A new, seasonal visitor attraction is set to open in the Upper Seven Valley in Mid Wales next weekend.

Porth Farm, Moat Lane, Caersws, near Newtown has planted four acres of six different varieties of sunflowers in three separate blocks, bordered by Phacelia, a blue/purple scented flower from the borage family that is great for attracting bees and other insects, alongside a two acre maize maze.

Hosts Gerwyn Vaughan and Sarah Pinnell had planned to welcome visitors at the end of July but the cold May weather delayed the flowers which are now set to bloom over the next six weeks.

In addition to the flowers and maze, the farm has a woodland wander with picnic seating and will be selling Welsh food and drinks, including home-made cakes and Dairy Dreams ice cream, with pop up vendors. See Porth Farm’s social media channels for more details.

To promote the new attraction and support tourism in Mid Wales, Porth Farm has become a member of MWT Cymru, an independent company representing more than 600 tourism and hospitality businesses across Powys, Ceredigion and the Meirionnydd region of Gwynedd.

Admission to the new attraction, which is expected to be open for at least six weeks whilst the flowers are blooming, will cost £10 for cars with up to five people or £2 per person and they can spend as long as they wish on the farm.

Visitors who wish to pick a sunflower as a memento of their visit will be charged between £1 and £1.50 per stem. More information about the farm is available at https://www.facebook.com/porthfarm

Later this autumn, Sarah and Gerwyn will open again to visitors wishing to pick their own pumpkins from a three-acre field, with six different varieties. They expect the farm to open its gates from October 9 until Halloween and plan to run workshops on pumpkin carving and Halloween decorations as well as providing refreshments.

The couple, who both hold down full-time jobs, are looking for ways to diversify their 70-acre sheep farm which would allow them to welcome visitors. They already grow hay and haylage for horses but are looking for other ideas to supplement the farm’s income.

“We have a beautiful outdoor space here where we promote biodiversity and conservation and wanted to create an experience for the whole family in the area,” explained Sarah

“We have a vast number of visitors to this area who are looking for places to visit and things to do, so we want to promote what the farm can offer and improve our biodiversity at the same time.

“By having three separate plantings of sunflowers, we are hoping that they flower at different times over six weeks, but we are in the lap of the gods. When they have finished flowering, the sunflowers and Phacelia will be left to feed our farmland birds through the ‘hungry gap’ and then ploughed back into the ground.”

Explaining the reason for joining MWT Cymru, Sarah said:

“We want to promote the local area and give something back to Mid Wales which has a lot to offer.

“Tourism isn’t just about somebody visiting from another part of the country. During the pandemic we have all been encouraged to see what we have on our doorstep and it has been an eye opener to me.”