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Sunflowers of Rutledge, The

Southern Living, Jun 2006 by Thompson, Annette

Make a jaunt to this cheerful Georgia field where you can pick flowers, dance to fiddle music, and take home more beauty than you can carry.

That one's named Shaquille O'Neal," says Rena Holt, singling out the tallest bloom around. I have to lean my head back and look up to see its shaggy, round head wagging in the air.

I'm standing next to a tiny patch of ornamental sunflowers, all hand-raised by Rena. As much as I want to, I can't pick these. But about 50 feet away grow the real stars: a seemingly endless field of bright yellow. Each sunflower stands on its tiptoes to face the sun, while guests weave through the botanical maze.

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During this two-day event, folks visit dozens of crafts booths and tap their toes to the sounds of bluegrass and gospel groups. Children ramble through the petting zoo and clamor for hayrides. Ladies purchase raffle tickets from a charity group for a chance to win a quilt. Everyone stops to wave at the tractor parade and to sample the flavors of country cooking.

Like me, though, most come to see the sunflowers. While our bouquets will probably stay fresh for only a week or so, we'll all take home a colorful memory of summer. -ANNETTE THOMPSON

Holt-West Family Sunflower Festival: 1380 Durden Road, Rutledge, GA 30663; (706) 557-2870 or www.sunflowerfarmfestival.com. Hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, July 1; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, July 2. Cost: parking, $5; bouquet of sunflowers, $7; hayride, $3. Directions: Rutledge is located approximately 45 miles east of Atlanta. Take I-20 to Exit 105, and turn south (away from Rutledge). Follow the signs about 4.5 miles to the family farm.

How To Cut a Sunflower

* Take only freshly bloomed flowers with clean heads; as the sunflower wilts, it sheds shaggy fluff.

* Leave at least 24 inches of stem to stand in a vase.

* Nip the stem at an angle to absorb water.

* Strip all but the top two leaves from the stalk in the field to prolong freshness. (It also mulches the ground.)

* Add water to the vase after cutting.

Sunflowers of Rutledge, The

Southern Living, Jun 2006 by Thompson, Annette

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