
Our pal Sung Kim took the above photo and emailed in this report:
"I went to the tulip festival yesterday (left work early) and they had just cut down all the tulips on monday... It was so sad--the strange thing is that they cut all the tulips and just let it fall to the ground..."
When I went to see this a few weeks ago it occurred to me that if they were going to actually sell the tulips from the fields that were on display they would have harvested them already. I wonder if there are some fields that are mapped out and such for tourists and then actual fields that grow tulips for sale back behind the scenes somewhere or if the entire thing is for show.
We went, too. They aren't farming the flowers--it's the bulbs they grow and sell. They knock the flowered tops off remaining bulbs this month to encourage a stronger six-week growth period--new bulbs.
I will explain this....
1- just go to www.tulipfestival.org and get the details on the festival. call them to ask if any fields are still open. they will tell you
2- the reason i think they cut only the tops is to let the nutrients go back into the bulb. im pretty sure but all you have to do is ask a farmer, pretty simple. dont guess, just ask =)