The draught this Summer has significantly effected the late Summer Sunflower crop.
The above scene should look like this http://www.pbase.com/britestar/image/164145448

For decades, this farmer has been opening his Sunflower fields each year for the public to enjoy the beautiful flowers. He plants the crop for seed. However, his generous hospitality has allowed thousands of visitors from all over the world to enjoy this rural Kansas sunflower patch. Visitors are allowed to wander the fields (among Sunflowers as far as the eye can see & beyond) for free.

The Sunflowers only stay in beautiful full bloom for about a week at most, but it's always a marvelous scene - even this year during a major draught. Because we've had several straight days of rain (sadly too late to help the Sunflowers), I wasn't able to get out when the Sunflowers were at their full peak. I was a day or two late. Beyond being sparse in numbers, they were pretty bug eaten and just starting to start to decline by the time I got there. Still, a walk in the Sunflower field was a wonderful connection to Nature.