The Rural Voice, 2004-09, Page 53AgriTech
Browsing for amazing information
Janice
Becker is a
computer
enthusiast
and
journalist
living near
Walton, ON.
With fall approaching, a few
thoughts of the season are brought to
mind for me. September and October
mean harvest time, burnished fields
of grain, golden corn and ripening
pumpkins. It is a great time to
experience some unique tourist
opportunities for the family that only
come at this time of the year.
What could be better than
enjoying some of the final warm days
of the year with the family,
wandering through a skillfully -
crafted corn maze, sipping cider,
learning a little more about the corn
industry or just getting away from
your own work load for an afternoon.
The phenomena of corn mazes has
exploded in the past few years as
farmers find new and interesting
ways to promote agriculture through
education by drawing people to rural
communities. It also boosts their
bottom line.
The Ontario Com Maze was one
of the first to come to my attention as
it is my local area. Situated off Perth
County Road 128 near Newton, the
attraction opened for the season July
30. The activities range from the
labyrinth, mini golf, straw museum
and education games and displays.
Admission fees are $7 for adults, $6
for seniors and children 5-16 and
$24.50 for a family. The maze is open
seven days a week.
Though the website was not as
helpful as I would have liked,
information on location and contact
numbers can be found at
www.ontariomaze.com.
From there, I went searching for
other such attractions in Ontario.
The Belmont Corn Maze,
www.belmontcornmaze.com, is a
very good site with ample
information about the business and
entertainment offerings.
Operated by Don and Lin Farquar,
the maze is located south of London
in a 10 -acre field with five kilometers
of trails.
A map is easily printable and very
straightforward and the descriptive
directions for those coming in from
London, St. Thomas, Woodstock or
Alymer directions are just as good.
Open on September 3, Belmont is
geared to the family with strict rules
about behaviour to ensure an
enjoyable day for all. Food and
souvenir concessions, a picnic area
and the "Seeds of Knowledge"
educational experience are sure to
add to the day. Special haunting days
are planned for October.
The cost is $7 for adults, children
under -five are free and it is $4.25 for
others. The family fee is $21.
If your family is going to be
heading to Eastern Ontario this fall,
why not stop by the Haggerty Family
Farms Corn Maze Adventure
(www.ruralroutes.com/973.html),
near Stirling, a few miles north of
Trenton. Open from July to
Halloween, special moonlight
challenges are held each month on
the night of the full moon. Haunting
Halloween adventures are also
offered.
Approximately two miles of tracks
run through the eight -acre cornfield
with corn facts along the way. Visits
with farm animals are available as
well. The cost is just $5 with those
under six admitted for free.
In the same general area is
Cricklewood,
www.ruralroutes.com/cricklewood.
The two-mile trail covers six and half
acres in the shape of a castle this
year.
Cricklewood's added attraction is
farm -fresh produce including 18
varieties of apples (eight are pick -
your -own), sweet corn, pumpkins and
squash.
This is only the tip of the iceberg
as I soon discovered. Almost every
county in the province, where corn
grows, has at least one corn maze
with numerous additional activities.
To find one near you or at a holiday
destination, check out the local tourist
site or simply Google corn mazes.
Contact me at
jlbecker@wightman.ca or through
The Rural Voice office, with feedback
or topic suggestions.°
News
Perth unveils 2005 IPM sign
SEPTEMBER 20-24
.
L4W1`!c
SITE OF THE
2.0-0-5
INTERNATIONAL
PLOWING
MATCH & RURAL
EXPOSITION
w.ipn2OO5.ca
While Grey County organizers go through the last-minute preparations for the
2004 International Plowing Match, the Perth County committee unveiled the
sign on the location of the 2005 match near Listowel on the farm David
Carson and family. — photo by Janice Becker
SEPTEMBER 2004 49