Toronto Photography Meetup Group

It's August and I imagine the sunflowers are getting quite large (like this city slicker knows!).
Do they commercial farm sunflowers in southern Ontario?
Or do I have to fly to Manitoba to get this cliched photo?
Any large fields of sunflowers within 3 /4 hours of Toronto?

Alternatively, does anyone know where there are small groupings of sunflowers in the city? There used to be some at the Casa Loma stables waaaay back in the '80s. I know because my summer job was to water them everyday. Any at places like Riverdale Zoo or Edwards Gardens that are growing them? I remember seeing some on Claremont Avenue in the 90's but they'd usually get vandalized by idiot drunks walking home from clubs at 4 in the morning.
Yeah, my knowledge of sunflowers is still stuck in the last millennium.

There was a house in my old neughbourhood that had quite the collection of them growing in the backyard. But this dates back to the 80s and early 90s so I would have no idea if they still exist or not.

If you want the location, drop me a PM. It's in Mississauga not far from Square One.

A year or two, I saw HUGE ones at Edwards Garden.

Last year there was a big field along HWY 27 north of Toronto somewhere south of Cookstown as I recall.

DG

I have not been out there in years, but back in the day there used to be a big field of them grown at the Mountsberg Conservation Area out Milton way. You had to follow the trails to find it.

DG

Ask and ye shall receive...

how's this: N44

There's another one close by near Yonge Street and 7th Line. Though when I went there back in 2007, at the end of July, the condition of the crop was deteriorating, better get there this weekend especially this season everything's early.

[quote="fizbot"]how's this: N44

[quote="philmar"][quote="fizbot"]how's this: N44

[quote="Metrix"][quote="philmar"][quote="fizbot"]how's this: N44

[quote="philmar"][quote="Metrix"][quote="philmar"][quote="fizbot"]how's this: N44

Last year, there was a sunflower field on Hwy. 6 north of Dundas (west side). My understanding is that the farmers rotate the sunflowers between different fields from year to year.

Correct, fields are rotated every year to prevent diseases, etc.

This was taken in July near Alliston but he doesn't say 100% where is it. Found trolling Flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shreks_sho ... 712307@N00

Also each crop uses different nutrients from the soil, so this allows the fields to regenerate to some degree.

[quote="Delsorbo"][quote="philmar"][quote="Metrix"][quote="philmar"][quote="fizbot"]how's this: N44

go, i would love to find a great field now.
If anyone wants to go scouting, i am game!

as long as I can hitch a ride from someone I'm game.

I'd be down for some sunflower shooting.

I'd be up for some sunflower hunting/shooting.

I find the sunflower field a great idea and I'm ready to steal it

I might be able to make a trip North of Toronto this week (Thursday or Friday) so PM me if you're interested in sharing a ride. I have three places available in my car.

edit: if I'll be ale to make the trip, that is. PM me none the less, I'll do my best to make this happen.

Well, we've been to Innisfil so shoot the sunfloweer fields.
It was nice trip but as turns out it seems we were about three weeks too late:

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/M_wp9bdd5tqtK7PR0ruu8g?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Cnno-qkNKoI/TGYYsVIX9hI/AAAAAAAAJwI/VnehK4zZWU4/s800/_20100813_1.jpg"></a>

Thanks for the ride. Only a few smaller ones in bloom. Can't believe how large some of the heads were. Next year 3 weeks earlier.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/metrix_feet/4892401584/" title="Late Bloomer by Metrix X, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4892401584_d5a4e0c1b8.jpg" width="390" height="500" alt="Late Bloomer"></a>

Some guys were still busy:

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/OtQWIlwL_EVFhqr_jujn6w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Cnno-qkNKoI/TGeOCZgbVcI/AAAAAAAAJxA/w_w6dSp_JgY/s800/_20100813_1.jpg"></a>

Feeling lonely:

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/yn1Gu9knB5v8IqsyM5rArw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Cnno-qkNKoI/TGeQIktNP_I/AAAAAAAAJxY/W-135PxSssc/s800/_20100813_1.jpg"></a>

Thanks for the ride, Radu.

Hmmm, maybe that means they are just about ready to be harvested in Sudbury area

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/metrix_feet/4898664974/" title="Sunflower Fields by Metrix X, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4898664974_777d18b117.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Sunflower Fields"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/metrix_feet/4898069649/" title="Sunflower Fields by Metrix X, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4898069649_8913839917.jpg" width="491" height="500" alt="Sunflower Fields"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/metrix_feet/4898664004/" title="Sunflower Fields by Metrix X, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4898664004_a5782fa81f.jpg" width="491" height="500" alt="Sunflower Fields"></a>

thanks for the feedback guys!!

Next year I'll try to remember to post this very question 3 weeks sooner!

Actually I was at the Fergus Highland Games on the weekend and met a couple of farmers - one in the tug of war competition and another in the chicken fajita lineup. I asked them if they know of any sunflower farms - BOTH were unaware of any in their areas (Mount Forest and Arthur). They both found that interesting as there usually is SOMEONE growing sunflowers - but no one this year.

oops! I hope we're not too late again.