Wake Up Q

Good Stuff: 400 Acres of Sunflowers are the symbol of Love

Babbette2

A 66-year-old woman in Wisconsin named Babbette Jaquish lost her battle with cancer last November.  So her 65-year-old husband Don decided to pay tribute to her in a pretty incredible way.

 

The two of them owned a farm in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and after Babbette was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2006, she said she wanted to start growing sunflowers . . . and sell the seeds to raise money for cancer research.

So this past spring, he planted 400 ACRES of them along both sides of the road next to their property.  And if you drive by their place now, the sunflowers go on for four-and-a-half MILES.  (Here’s a video of them.)

Don and his family plan to start selling the seeds soon, and they’re putting Babbette’s story on the back of every bag.

He told ABC News he wanted to do something big to show people how much he loved her, because, quote, “Everyone that ever met Babbette fell in love with her.  I was just lucky enough to be the guy that SHE fell in love with.”

Headlines

7 hours ago in Community, Lifestyle, Local, Regional

Winter Weather Advisory issued in multiple counties including Tompkins, Cortland, Tioga

ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) – Winter weather could be headed to the region. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter…

8 hours ago in Sports, Trending

Jalen Hurts and the Eagles win their second NFC East title in a row by beating the Commanders 29-18

As the percussive horns of Stevie Wonder's "Sir Duke" filled the air, Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni — wearing a black T-shirt bearing the words, "Been there, won that" — made the rounds in the locker room, offering hand clasps and back slaps to his players after they accomplished something that hadn't happened in two decades: win a second consecutive NFC East title.

9 hours ago in National

Hundreds mourn Brown University sophomore Ella Cook, killed in campus shooting

A Brown University sophomore who was killed in an attack at the Rhode Island university was remembered Monday as "smart, confident, curious, kind, principled, brave," at a funeral in her home state of Alabama.

18 hours ago in Business, Community, Environment, Lifestyle, Local, Politics

Cortland County farm wins $35K microenterprise grant award

Dylan Barber Farm in Marathon won a microenterprise grant award for $35,000 in a unanimous vote.

18 hours ago in Community, Local, Politics

Cortland mayor explains 8% tax rate increase

In the 2026 budget adopted last week by the Cortland Common Council, property taxes are going up eight percent, double what was expected.

18 hours ago in Community, Crime, Education, Local

Bath PD trace school threat to Geneva woman

A call to Steuben County 911 on Dec. 19 making unspecified threats to the Bath Central School District was traced back to Carrie McChesney.