Fennville Poppy Field 2020

michigan places

Feb 18

Don’t be the reason we can’t have nice things, stay on the path!

This location is easily becoming a favorite tradition. Last year, the poppy field was split into two, not even a mile up the road from the four-acre field of 2020.

Best viewed in Mid-May to early June, spring thunderstorms clean out fragile, old blooms overnight. In 2020, I went when it was very hot! But nestled in the shade of surrounding pine trees, it was not only comfy, but also entertaining when passers-by had no idea I was there. And there are usually a ton of artists there!

Each year I go, I always want to go back and linger longer, but especially before crowds gather and ever so slowly inch their way farther and farther into the field, making paths: cracks in this memorial. Please, please—- don’t even go a FOOT into this patch!

Planted by Pleasant Hill Blueberry Farm in memory of their son, a veteran, and a lady, who have both passed away.

The short story is best told by WZZM13:

“John and Joan's adopted son, Mateo Donaldson, was a bee keeper on the farm before he served a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

"He came home with PTSD and took his own life," Joan said. "We  decided to create the poppy field in memory of him, because all these  flowers feed the bees and butterflies, which he loved caring for so  much. He's not buried very far from this field."

"A couple of other veterans have come to me and said, 'I have PTSD, but when I'm standing out there looking over that field, I can feel so much peace.'"“

I am very glad that the folks at Pleasant Hill farm share this gift with us, and I hope it continues.