Chicagoland Sunflower Field

For two years I’ve searched for a Chicago sunflower field. I was dreaming of frolicking in the field and being towered over by hundreds of my favorite flowers. Last year I found too late in the year a video on the Daily Herald about an organic sunflower field planted by Barrington Hills Farm. This year I wasn’t going to let the blossoming flowers pass me by. Sarah and I drove about one hour outside of Chicago, and the trip was the perfect girls night. 

I started stalking the sunflower fields in early August. There is a contact form on Barrington Hill Farms‘ website so I asked when the best time to come would be. After a few weeks of going back and forth with a representative, I finally got the word that the sunflowers were in full bloom! Sarah and I drove out to the field at 3200 Spring Creek Road, Barrington. (The field is rotated annually, so if you’re visiting next year you should confirm where the flowers are planted.)

Honestly the field wasn’t exactly what I expected, but it was still a great experience. You can park on the side of the road and then go into the field and pick as many flowers as you’d like. Because it’s an organic field, there are more weeds and less structure to the rows of flowers than you may be expecting. So although my outfit was perfect for photos, it wasn’t perfect for picking sunflowers! We brought our own garden scissors but couldn’t walk very far into the field because of our open toe shoes and bare legs. Plus, you are in the country, so don’t forget the bug spray! (We did forget, sadly.) Still, we spent a lot of time there with photos and then just goofing around walking up and down the field.

Dress by Kate Spade New York

After gathering flowers and taking some shots Sarah and I made our way to downtown Barrington, admiring the beautiful homes on the way. We had dinner and drinks at a wood fired pizza joint before driving back into the city. I put my flowers in water immediately when I got home and they lasted for a week. It was so fun to admire the bouquet I handpicked myself – certainly a cheery addition to my kitchen! Let me know if you have any questions about the Chicago sunflower field. I’m happy to answer them.