Students made cherished high school memories this month in a place one might never have guessed–a corn maze. An activity that used to be childish and boring was transformed through the wonders offered by Petals & Plows, just a bit outside of town.
With local businesses being all the rage, families of all sizes and ages can find fun with activities hosted by Petals & Plows. Owned by Wayne and Jo Kaufman, the farm lies between Oshkosh, Ripon, and Berlin at 9129 Kaufman Rd. The farm’s corn maze, perhaps the hottest attraction, was first opened during fall of 2013. The site gained attention even state-wide for their elaborate and often tedious designs. Two years later, the owners announced the later hours, opening up fun at their night maze.
People often go with friends in hopes of finding a nice spot to spend their fall season together, marking traditions that last throughout all of high school. Directly in front of the maze entrance is a small playground area with a giant slide, several seating options, and a wide variety of photo props to capture memories. A bit further from the maze lies a large booth with baked goods, drinks, pumpkins, and gorgeous flowers for sale. Continuing the local business theme, Baked, located in downtown Berlin, is mostly credited for the food that is sold at the corn maze.
As part of tradition, the farm will mow designs into the field. This year, the owners dedicated a lot of their time to FFA (Future Farmers of America). The design itself was a tribute to the organization, and October 17 attended happened to be a night specifically for FFA. Proceeds went to local FFA groups, and members themselves were allowed free admission. Designs from years past have included butterflies, the NFL draft, and other community-related topics. Additionally, a haunted maze that includes actors in masks running through the dark network of corn is offered at the end of October. This year’s haunted maze lands right on the night of Halloween, and runs from 6:30 to 11:00 p.m., with the last entrance at 10:30 p.m.
Before entering the maze, groups have the chance to sit and talk with staff at the food stand while purchasing their admission. $5 earns guests a maze ‘ticket’, a map with marked locations to hole-punch into the bottom as benchmarks, shapes ranging from various-sized circles to stars, hearts, and lines. Though this is a common practice, the distinction in shapes helps make the maze more riveting.
One attractive aspect is that the mazes are divided into three groups each year, each ascending not only in difficulty, but also in length. This is a great way to involve younger kids who might not want to walk so much, and also make it more disability-friendly. The longest maze this year is 4 miles, followed by the second with 2.4 miles, and the final maze being .3 miles. The three do not combine in the corn, but each design complements the next to form the complete picture. Going through the corn stalks is frowned upon, so a person will visit the entrance at least four times to achieve every checkpoint. This took my group nearly two hours to complete, but each moment was filled with laughter and amusing interactions with other groups.
Overall, attendance provides an amazing time at the maze and inspires community members to attend for many years to come. It is clear that the business is not after money, but community bonding. It’s safe to say that the owners reached that goal, earning Petals & Plows a 5/5.
