Kaylee Simons
Elmore Autauga News
For many families across the River Region, a visit to The Sunflower Field in Autaugaville has become a sign that summer has arrived. This year, however, visitors will have to wait a little longer to walk among the towering blooms. The owners of The Sunflower Field announced Saturday that they will not plant sunflowers for the 2026 season due to weather conditions that affected the timing of the crop.
In a Facebook post, the farm shared that dry weather earlier in the planting season, followed by excessive rainfall, created challenges that made growing sunflowers this year impractical. “We will not be planting sunflowers this year,” the post stated. “Dry weather early on and wet weather after that just made for bad timing. We will plant a crop that can be grown later in the year than sunflowers for this year, and do sunflowers again in 2027.”
The announcement prompted an outpouring of support from followers, many of whom shared memories of visits to the field and expressed disappointment that the annual tradition would not take place this summer.
Located along Highway 14 in Autaugaville, The Sunflower Field has become one of the area’s most anticipated summer attractions. Each year, visitors travel from across the River Region and beyond to take photos, pick bouquets, ride through the fields, and spend time among rows of bright yellow blooms. What began as a sunflower crop eventually grew into a destination for families, photographers, church groups, and visitors looking to enjoy a simple summer outing.
Owners Todd and Kim Sheridan started the venture after rebuilding their lives following the economic downturn that forced the closure of a small business they had operated for more than a decade. While Kim became a school nurse, Todd returned to farming in Autaugaville, following in the footsteps of his grandfather. Over time, the sunflower fields became much more than a crop, evolving into a community gathering place and a source of joy for thousands of visitors each summer. Because the blooms typically last only a few weeks each year, many families plan annual visits around the season and return year after year to experience the fields together.
While there will be no sunflower season in 2026, the owners indicated the pause is temporary. The farm plans to grow a different crop later this year and return to sunflower production in 2027. For now, the fields may remain green instead of gold, but local residents can already look ahead to the return of one of the River Region’s favorite summer traditions next year.
Updates on future planting plans and the return of the sunflowers can be found on The Sunflower Field’s Facebook page.
