When traveling to Holly Grove this summer, the landscape is a little bit brighter thanks to area farmer Van Miller. On land that usually boasts a crop of beans, Miller has planted sunflowers ... 670 acres to be exact. The bright yellow flowers stand tall and wave in the breeze and add a bright, cheerful presence to those that pass by.
Miller commented that he has never planted sunflowers before and usually plants soybeans where the sunflowers are planted. He said that he decided to try the sunflowers just as a different crop in his rotation.
The sunflowers, which are an oil seed crop, will be harvested and sold to a company to be used as bird feed, Miller said.
Sunflowers are not uncommon to Monroe County, said Dolores Qualls of the Farm Service Agency. Although, it is quite unusual to have such a large acreage in one area, she said. Many farmers plant an occasional field in different areas of the county.
Another large field of sunflowers can be seen on Highway 79 headed toward Monroe.
