(Photo by Kenneth Lu) Get lost! Normally not such a pleasant sentiment, but that's exactly what droves of people are doing this autumn: getting happily lost in corn mazes. Inspired by myths of the Greek labyrinth at Knossos and the hedge puzzles of Medieval and Renaissance Europe, a corn (or maize) maze is a life-size puzzle where adventure, if not a hungry Minotaur, lurks among the stalks. Mazes are part and parcel of a variety of agritourism that includes pumpkin patches, apple picking, and hayrides. As small farms find it increasingly difficult to eke out a traditional living, these attractions offer alternate uses for land resources. Not only do they bring in tourist revenue, but they help urbanites reconnect with the land, learn about food production from the source, and enjoy a little fall fun. Modern corn mazes, replete with bridges, tunnels, and costumed guides, have proliferated in the last decade, and are now de rigueur harvest-time attractions. Dozens of professional maze companies have cropped up in recent years and the challenge is on to build the biggest and best. According to Guinness, this year's prize for size belongs to Cool Patch Pumpkins in Dixon, California. The sheer enormity of their 40-acre maze required the owners to set up a phone line to help lost wanderers find their way out. Now that's a-MAIZE-ing! Suggested Sites... Pumpkin Patches and More - directory of corn mazes, pumpkin patches, hayrides, and other harvest-time fun. The MAiZE - one of the world’s largest cornfield maze companies. "Mazes and Labryinths" - online version of the classic book by W.H. Matthews. Agritourism World - find agritourism destinations around the world.

Directory categories: Mazes, Halloween, Corn Crops, Corn Recipes, Agribusiness

Archived under: Autumn, Corn, Entertainment, Halloween, Mazes, Recreation and Travel, Theme Parks, Tourist Attractions

Post a comment (2) | Email this posting