Lost in the maze at CornDodgers Farm

October 27, 2009

By Whitney McHugh

Armed with glow sticks and three flashflights, our group of five headed out last Thursday evening in search of more fall fun at the 7-acre corn maze at CornDodgers Farm in Headland.

The farm is located off Highway 134 and the directions on the CornDodgers Web site were easy to follow. The trip took about 20 minutes from Dothan and we used the drive make our fabulous bracelets and necklaces from a tube of thin glow sticks.

Slideshow:

· View photos from our trip to the 7-acre corn mazes at CornDodgers Farm.

It was overkill. We looked a bit ridiculous. And yes, people in the maze made comments about our glowing accessories. Go Team Glow! (CornDodgers sells glowsticks and rents flashlights if you don’t want to bring your own.)

The maze opened at 5 p.m., but there were only a few cars in the lot when we arrived at 7. We paid our admission — $8 for adults, $6 for children — got a paper with clues and headed for the maze.

The 7-acre corn field is divided into two mazes. Rumor has it that the first maze is easier, but we wandered aimlessly in the first maze before an illegal cut-through maneuver by my mother landed us in the second maze.

Talk about being completely lost. There are numbered poles in the maze that correspond with clues on the paper handed out at the gate. If you answer the multiple-choice questions correctly, you get instructions on which direction to head next. Too bad we didn’t look at the paper before we started.

There are signs in the maze with texting instructions. With a quick text, you receive brief instructions like “head in the direction the sun sets.” Sure this is helpful, but only if you know which way is west. We searched for the Little Dipper and the North Star. And we had interesting discussions with other people in the maze about the direction of the moon.

We eventually stumbled out of the maze after about 1.5 hours – starting in the first and ending in the second. (We spent a lot of time taking photos and doing Blair Witch re-enactments.) Most people can complete both mazes in an hour.

Determined to make it through the mazes, we headed back into the field. A Corn Cop – yep, it’s printed right on the reflector vest – joined us for the second round. With a little help from him, we made it through the first maze. We’re so bad at this even the Corn Cop got lost with our group in the second maze. Backtracking and heading out the entrance, we never did complete the second maze.

There are other things to do at the farm besides the corn maze. For $1, you can shoot three ears of corn at targets for a chance to win $50. My 7-year-old, Avery, wasn’t interested in trying the cannon, but the rest of us had fun. She did like the mini-maze made out of hay bales and the corn box. There are also hay rides, but there weren’t any running the night of our visit.

Here are a couple tips for the maze:

It’s a lot of walking. Wear comfortable shoes. If you have little ones, bring a stroller or wagon. Avery’s legs were tired by the second round and we gave her piggy-back rides.

Do not touch the ears of corn. Mom wanted to look at the corn and started peeling back the husks. Within 30 seconds, corn cops were telling her to step away from the corn.

Do not cut through the corn. First, it is against the rules. Second, you have no idea where you’ll end up.

If you do get lost, look for people wearing reflector vests. They will give you clues.

Watch out for the tractor wheels. We walked in circles for a long time.

Relax. Take your time. Don’t worry about getting lost. It’s supposed to be fun.

The maze closes for the season at 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1. To learn more about the maze, visit the CornDodgers Farm Web site.

Pumpkin picking at Aplin Farms

October 20, 2009

By Whitney McHugh

The first snap of cool weather means a trip to the pumpkin patch for Avery and me. Normally, we stop by the pumpkin patch at First United Methodist Church in Dothan. There are a lot of pumpkins to choose from and the patch is great spot for photos.

Slideshow:

· View photos from our trip to Aplin Farms.

But Saturday city editor Kendall Clinton invited us to the “pumpkin patch in Slocomb.”

I pictured us traipsing through a field in the middle of nowhere – a new twist on our annual tradition – and being finished in about an hour. Yes, we did wander through a field but Aplin Farms is no mere pumpkin patch.

The farm is located on Geneva County Road 49 (Bay Springs Road). It connects to U.S. Highway 84 and the drive took about 15 minutes from Dothan. On weekends the farm is easy to spot, just look for all the cars parked on the side of the road.

Our group of four adults and two children bypassed the produce market and headed straight for the animal barn. Klie, 5, and Avery, 7, were able to pet goats, bunnies, sheep and a calf. The ducks huddled together far from the children’s fingers and a sign stated that the pigs bite. I think the kids would have been perfectly happy staying in the animal barn the entire time.

Next up was the corn maze. The maze costs $3 per person. I’d like to say we made it to the end, but we didn’t. We walked in circles. That may be because we followed the kids. Our group ended up going back out the entrance but no one seemed to mind. My sister, Meredith, loved the witch flying on a utility pole in the maze. Sadly, we didn’t get a picture of it.

The line for wagon rides to the pumpkin patch is at the produce market. While waiting for our turn, we explored the market. The farm sells its produce, baked goods and other items produced locally. I had my eye on the honey from Headland. Bins of pumpkins in a variety of sizes are in the market for those not wanting to venture into the patch. Pumpkins range from $1-$12 depending on their size.

The ride to the pumpkin patch was fun and well worth the $3 per person price. The patch is divided into big and small pumpkins and bordered by a sunflower field. With a few brief instructions on selecting and picking pumpkins, we headed into the field. Our group picked six pumpkins – small, medium and large.

In addition to pumpkins, most people came back from the fields with bouquets of sunflowers. The wagon driver cut flowers for anyone interested. Klie was determined to go home with a giant one.
We spent a bit more than two hours touring Aplin Farms. Avery is headed back next week with her school class. And I’m looking forward to making another visit to the pumpkin patch next fall.