Numurkah’s Eden Farm Produce ended the final days of January in a blur of yellow sunflowers.
Hosting its second Sunflower Festival, the farm was awash with patrons on Saturday and Sunday, with plenty of contagious smiles from the bright flowers.
Farm-goers were invited to take pictures with novelty picture boards, relax with a cup of coffee and pick and take home their own sunflowers for $3 each.
Farm owners Katherina and Gary Baker said the turnout over the weekend was more than expected.
“People were just so happy to be out and about, there was a huge onus on that this year, possibly even more than last year,” Mrs Baker said.
“We had people coming up from Melbourne, Bendigo, even Sydney, sunflowers really make people smile.”
The sunflowers are a relatively new addition to the farm.
Spurred by a honeymoon trip on the coast of NSW, the Bakers visited a farm that grew a sea of sunflowers.
“We talked to the owners and they said, ‘why not just give it a go?’” Mrs Baker said.
And so came the sunflower patch, now holding close to 3000 Van Gogh sunflowers.
Mrs Baker said with the success of the festival, they’re looking to keep the trend going.
“This year we had a coffee van so parents could just sit back on the hay bales with a hot cup of coffee and watch their kids frolic among the flowers,” she said.
‘‘It’s such a good opportunity for people to get out and connect with nature.“
While the 60.7 hectare farm is known for its magnificent sea of sunflowers and sustainable farming, Mr and Mrs Baker have a vision for the farm and they’re not stopping anytime soon.
With a background in support work, Mrs Baker is incorporating her knowledge into the farm’s not-for-profit social enterprise, Eden Farm Wellness.
The couple is committed to serving the community by offering engagement opportunities and events that support marginalised groups, including arts and craft, and farm-based programs for people living with a disability, among other programs and tours.
Mrs Baker said through Eden Farm Wellness, the couple is looking to create the first carer’s support group in the Numurkah region, along with several other initiatives in the process of completion.
“We just want to bless the community with what we’re doing and people are really appreciating that as well,” she said.
Visit the farm and biodynamic produce store at 42 Melville St, Numurkah.
For more on Eden Farm Produce, visit www.edenfarmproduce.com.au or Eden Farm Wellness, www.edenfarmwellness.com.au