A Reminder That Sunflower Fields in Texas Don’t Exist for Selfies

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I haven't been out yonder recently, but I know that in the past there have been really beautiful fields of sunflowers within Lubbock County. As I drove past one on the way to New Deal, I recalled the temptation to pull over and snap a fun pic with these majestic and fun flowers.

But I didn't, because quite honestly I assumed I'd have a very pissed farmer to deal with if I did. And that would have served me right.

Farmers don't plant sunflowers for our selfies. They plant them primarily for their seeds. Sunflower seeds are a delicious snack for humans and birds and also a source of useful oil. From Britannica:

The common sunflower is valuable from an economic as well as from an ornamental point of view. The leaves are used as fodder, the flowers yield a yellow dye, and the seeds contain oil and are used for food. The sweet yellow oil obtained by compression of the seeds is considered equal to olive or almond oil for table use. Sunflower oil cake is used for stock and poultry feeding. The oil is also used in soap and paints and as a lubricant. The seeds may be eaten dried, roasted, or ground into nut butter and are common in birdseed mixes.

Of course, some farmers may be growing them for cut flowers, but that still doesn't entitle anyone to trample over their farmland without permission. You may think what you're doing is harmless and you may even step very carefully, but at the end of the day you're trespassing on private property and possibly causing a ton of damage, whether you meant to or not.

If you're looking for fabulous places to take pics in Lubbock, try the Lubbock Memorial Arboretum (4111 University Ave) or the gardens on Texas Tech campus (3340 Main Street) during open hours.

But please watch your step and pick up after yourself. These spaces are beautiful because of the hard work and dedication that was put into them, and we should help maintain and preserve that beauty so we can all enjoy it.