Autumn is always beautiful in North County, but this year fall is already more colorful than most.

Rolling hillsides and meadows are bursting with lemon-yellow sunflowers. And the Rose family, of White Hall, is responsible for 600 acres of them.

The Roses — David, Nancy and sons Zachary and Greg — run Clear Meadow Farm on 171 acres on Troyer Road, in White Hall. In 2007, they experimented by planting 110 acres in northern Baltimore and Harford counties and sold the seeds to a bird seed company.

It worked so well that they put more in this year on property they own, as well as acreage they rent.

“They always planted corn, soybeans and wheat, but this is the first year for sunflowers,” said Bill Pearce, whose 45-acre field on Shepperd Road, in Monkton, is a sea of yellow. “I ought to charge admission, that’s how much attention it’s getting. People are drawn to the flowers like magnets.”

Clear Meadow Farm has also planted sunflowers along Old York Road in Parkton and White Hall, as well as on Norrisville Road as it makes its way into Harford County.

The flowers will be harvested in late fall, once the seeds are fully formed, but before the birds get a free meal.

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