Sunflower Maze Set To Delight For Second Season In Calverton

CALVERTON, NY — There's nothing that captures the essence of summer more vividly than beautiful sunflowers bursting under bright blue skies. And at Rottkamp's Fox Hollow Farm in Calverton, a new sunflower maze experience that debuted last year is set to delight for another season.

"The first maze is planted and the plants are about 3 to 4 inches tall currently," Jeff Rottkamp, who planted the fields at the farm, said. "The second maze was planted a few days ago; we are waiting on them to pop out of the ground."

The hope is that the first maze will be ready near the end of June, but Rottkamp said he'll know better in about a month. He also plans to plant at least three additional mazes as the season commences, he said.

Sunflowers life spirits across the board, he said.

“The Rottkamp family has been proudly growing sunflowers for over 25 years. We loved having so many people visit the farm and enjoy our beautiful fields and we are excited to welcome everyone back this year," he said.

Last year, Rottkamp, who planned the fields as a new attraction at the farm for more than a year, even before the coronavirus, said the timing couldn't have been better to give visitors something to enjoy at a time when options were limited during the pandemic.

"Sunflowers are kind of a simple thing," he said. "You can go and take pictures with your friends. I just thought it would be a great way for people to have a nice time."

Especially during the pandemic, the sunflowers symbolized a bright spot, Rottkamp said. The sunflowers, he said, are "very peaceful. Very soothing."

Last year, the fields drew visitors daily to soak up the experience and pose for Insta-worthy shots among the sunflowers. "It seems to be growing every day," he said. "I'm content with the way things are going so far."

Asked about the universal appeal of the sunflower, Rottkamp said: "There's something about sunflowers that bring overwhelmingly happy feelings to everyone. I can't put my finger on it — it's just the way it's always been."

A family business for 53 years, Rottkamp said sunflowers symbolize an evolving business model for the farm.

"Sunflowers appeal to pretty much everyone," he said.

To learn more about when the sunflower maze will be open, and learn what other fruits and vegetables are available, follow Rottkamp's Fox Hollow Farm on Facebook or Instagram.