Buttonwood Farm in Griswold, Connecticut is the place to go when you want awesome homemade ice cream and you want to bask in the glow of a 14 acres of sunflowers. Buttonwood Farm was named by Foursquare as one of the best places in to get ice cream in Connecticut. Back in 2003 the owners of the farm decided to plant an acre of sunflowers. Over the course of that year they found that people were driving from miles around just to look at the sunflowers and take pictures of them. At the end of the season they used the seeds for feed for their animals and today they not only use the seeds as feed but they sell bunches of sunflowers to benefit the Make A Wish Foundation.
Come view more than 14 acres of sunflowers in bloom, enjoy a hayride, and contribute to a wonderful cause. Don’t forget to try the sunflower ice cream – available only during this event.
Not only can you take photographs of sunflowers but you can experience a tractor drawn hayride daily from 11 am to dusk. The ride is 3/4 ths of a mile through cow pastures and 4 acres of the Buttonwood Farm sunflower fields in bloom.
A bunch of fresh cut sunflowers will cost you a $10.00 donation and 100% of the proceeds goes directly to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Connecticut. They also have t-shirts available, and the sunflower design on the front of the shirt changes every year. Since 2004 Buttonwood Farm has raised over $791,000 for Make a Wish by selling their wonderful sunflowers.
The Buttonwood Farm Sunflower Festival is held every year in July. Please visit the farm’s website for up-to-date information about the dates and blooming times.
Buttonwood Farm is located at 473 Shetucket Turnpike, Griswold, CT 06351, just about 10 miles from Foxwoods Resort Casino.
Call Buttonwood Farm at 860-376-4081 or visit the Buttonwood Farms website to verify date changes
Buttonwood Farm Ice Cream is open March 1st and closed by October 29th (Monday – Friday from 1 to 8 pm; Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 8 pm). Stop by for great homemade ice cream. They also have a large parking area that can accommodate campers and RVs.
Get Directions to the Buttonwood Sunflower Farm in Preston, Connecticut.
Come view more than 14 acres of sunflowers in bloom, enjoy a hayride, and contribute to a wonderful cause. Don’t forget to try the sunflower ice cream – available only during this special Sunflower Festival event. Get Directions to the Buttonwood Sunflower Farm in Preston, Connecticut.
Not only can you take photographs of sunflowers but you can experience a tractor drawn hayride daily from 11 am to dusk. The tractor ride goes through cow pastures and 4 acres of the Buttonwood Farm sunflower fields in bloom. A great way to get those important sunflower selfies.
Please read their Photography guidelines and be respectful of the farm.
In the Fall (September through the end of October) Buttonwoods Farm hosts a corn maze that includes a bucking cow train for the kids, duck races, a straw bale mount, two bridges you can walk on that let you lover over the max of blooming sunflowers and a corn pit. Field trips are welcome.
My daughter took me to your farm today,OMG I have never in my life seen anything so beautiful. Maybe what makes it more beautiful is that all proceeds go to make a wish. What an amazing thing you are all doing there. This world needs more people like all of you. Not that it matters to any of you but I am so proud of all who make this happen. Thank You all for being the kind of people this world needs. You have all restored my faith in mankind. Thank You and God Bless.
Sincerely,
Carol Kennedy
Warwick RI.
Every year this event is on my calendar to make sure we are there!! I spread the word around and more folks are going. I can’t get enough photo’s of the beautiful sunflowers and the butterflies that hang on them. It’s a giving your going to see bee’s so beware when going. Great tractor rides, cut sunflowers, ice cream, baby cows with their mothers across the street. It’s fantastic tradition with family and friends. You won’t be disappointed!!! I’m always at awe and amazed what this family has done for their community and I leave there with a huge happy… Read more »
[…] visited the Buttonwoods Sunflower Festival on the last day of the event. The weather was great and the flowers were still plentiful. The place […]
Thank you for these extra photos, what an amazing place and what a joy-filled day everyone seems to have had. Wow Wow Wow!!
My daughter who has always loved sunflowers is visiting from TN tomorrow (June 13-17). We are moving to NC soon, and may not be here during your festival in July. Is there any way we could visit during June, or is it just too early for the sunflowers to bloom?
I won’t miss it this year like I always do. This year I put it on my calendar! Can’t wait!
We went to the farm last year and it’s beautiful. My favorite flower is the sunflower.
To quote a statement within your article: “At the end of the season they used the seeds for feed for their animals and today they not only use the seeds as feed but they sell bunches of sunflowers to benefit the Make A Wish Foundation.” I would like to make a correction if I may. They * do not* use the ‘seeds for feed’. At the end of the festival, the cows are let out into the fields and they will eat them down. The remainder is chopped up for feed.
Wonderful tradition….warms my heart and not to mention the Sunflower Ice Cream…….
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I look forward to visiting again next year.
So beautiful and for such a good cause.
God Bless.
Jennifer S.
I found out about this wonderful place when watching a Jacquelyn Sanders video of it — how thrilling – how sunshiny, and how absolutely filled with love is this Buttonwood Farm in Griswold. I salute all those who are owners and workers on this farm for the giving of your time and efforts to help others around the world. It is a heartwarming thing you do. Living in Australia I envy those who are able to visit this glorious place – thank you from my heart for the love you share.
Discovered your sunflowers online. Went for a day trip and fell in love with all your fields.
The sunflower ice cream is delicious. Hope to see the sunflower again this summer.
Keep up all the good works your family does to help others……
Planning on coming to this event tomorrow what time does this event begin and end
What week will the sunflowers be out this year ? I saw them last year and they were beautiful
It’s hard to tell from year to year but it is usually mid July. Please visit the farm’s website for up-to-date information.