SUNFLOWERS in full bloom have attracted visitors to flock Barangay Shilan in La Trinidad in Benguet.
The emerging site is 12 kilometers away from Baguio City known as “DarJane” flower farm owned by farmers Jane and Dario Montes which was recently opened to the public on February 19 with 10,000 sunflowers in bloom.
From Malaysian Mums, the Montes shifted to planting sunflowers three years ago with zero fertilizers used to propagate the flowers.
The Montes couple revealed the sunflowers were supposed to be sold for Valentine’s Day, however, due to cold weather, the sunflowers were not able to bloom on time.
Taking the loss to an opportunity, the couple decided to open the farm as a tourism site.
Photographs of the farm posted on social media further boosted the farm’s visit with tourist from Baguio, nearby Benguet towns and other Cordillera provinces flocking the area.
Tourists from as far as Samar, Tacloban and Guimaras have also visited the area since it opened to the public.
After unlimited picture taking in the farm, Jane welcome guests in a small greenhouse as makeshift shop where visitors can drink free coffee and eat sweet potatoes.
La Trinidad Municipal Tourism Officer Valred Olsim disclosed it was the initiative of the farmers to try and open the site to the public.
Olsim added there are plans to incorporate tourism plans in the emerging site.
Tourists visiting the area will be charged P120 for adults and P100 fee for students, senior citizens and persons with disability while kids seven years old and below are free to enter.