Farmers plot twists, turns of corn mazes

Sunday, January 1, 1905

SAVE THE DATETwo more mazes are scheduled to open at the end of the month.• Mayfield Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch in Athens, Tenn., will open its season Sept. 28.• Guthrie Pumpkin Farm and Corn Maze in Riceville, Tenn., will open its season Sept. 29.

You can't keep a secret on a farm. The potatoes have eyes, and the corn is all ears.

So far this fall, no news has sprouted among the potatoes, but there has been some rustling in the cornfield.

Word has it that mazes have been carved into the corn at several area farms. A little digging has determined there's a kernel of truth to the rumors.

Two mazes will debut Saturday -- at Old McDonald's Farm in Sale Creek and at Grandaddy's Farm in Estill Springs, Tenn.

Thursday, Rock City's Enchanted Maize at the foot of Lookout Mountain will be ready for visitors.

More amazing twists and turns will follow later this month at farms in Rainsville, Ala., and Ocoee, Crossville, Athens and Riceville, Tenn.

All promise families a chance to find their way through the corn, pick pumpkins, pet barnyard animals and climb into tractor-pulled wagons for hayrides.

One note of caution: Be careful how high you lift the pumpkins. Drop one, and it comes down squash.

OLD MCDONALD'S FARM

Where: 16705 Coulterville Road, Sale Creek.

Season: Saturday-Nov. 4.

Hours: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays and noon-7 p.m. Sundays; weekdays by appointment.

Highlights: Hayride to the pumpkin patch for a free small pumpkin, hay maze, critter barn, corn maze, gem mining, corn crib, barn slide, Uncle Ben's wagon ride, refreshments in The Calf-A.

Admission: $11 ages 3 and up; $2 Uncle Ben's wagon ride.

Phone: 531-CORN (2676).

Email: McDonaldFarmsllc@msn.com.

Website: www.oldmcdonaldsfarm.net.

GRANDADDY'S FARM

Where: 454 Highland Ridge Road, Estill Springs, Tenn.

Season: Saturday-Nov. 3.

Hours: 1:30-6 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 1:30-10 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday. Fall Market open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturdays through Nov. 3.

Highlights: Pumpkin patch, corn maze, straw maze, farm animals, 40-foot slide, tire swings, duck races, nature trail.

Admission: $8 ages 10 and older, $6 ages 2-9. Free admission to Fall Market.

Phone: 931-327-4080.

Email: dixons@grandaddysfarm.com.

Website: www.grandaddysfarm.com.

ROCK CITY'S ENCHANTED MAIZE

Where: Blowing Springs Farm, 271 Old Chattanooga Valley Road, Flintstone, Ga.

Season: Thursday-Oct. 28.

Hours: 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Thursday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday, 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, noon-6:30 p.m. Sunday. Maze closes at 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays in October.

Highlights: Corn maze, hayrides, kid-size maze, cow train, face painting, pumpkin painting, corn slingshot, playground, inflatables. New this year: Critter Corral petting zoo (Saturdays and Sundays).

Admission: $9 adults, $7 ages 4-12; additional charge for some activities.

Phone: 706-820-3220.

Website: www.enchantedmaze.com.

THE RIVER MAZE

Where: 1371 Highway 64, Ocoee, Tenn.

Season: Sept. 22-Nov. 4.

Hours: 5-9:30 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., 1-5 p.m. Sunday; other times by appointment.

Highlights: Corn maze, pumpkin patch, hayrides, cow train, corn cannons, water wars, barnyard croquet, pumpkin basketball, several mini-mazes, reading of the anti-bullying story "Spookley, the Square Pumpkin." New this year: River Country Grill.

Admission: $10 adults, $8 ages 4-12; extra charge for some activities.

Phone: 423-650-0710.

Website: www.therivermaze.com.

DOWN ON THE FARM CORN MAZE

Where: 2257 Heaton Road, Rainsville, Ala.

Season: Sept. 22-Nov. 10.

Hours: 4-8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 4-9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.

Highlights: Corn maze, pumpkin patch, hayride, playground, corn cannon, cow train, barnyard animals, barnyard bone dig, hay bale maze, goat walk, corn pit.

Admission: $9 pumpkin patch and playground, $9 corn maze and playground, $15 combo, $5 playground only; additional charge for some activities.

Phone: 256-638-2399, 256-899-6227.

Website: www.downonthefarminal.com.