Sunflowers

There seems to be a gigantic burst of wild sunflowers through the rolling hills of Northwestern New Jersey this year.
I discovered some blazing in wide open fields
that used to be exclusively home to corn fields.
Now, they're sunflowers as soldiers.
Some were mixed neatly with corn patches.
Some were randomly planted on cornfield edges.
This shot above is from a local dairy farm.
It looked beautiful.
I'm curious as to why so many sunflowers?
They don't seem to be harvested, now, most of them are simply dwindling away.
Is it for the cultivation of their oil? Crop rotation? Is it just for the seeds?I know black-oil sunflower seeds are in demand through the fall and winter months for bird feeders.
Or, maybe cut flowers for retailers?
And then I wonder, is it simply because the farmers want us to stop in our tracks and take notice of the beauty in a field of sunflowers? Ahh,... those tricky farmers.
If so,... it worked!

I loved the sunflower farms.

And now, I'm hoping the sun comes out from hiding.
She's been away for way too long!
With love and hugs and sunshine to come.
xo