by Kyra Price and Haily Lannon, UW Stout Students
Every year, the owner of Govin’s Farm, John Govin, is inspired to design a new pattern for their corn maze. Govin’s Farm is open to the community for seasonal activities every Saturday through the end of October including petting farm animals, pumpkin picking, and tractor riding.
The planning and work to create the maze takes longer than one might think.
“We work set up for about three weeks. There’s about three or four of us. Regular farming still goes on,” Govin said. The farm stays busy with preparation. “The corn is planted in May. The design is cut in when the corn is quite short,” Govin continued.
The design of the corn maze this year is a brain. Visitors receive maps so that they don’t get lost in all the pathways. “I’ve got an uncle and brother-in-law that have Parkinson’s,” Govin said.
He was inspired to use the maze to spread a message of awareness of the disease.
The corn maze had many pathways to follow with signs acting as helpful markers. There are activities along the way for kids and even pages from the children’s book “Spookley the Square Pumpkin” posted at certain spots in the maze as milestones.
Menomonie resident and first-time visitor Gerry Hollis enjoyed his time there. “I liked seeing all the animals, but I also liked the corn maze. It had a neat little story to follow in it,” Hollis said.
This year’s corn maze will later be harvested for its grain Govin explained. For now, the planning continues.
“I don’t know what next year will be,” Govin said.
Govin’s Farm is located at N6134 670th St, Menomonie, WI 54751. The farm can be reached at (715) 231-2377.
