.
For more information, visit Gibbon sunflower field on Facebook.