Our Story
With 8-acres and over 175,000 sunflowers, the PA Sunflower Festival is the largest, most diverse pick-your-own sunflower patch east of the Mississippi River.
Maple Lawn Farms is a family farm with the 4th, 5th, and even 6th generation of McPhersons actively working together.
Maple Lawn Farms is a family farm with the 4th, 5th, and even 6th generation of McPhersons actively working together.
Where it all began
Pick-your-own fruit has always been the farming focus, bringing guests from both city and country to the farm for fresh air and fresh fruit.
The McPherson family started growing fruit back in 1870s. Maple Lawn Farms, now officially recognized as a Century Farm, continues to adapt and change with the times.
Pick-your-own fruit has always been the farming focus, bringing guests from both city and country to the farm for fresh air and fresh fruit.
The marriage of agriculture and entertainment
In 1997, Farmer Hugh (5th generation McPherson) started one of the first corn mazes in the country here at the farm. Just home from college, he struck out on his own to create something new and different; something that merged his back ground in agriculture with his love of theater and entertainment – and Maize Quest Fun Park was established! Since then, the Fun Park has grown to offer over 35 attractions, pumpkin picking, and other fall entertainment. It has become a great destination for families, friends, school field trips, and other groups.
Continued innovation and growth
In 2015, Farmer Hugh got the idea
to find new life for unwanted fruit that was leftover at the farm each year. Maple Lawn Farms built a tasting room, outfitted an existing production room for winemaking, learned how to make wine, then produced, bottled, labeled and sold their first Maple Lawn Winery products.
“It’s great to see the fruit stay on the farm and be transformed,” says Matt Posey, farmer and winemaker at Maple Lawn Farms. “To see the enjoyment people get from our first batches has been really rewarding. We are doing a good thing."
Fields of sunflowers planted
Sunflowers came to the farm in 2017 as Farmer Hugh planted seeds without any real help or direction. During the first season, half of the sunflower bloomed on time and half bloomed over 30 days LATE! Now, with several festivals under our belt, we’ve developed a time-tested system and we plant and grow over 51 varieties of flowers! Each year, guests can wander nearly a mile of pathways through the equivalent of 10 football fields to snap pictures and pick from over 51 varieties of sunflowers, zinnias, and cosmos.
Farmer Hugh in the Sunflowers
“Sunflowers are symbols of positive thoughts, feelings and create a happy atmosphere,” says Hugh McPherson. “They connect with people, and we want people to connect with farming on a personal level.”
Don't miss out on the BLOOMS and FUN!
Reserve your spot now to guarantee entrance to the fun!