Visiting L & A Farms sunflower maze has been on my list of things to do for about three years now and this past Saturday, we were finally able to experience the sunflower maze! Not only that, but we were also able to enjoy the new addition of the flower meadow this season.
What is L & A Farms?
L & A Farms is a family-owned and operated farm located at 21661 Staley Rd in Paris, IL. Currently, their farm raises corn, soybeans, sunflowers, alfalfa, hay, and various forage crops, vegetables, and livestock. Additionally, the farm consists of 470 owned and rented acres.
The farm also offers a variety of activities such as wagon rides to the sunflower maze, picnic benches for lunches, a concession stand, a sand area for children, and a new cut flower meadow which has over 15 different wildflowers planted in it - just to name a few.
The mixed flower meadow was beautiful, however, however we decided to stay in the zinnia meadow because it was closer to the sunflower maze where we were. Had I not been pregnant, I would have definitely taken the walk up by the road to enjoy more of the mixed flower meadow. It’s only been a few days and I’m already wanted to return to finish what I didn’t get a chance to on our first go around.
I am guessing this is common though because while we were parking and getting out, I stopped and spoke with a family carrying sunflowers that were leaving. It was their first time, as well and they didn’t know about the flower meadow beforehand, so they, too already have plans on returning so that they can do what they missed on their first visit.
Walking the Sunflower Maze
While there are multiple things that you can experience at the farm, our main objective was to visit the sunflower maze and the flower meadow, which is exactly what we did. After paying for our admission and choosing what we wanted in terms of flowers, we waited on our wagon ride down to the fields. I’m so glad that we opted for the wagon ride because I don't think I would have made it being eight months pregnant and walking that far.
Once we arrive at the sunflower maze, we were given instructions for our time there. As soon as we reached the “enter” sign, my son took off out of excitement because it was a new experience for us.
As we walked through the sunflower maze, I felt like I was in a dream. The smell of the flowers was intoxicating and the tall stalks surrounded us like beautiful walls. I felt like I could get lost in there forever. Along the way we stopped and took fun photos which ended up being such a joy to look at afterward.
After exiting the maze, we headed over to cut our own sunflower and then to the zinnia field to pick a quart of fresh flowers to take home.
Take Home Fresh Cut Zinnias
Zinnias are one of my all-time favorite flowers. They are just so delicate and adorable. If you are unfamiliar with them, know that they are annuals, so they'll grow for one season to produce flowers and seeds, but the original plant will not come back in subsequent years.
One of my favorite zinnias is the cactus zinnia. I learned about that on our visit because while I love how it looks, I had no idea what it was actually called until it was explained to me on the farm - which was appreciated.
After picking our flowers, we returned our tools and our flowers were put in water bags for us to take home.
Final Thoughts
Overall, we had a great time visiting L & A Farms. The staff was friendly and helpful and I would definitely recommend this farm to anyone looking for a fun and even educational experience. Lastly, the farm is open throughout the week, but we opted for a beautiful Saturday morning.