By JIM FARIS
The University of Missouri Extension is inviting community members, gardeners, farmers, and landowners to get to know sunflowers, their benefits, and opportunities.
The program Sunflowers: Beauty, Bees, and Business will showcase sunflower production, including ornamental use, pollinator benefits, specialty crop possibilities, agritourism, and production for home gardeners and commercial growers. In addition, the history of sunflowers, varieties of sunflowers, growing and managing, wildlife benefits, harvest considerations, and value-adds for farms.
Horticulture specialist with MU Extension, Gwen Funk, says "The explosion in sunflower varieties available today has created exciting opportunities for both home gardeners and commercial producers. "New colors, bloom types, plant sizes, and management recommendations have made sunflowers more versatile than ever. We continue to gain valuable production knowledge that helps growers improve success whether they are planting a small garden, producing cut flowers, or growing sunflowers on a larger scale."
The program has two dates: Wednesday, September 16th, 6 PM, Buchanan County Extension Office, 301 County Park Road, Easton; and Wednesday, September 23rd, at 6 PM, Andrew County Youth Building, 201 S. Banyan Street in Savannah.
More information can be found HERE, for both dates. Registration is ten dollars.