Corn Maze Article
Darrell Blackwelder
Ever wondered what it be like
to get lost in a huge cornfield as actors are often portrayed in thriller
movies? Now you have the chance to
have this same type of experience, but you won’t be lost for very long.
Grandpa Charlie’s Corn Maze, just minutes from
Mazes made of shrubs and trees
have been a symbol of outdoor recreation in European formal gardens since the
early 1500’s. Local growers have adapted this classic form of European outdoor
recreation to alternative farming as a growing trend in farming called
Agritourism.
Hartsell Farms’ Mark and
Melody Hartsell, along with brother, Greg, have successfully created a ten acre
corn maze which is now open to the general public. The field is located about 3
miles out of
The entire field was seeded as
normal for corn silage production. The local Southern States Cooperative
volunteered the use of their Global Positioning Satellite technology to design
the logo layout for accuracy and detail. Global Positioning technology is very
important tool from guiding planes and ships and now to accurately plotting
positions for corn growers. The local Southern State Cooperative uses this
technology primarily as an aid to producers in determining exact fertilizer and
liming rates in fields for producers.
The Hartsell’s incorporated
the logo and laid out the maze with flags and stakes. A large lawn mower was
then used to cut the intricate pathways in the field.
The maze has twists and turns
making it a challenge for fun for everyone. Eight mail boxes with clues are
cleverly positioned at along the way for the way out. Those that get totally
confused can always rely on an emergency escape built in as safety precaution.
The pathways are wide, allowing large groups to participate and the
smaller ones plenty of room to romp and play.
Church groups, civic groups,
even bank employees have already visited Grandpa Charlie’s Maze.
Businesses often use corn mazes as a team building and bonding exercise
for their employees.
The maze not only supplies a
recreational aspect provides allows one to sharpen decision making skills. With
weather cooling, this may just be the perfect place to get out, stretch your
legs and determine how astute you are at determining large puzzles. It usually
takes the average person between 35 and 40 minutes to complete the maze.
The maze is now open from
Darrell Blackwelder is an agricultural agent in charge of
horticulture with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in