The wait is over. The popular Sidor Farms sunflower maze is back to the delight of fans who’ve been awaiting the arrival of yellow rows of blooms since last summer.
This is the second season the Sidor sisters — Cheryl and Maureen — have opened the fields to visitors. Last year, they got word out on social media through the family’s North Fork Potato Chips Facebook and Instagram pages, where they announced this year’s opening date: Today, Friday, Aug. 2.
“The response last year was way better than we could have dreamed,” Cheryl said. “It is such a special place for people. They can stop, breathe and enjoy where they are in the moment.”
The sisters have been growing sunflowers at the site, located at the intersection of Wickham Ave., Elijahs Lane and Route 48 in Mattituck, for several years. They tried out doing a sunflower maze once in 2012 and, after a six-year hiatus, decided to bring it back for the 2018 season when they realized passersby kept pulling over to snap pictures.
This year, photographers can book private one-hour time slots every day from 8 to 9 a.m. before the maze is opened to the public, for engagement shoots or family portraits. The private sessions, starting at $75, are also available for proposals, yoga and mediation, even a painting session. Special arrangements can also be made for private sunset photographs.
“I want people to get what they want out of the experience and to be happy,” Cheryl said. “We’ll work with people because we want them to have a great experience.”
The sunflowers are not just a pretty backdrop for Instagram-worthy photos, they are also an important crop for the Sidors, who use sunflower oil to fry their potato chips at their Cutchogue facility. Cheryl educates visitors on the family’s farming history and potato chip company, which launched in 2003. Visitors also leave with some new knowledge about the popular flower and its namesake.
“It has been a great way to utilize our crop in a different way,” she said.
The onsite farm stand sells a variety of North Fork Potato Chips as well as sunflower bunches and t-shirts. Dogs on leashes are welcome.
The sunflower maze is open daily from 9 a.m. to sunset through September, weather permitting. Admission is $7 for adults, children under 12 get in free. Follow @northforkchips on Instagram for weather updates.
The North Fork Sunflower Maze is located at 8632 Wickham Ave., Mattituck. For more information about the private sessions call 631-298-5907 or email [email protected]
