Community and connection are at the heart of a family farm

Anderson Farms welcomes everyone for the annual season opener of sunflower picking and a day of farm-inspired rides, games and activities and tons of farm fun. Located at 6728 County Rd 3 1/4 in Erie, Anderson Farms operates with the principle of connecting families and community with timeless traditions through the beauty of their family farm.

Owners Jim and Brenda Anderson, together with their daughter Rachelle Wegele, believe that experiences are far more valuable than things, and spending quality time together is the very best way to spend time. The Andersons believe in discovering beauty, marveling in it, and savoring every moment.

“Anderson Farms wants to have families come outside, unplug, connect and create tradition,” said Rachelle, who has been operations manager at the farm since 2007. Megan, the other sister, now lives in Colorado and only a few miles from the farm.

The story began with Swedish heritage. In 1911, August and Josephine Anderson were emigrants from Sweden who purchased a farm south of Mead, Colorado. Two of their four children, Albert and Edwin, took over the care of the farm and grew corn, sugar beets, barley, alfalfa and wheat. They also began raising cattle. Edwin married Louise Johnson, a Longmont native, whose parents were also Swedish emigrants.

When the Colorado government wanted to build I-25, Edwin and Louise sold parts of the farmland for the highway project. The funds were used to purchase Anderson Farms. Edwin and Louise had three children, including Jim, who decided to keep the farming tradition in his family.

According to Rachelle, “As time goes by, fewer and fewer people have a family member who is in farming or in agriculture. Whereas, our parents and grandparents grew up with that aunt or uncle who they could go visit. This gives kids the opportunity to see what a farm is like.”

In 1997, the Andersons opened the farm to the public and started a small pumpkin patch. Much like a roadside stand, the South Farm offered hayrides to the pumpkin patch with a few animals. The farm expanded in 1999 with 40 acres for the pumpkin patch and 25 acres of corn maze. In 2001, Terror in the Corn made its debut as a haunting event, popular with residents from all over Colorado. After the pandemic, Anderson Farms started planting sunflower seeds to offer flower picking to the public.

The farm will open for the Sunflower season August 2, with activities such as sunrise and sunset picking and pick-and-paint events. The Fall Festival starts in October and runs through November with the pumpkin patch, haunts, yoga, hay bale pulls, skeet ball and cornhole activities. Private campfires in the sunflower field can be reserved from July through November with no minimum group size. A popular event, Unicorn Day, is a fairly new offering. For an extra ticket purchase, mini horses and Clydesdales from Kodak Ranch are available for rides and photo opportunities. Superhero Day has a special theme encouraging superhero dress-up with pony rides, also available for an extra ticket purchase.

A long time employee, Crystal Sutherland, marketing and field trip manager, said she still enjoys the family-friendly and family-owned spirit of Anderson Farms. Her tips for anyone coming out to visit are to be respectful to staff and others; dress for the weather; be prepared with water and sunscreen; and to enjoy the experience.

Today, spanning 300 acres, Anderson Farms is one of the only farms that is ADA accessible. With wheelchair access to the sunflower fields as well as to the pumpkin patch, the whole family can join in the experience without anyone being left behind. There are two wheelchair-accessible wagons that can hold up to 12 wheelchairs at one time. Also new this year, Anderson Farms added in an ADA Wellness Room with an adult changing table and outlets for those who need feeding machine assistance.

The farm offers a concession stand and patrons are welcome to bring outside food, but alcohol is not permitted. On weekends, food trucks feed hungry visitors. There are season passes for unlimited visits to UPick Sunflowers and the Fall Festival are now available. For more information visit andersonfarms.com.

By ViVi Somphon