Overview

            Located in Phoenix, a suburb of Ashland, Oregon, Urban Uprise Farm is owned and operated by the Shipley family since 2018. The Shipley’s market their sunflower field as a “micro-farm,” but don’t let that fool you—the farm has over 15,000 sunflowers on-site, comprised of a culmination of 13 different species (Willgoos). Aside from the classic golden-petaled sunflowers with brown centers, visitors can also find varieties ranging from deep oranges and maroons to bright pinks or pale yellows. I felt that these color palettes reflected the transition from Summer to Fall perfectly. Other varieties, such as the Mammoth Sunflowers, known for their notorious size, or my personal favorite, the Teddy-Bear sunflowers, named after their iconic fuzzy-looking petals, are also featured at the farm depending on what time of the season you visit. Urban Uprise Farm offers flower deliveries for bouquets and wedding flower arrangements, as well as pick-your-own flowers at their farm.

With 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic, the farm switched to an appointment-based system for families to come to the farm for you-pick, and I found that this allowed for a more intimate and enjoyable experience with the space during my own visit last September. Although this farm strictly grows sunflowers, it is common to run into the abundance of chickens that the farmers allow to roam the fields to minimize the amounts of insects, or the family’s charming golden retriever Buckley. Urban Uprise Farm allows for a fun and safe family activity both during and beyond the pandemic, and there are a variety of ways the space is currently being utilized. The only caveat is that the sunflower season typically starts in July through early September, but this limited timeframe makes the experience all the more special for those who are fortunate enough to visit the farm.

Personal Interest

As an avid sunflower lover, and someone who has actually grown five varieties of sunflowers myself, I came across Urban Uprise Farm after scouring the internet for sunflower farms in Southern Oregon. Sunflowers are actually my favorite type of flower; I find their simplicity quite beautiful, and I personally associate them with my childhood and my younger brother. Because Urban Uprise keeps their social media presence up to date, I was able to get a feel for what this farm had to offer. I decided upon picking my own sunflowers, and for $30, my family and I were given an hour reservation to the farm, a bucket, and cutting supplies. Due to demand, the only caveat was that we pick no more than 20 flowers, but this was more than enough flowers to fill three vases upon returning home. The experience was a lovely way to spend quality time with my mother and grandmother, and to enjoy the sunny Ashland weather.

Events and Venue

While the prospect of picking flowers is inviting in itself, the Shipley family has come up with more innovative ways for visitors to engage with their sunflower farm. While this first possibility may not come as a surprise, the farm is available as a wedding venue. Amongst the traditional rows of flowers is an open field bordered with sunflowers, allowing for a bright and cheery backdrop for any couple’s ceremony. Urban Uprise Farm also hosts yoga classes in this space—socially distanced, of course—followed up with refreshments and an opportunity to relax and socialize. The farm is also available for photography sessions, and customers can hire their own photographer and schedule an appointment at the farm. Besides the typical family sessions, this space provides a unique background for senior pictures, engagement photos, and maternity shoots as well. Compared to other family-owned farms, Urban Uprise Farm has become a passion project and an area for the owners to share their personal interests with the community and travelers.

Overnight Stay

A compelling aspect of this farm is also their lovely sunflower-themed Airbnb cottage, where guests can go on a small getaway and enjoy the outdoors. Because this sunflower farm is minutes away from Ashland and Jacksonville, several wineries and a distillery can be found within a 3-mile radius, as well as local events such as the Shakespeare festival (Airbnb). However, guests may find themselves tempted to stay in the cottage for the entire duration of their stay; with the abundance of windows and French doors that offer a panoramic view of the sunflowers and the nearby pear orchards and peak, the views that can be appreciated from within the four walls of this modern cottage make it well worth the price point. The cottage features a studio-style main room with a bed, sofa, stocked kitchenette, luxurious bathroom, and a fully furnished patio. The cottage’s fresh white interior and yellow decorative accents (including freshly cut sunflowers) make it stand apart from other properties available through Airbnb.

Uplifting the Community

Already ravaged by the devastating social and economic effects of the pandemic, the Phoenix community also fell victim to the wildfires that swallowed up much of Northern California and Southern Oregon during the summer of 2020. Staff at Urban Uprise Farm revealed that the flames got within 800 feet of their property, and while they were fortunate enough not to lose any property or be harmed by the Almeda fire, the Shipley family’s remaining crops were wilted and deteriorated as a result of the thick smoke and ash in the air. Despite this meaning that the sunflower season ended a week earlier than anticipated, and refunds were issued to all upcoming bookings, this did not discourage staff at the farm from coming out on top. Although the flowers were no longer picture-perfect, all of the remaining heads were cut and placed in buckets, that would later line the streets of Phoenix as a tribute to those who returned from evacuating their homes. Additionally, Urban Uprise Farm promoted the link to the Almeda fire relief funds on their social media platforms and matched up to $1,000 of donations in support of the victims of this tragedy. Phoenix locals flooded Facebook with images of the sunflower-lined streets, grateful for the compassion and well-wishes that this small gesture conjured. It is efforts like these that set Urban Uprise Farm apart from other small businesses, and this is why anyone passing through Southern Oregon should consider stopping by this farm to support a family-owned business and to have a wonderful time.

The Future of Urban Uprise Farm

After the farm’s overall success during the 2020 season, farm staff have revealed their consideration of maintaining the appointment-based system for you-pick flowers and photography sessions in 2021. As of April, the fields were covered in clover blooms for nitrogen-fixation before being tilled in for the sunflower seeds to be planted. Urban Uprise Farm also teased on social media about the introduction of a new sunflower variety for the 2021 season: “White Nite.” These flowers have petals that are such a pale-yellow hue, they almost appear white. The petals frame a rich, chocolate-colored center, like many classic sunflower varieties.

Urban Uprise Farm’s booking page is only set up when the flowers are in season, so although their website is barren as of right now, keeping up with them via their Instagram or Facebook pages are the most effective ways to stay in the loop about what other new possibilities this season has in store. I am personally planning on spending a day at this farm again, and I hope others will be inclined to give this venue a visit.

Works Cited

“Home.” Urban Uprise Farm, 2021. https://www.urbanuprisefarm.com/

“Modern Getaway on Sunflower Farm.” Airbnb, 2021. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/33313433?s=67&unique_share_id=d734d386-a2e1-4f99-bc0b-1e8fc9f87faa&source_impression_id=p3_1621658976_j8ix72hjs2qXk0y3&guests=1&adults=1

“Urban Uprise Farm.” Instagram, 2021. https://www.instagram.com/urbanuprisefarm/

“Urban Uprise Farm Photos.” Facebook, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/pg/urbanuprisefarm/photos/?ref=page_internal

“Urban Uprise Farm Posts.” Facebook, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/urbanuprisefarm/

Willgoos, Megan. “Sunflower farm brings joy amid pandemic.” ABC 10 News, 28 July, 2020. https://ktvl.com/news/local/sunflower-farm-brings-joy-amid-pandemic