Sunny side up

A spectacular sunflower field on a farm near Pahiatua has been a blooming success, drawing thousands of visitors from as far afield as Wellington.

The Mangamarie Sunflower Field was established in 2021 by farmer, photographer and mum, turned sunflower entrepreneur, Abbe Hoare.

Abbe hit on the idea of planting a sunflower field on their farm, just south of Pahiatua, initially as a way to mitigate a threat to their farming business. With the farm on either side of a busy road, which she regularly needs to move stock across, the sunflowers seemed a novel way to slow traffic.

She had no idea it would prove so popular, provide a perfect backdrop for photography sessions for her other business, Photos For Jean, and diversify their farm income.

Planting a cut variety – sowing every one of the 4700 sunflowers herself – meant she was able to sell cut flowers too.

An unexpected bonus was the ability to bridge the rural urban divide through flowers. The field had more than 5000 visitors in just 12 days, and Abbe says many of them came from the city, particularly Wellington.

The field was an economic success, making about $30,000 in profit, which will be reinvested in the farm.

The field has now closed for the season, but expect to see it back, bigger and brighter, next summer.