Nestled halfway between Stonewall and Fredericksburg on Highway 290 sits Wildseed Farms, a 200-acre wildflower seed production farm that has become one of the hill country’s most popular attractions.
The wildflowers in bloom have stopped traffic in the springtime for years, with red corn poppies, Texas bluebonnets and rows of colorful blossoms along the walking trails appropriately called “The Meadows”. Summertime finds a quilt-like display of zinnias, cosmos varieties and sunflowers just waiting to be photographed! The “Butterfly Haus”, a 3,000 square foot live butterfly exhibit, sits in the middle of the beautiful park area which leads visitors to The Meadows. Open March through October, the Butterfly Haus is home to over 500 live native Texas butterflies, and features a Butterfly Learning Center which teaches the family about the life cycle of the beautiful butterflies.
Wildseed Farms’ Market Center beckons with one of the area’s largest gift shops, filled with everything from ladies’ fun fashions and jewelry to teacups and home décor. The Brew-Bonnet Biergarten is a great place to relax with an imported beer or a glass of Texas wine. Wine tastings are featured every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and don’t forget to sample the specialty foods: jams, jellies, salsas, honey, pickles, marinades – you name it, you’ll find it in the Brew-Bonnet.
Outdoors you will find a huge selection of live plants and colorful imported Mexican pottery. All the latest garden gadgets, garden décor, bird houses, statuaries and even some steel cactus structures adorn the landscape and are available for purchase. Many of the wildflower varieties are available as live plants, and seeds for all of the wildflower varieties featured in the Wildseed Farms “Wildflower Reference Guide and Seed Catalog” are available in the Market Center. The award-winning seed catalog is free and provides planting instructions as well as plenty of tips for success in growing the wildflowers from seed.
Wildseed Farms hold several annual events beginning with “Wildflower Celebration”, scheduled April 3rd – 18th in 2010. The fourth annual “Gourmet Chili Pepper & Salsa Festival” will be held July 23rd and 24th of 2010, and will feature spicy food vendors, hot air balloons and plenty of top-notch entertainment both evenings. October brings the Monarch Celebration on October 16th and 17th which celebrates the Monarch butterfly’s migration, and includes “tagging” butterflies in conjunction with the University of Kansas “Monarch Watch” program. More information can be found on all the events at www.wildseedfarms.com.
Wildseed Farms is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Additional information about the Market Center, the bloom update, and the events held at Wildseed Farms can be found online at www.wildseedfarms.com
A free copy of the catalog can be obtained by visiting the website, and catalog orders for seed and specialty foods can be placed online as well. No fee is required to visit Wildseed Farms, with the exception of a nominal fee to visit the Butterfly Haus.
