A couple of sunflower fields in Lambton County involved in Miracle Max's Minions are expected to be in full bloom this weekend.
Residents can visit the fields located at 5023 Douglas Line and 7185 Rawlings Road.
Those who visit the fields for a photo-op can make a donation to the Miracle Max initiative through a donation drop box or via e-transfer to miraclemaxsminions@gmail.com.
Organizer Brian Schoonjan said this is their fifth crop on Douglas Line and it's great to see the initiative grow within the community.
"We planted a seed and it grew into something we couldn't even imagine," he said.
The initiative was launched in memory of two-year-old Max Rombouts who lost his battle with leukemia in 2019.
Schoonjan said nearly $400,000 has been raised to date for various charitable organizations, including Childcan.
"They supply parking passes to families with terminally ill kids and that pass is now called Max's Pass because we cover the complete cost of that, helping families in their greatest time of need and not having to worry about paying parking at hospitals," he said.
Schoonjan said their sunflower field will be there for people to visit for as long as they're in bloom, and the last weekend for that may be August 12.
Although people can visit between dawn and dusk, seven days a week, Schoonjan said his personal favourite time of day for pictures is at sunset since the flowers point east. Their flower patch also includes three hearts that were previously cut out into the field.
Those who visit the Douglas Line field are also encouraged to take a couple of flowers home with them since Schoonjan will not be harvesting the crop afterward.
"I'm looking to get the field prepared for planting hay this fall so when the blooms are gone, the crop will be gone," he said.
However, the Rogers family will be harvesting their crop at the Rawling Road location so visitors are asked to not pick those flowers.
The third sunflower patch involved with the initiative this year is located at Sipkens Nurseries in Wyoming and is expected to bloom in mid-August.
"The VanLoons just enjoyed meeting different people and having people out on their farm so they're excited to try and continue with the canola for the coming years," said Schoonjan.