Those of us that live here in North Dakota know about the beautiful, bright yellow fields we have passed by in the summertime, but did you know most people outside of the state aren't aware they are here? Kansas is the state with the official nickname "The Sunflower State," but when it comes to actually producing sunflowers, The Peace Garden State is the one that's on top. While we dream about those summer days, let's take a look at why North Dakota should be more known for its magical sunflower fields:
North Dakota becomes a sea of vibrant yellow in the summer when its sunflower farmers are hard at work.
Even though states like Kansas are known for their sunflowers, it's North Dakota that is a leading producer of them.
In fact, North Dakota is almost always in the top 3 producers of sunflowers in the entire country, and often No. 1!
These eye-catching fields we get to enjoy the sights of produced record-breaking amounts of sunflowers, including 1.14 billion pounds — which is about half of the country's production — in 2016.
Last year, in 2017, North Dakota was second only to its southernly neighbor in sunflower production. These seemingly endless fields result in a ton of sunflower seeds, sunflower oil, and lots of other sunflower products.
Needless to say, North Dakota is loaded with sunflowers, and many people enjoy taking a drive through parts of the state just to see them. More people should know about it so they can see the beauty that is the Peace Garden State.
You can find sunflower fields across the state, usually blooming in late summer. If you get the chance to go see some, you definitely should! It is a magical sight when the golden yellow flowers can be seen all the way across the horizon.
Did you know that sunflowers aren't the only thing North Dakota is a leading producer of? Check out this list of things that ND is number one at — you'd be surprised how many things there are that no other state does better!
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