Unusual Visitor at Skelly’s Sunflower Field Wasn’t What Anyone Expected
Every summer, thousands of visitors head to Skelly's Farm Market in Janesville to wander through colorful sunflower fields, enjoying one of the region's most popular attractions.
But according to Laura Skelly, one visitor brought a companion that left everybody talking.
An Unexpected Guest Perched Among the Sunflowers
During a recent interview, Skelly recalled the day a guest arrived at the Sunflower Experience with a pet parrot. Unlike most birds, this parrot never took flight. It calmly perched on its owner's shoulder while they explored the sunflowers and posed for pictures.
"It just stayed on her shoulder the whole time," Skelly said, describing one of the most memorable sights the farm has seen during its annual Sunflower Experience.
While the colorful bird became an unforgettable guest, Skelly reminded visitors that dogs are the only pets permitted in the fields, with the parrot being an unusual exception that quickly became a memorable story among the farm staff.
Laura Skelly Shares Her Farm Favorites
During our sit-down chat with Laura Skelly, she answered a series of rapid-fire questions about life on the farm that were pretty revealing.
Her favorite donut of all the varieties is Skelly's famous apple cider donut, which is a seasonal favorite for many visitors. When it comes to sunflowers, she prefers the dramatic maroon varieties over the classic yellow blooms.
With 32 different sunflower varieties planted this season, guests have no shortage of colorful backdrops for photos.
Asked whether she prefers sunrises or sunsets on the farm, Skelly chose sunsets, which gives an unforgettable view across the sunflower fields
Summer is Still the Best Season
You won't be surprised that Laura Skelly picked summer as her favorite season on the farm, because of the arrival of fresh produce and the Sunflower Experience.
She also picked sweet corn over watermelon, noting that visitors can typically find sweet corn through mid-September at the farm market and roadside stands across southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.
