Skelly’s Farm Market, Janesville WI
Corn mazes have come a long way over the years; actually it’s the visitors who have longer to travel due to the mazes becoming much more complex. Credit (or blame) modern technology for that – without the aid of specially developed computer mapping software and the advent of GPS satellites it would simply be impossible to create these large-scale constructions. Scott Skelly, owner of Corn Mazes America, demonstrates some of the high-tech grunt work that goes into building a modern corn maze above, and the images record some of his own creations at Skelly’s Farm Market in Janesville, Wisconsin.
Stickley Farm, Bluff City TN
When the owners of The Stickley Farm decided to transform their third-generation family farm near Bluff City, Tennessee to the public in 2006, they knew it would take more then a hayride and a pick-your-own pumpkin patch to attract the crowds. Building a corn maze was one option but using the land wisely was a paramount consideration. Solution: build a corn maze that looks all of a piece from afar but which actually encompasses three distinct mazes: one is just 0.2 miles long and the other two are both 2.6 miles long.
Some of the more modern corn mazes employ some very un-mazelike rendering techniques, such as those used to form the faces of Barack Obama and John McCain in the Stickley Farms’ 2008 presidential election theme maze above. While a wonder to behold from above, when it comes down to it the real joy to be found in corn mazes is more traditional; that being to be literally found in one should the maze prove to be too challenging!

