MILFORD CENTER, Ohio (WCMH) – The end of summer brings a number of some of the fall favorites in Central Ohio like Ohio State football and, of course, visiting pumpkin patches and meandering through a corn maze.
Since a lot of people like both of these, the Rausch family got a perfect idea. They created a corn maze to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ohio Stadium on The Maize at Little Darby Creek.
“We’re huge Ohio State fans,” Jayne Rausch said. “We thought that would be a really good design for our maze design this year.”
The family contacted OSU licensing to make sure they were above board with their design and that they could carve it into the cornfield.
“They were really interested when they saw the designs we’ve done for the past 20 years,” Rausch said. “We have permission to use the logo for the 100th anniversary and the words The Shoe.”
You can view the farm’s previous corn mazes here.
The Maize maze takes anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes to complete, and if you feel corny enough, you can continue to phase two, which would double your total time in the field. Should you have small children, or just would rather not spend a lot of time with your children in the corn, you could enjoy a five-minute journey in the kiddie maze.
Here are more details about the project:
- Interactive passports are available for groups and the public. Each contains 10 questions that quiz the user on a chosen subject, and those who answer the questions correctly will receive clues that guide them along the correct path to the exit. Subjects include: sports, boy scouting, girl scouting, scriptural, American history, interactive, teambuilding, 4-H, Halloween, and agriculture.
- In an effort to make the experience as easy or as hard as visitors want it to be, the maze has been divided into two phases. Participants will have the option to continue on to the next phase or exit the maze at the entrance to the second level.
- In October, the haunted Field of Fright will take on a Halloween twist. Spooks will be lurking in the corn at night.
- The maze will also have additional activities including a pumpkin patch, hayrides, Barnyard Bouncer, Ludicrous Low Ropes, Paintball Pandemonium, Pumpkin Blaster, corn cannons, cow barrel train, Ball Zone, Laser Tag, Dodgeball, farm animals, pedal carts, tube slide, PVC roller slide, rubber duck races, Spiderweb, GaGa Ball and a Kiddie Maze.
Special events include:
- Oct. 7-9, Flower Power Days: U-pick sunflowers & zinnias will be available for purchase
- Sept. 24-25, Scout weekend: Scout groups receive the group rate and free scout patch
- Sept. 25, Dog Day: A portion of the proceeds from the dog pictures and the gate will go to the Union County Humane Society.
- Sept. 27, Wine Down at The MAiZE: Sample your way through the corn maze, enjoy music and a glass of your favorite wine selection from the cash bar. This is a fundraiser for Union County Farm Bureau’s youth program & scholarship fund.
- Oct. 1-2, Pumpkin Fest Day
- Oct. 16, Giant pumpkin carving
- Oct. 23, Trick or Treat and costume contest
- Oct. 30, Great Pumpkin Smash: Pumpkin destruction on the final day of the season! Smash pumpkins and win prizes! The grand prize is two Ohio State football tickets to the Indiana game. Second prize is a pair of Blue Jackets tickets.