Hundreds of New Yorkers headed to the Queens County Farm Museum on Saturday, Sept. 7, to kick off the start of fall at Corn Fest.
Despite some rainy weather, locals enjoyed the day-long festivities celebrating the grand opening of the Amazing Maize Maze at the Queens Farm, located at 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy. in Floral Park.
The festival began with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Amazing Maize Maze, the only corn maze in New York City, comprised of three acres of towering corn stalks.
Local government officials, including Council Member Linda Lee (D-23) and Assemblymembers Edward Braunstein (D-26), and Shekar Krishnan (D-25), attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the maze entrance. Representatives from Con Edison, which sponsors the Amazing Maize Maze, were also in attendance.
Richard David, Queens director at Con Edison, said the maze encourages residents to think more consciously about their local ecosystem.
“It’s one of the best ways for people of all ages to connect with the natural environment, with farming, to be a part of something that they don’t see every day or interact with, David said.
Queens Farm Executive Director David Hughes explained that the farm’s history dates back centuries. “Think of the lineage of this piece of land. It is 327 years old, the longest remaining continuously farmed track of land in New York State,” he said.
Hughes told QNS he believes the farm is a community and city-wide resource for residents. “Over 30,000 school children come here on school field trips annually. They’re getting exposed to all sorts of integrated learning. We do public events, which are cultural events. We had a pow-wow over the summer, which was incredible and much in line with the history of these lands,” he said.
Created over 21 years ago, the Amazing Maize Maze is the brainchild of Dom Frantz, who invented the first corn maze in 1993 in Amabile, Pennsylvania. “I was living in New York City, this was a woods; I came out to Queens County Farm and said here’s a way for living history farms and family farms to make money and bring tourists,” he said. Frantz said the Amazing Maize Maze is unique, as it is an entirely organic corn maze with over a mile and a half of pathways. “What’s beautiful is when you go into this maze is that there are sunflowers, morning glories, and pumpkins. After we get the maze cut, we put in the game,” he said.
This year’s maze design is based on the monarch butterfly, which begins on the farm on milkweed plants and migrates to Mexico yearly. “The maze this year is a metaphor for the butterfly’s journey from the beginning milkweed to the pink posy in Mexico,” Frantz said.
Throughout the day, families enjoyed various activities, including Square Dance sessions led by Jim Emory, food from local vendors and “corny” activities, including corn wreath making and corn hole games.
Many residents said they visit the farm yearly to retreat from the city’s urban environment.
“I’ve been coming here for years now. We come to all the events,” said Rosedale resident Desrine Simson. Simson has taken her eight-year-old daughter to the farm since she was four. “It’s somewhere for children to do activities. It’s a natural environment for them to play in. The greenery, the atmosphere and fresh air is good,” Simson said.
Arianna Rodriguez has brought her four-year-old daughter Mav to the farm for over two years. “We’ve done the barnyard egg hunt, we’ve done the pumpkin picking, they have a carnival where there are rides and games,” Rodriguez said. A College Point resident, Rodriguez said she came to Corn Fest because it is a local outdoor event.
Shaindel Tomasovitch and Michael Fried said they appreciate the ample green space within the city. “I am from the country rolling hills of Michigan, so I always appreciate finding a place with more of a country-suburban feeling,” Tomasovitch said.
Many families were eager to complete the corn maze during the festival.
Nicole Fthenakis and her family were the first winners of the corn maze. “It was a lot of fun, very interactive for the kids. I think we got lucky; we just made some right turns,” she said.
Corn Fest also featured local small business owners and environmental organizations, showcasing the diverse community of the surrounding area.
Frank Vincenti, founder of the Wild Dog Foundation, manned a booth educating attendees on understanding and co-existence with local foxes and coyotes. “We’re just trying to be the bridge between the public and wildlife itself. Not everybody likes coyotes, so we’re at least attempting to have the animals prosper and have the public understand them better and to keep pets and the public safe and the coyotes as well,” Vincenti said.
Amy Reischer, owner of Mayfield Farms, an almond flour-based, gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free business, uses fresh seasonal ingredients from Queens Farm in her products. “Today, we have our carrot cake made with carrots from the farm. I got involved in farmers markets, and I sell here at this farm and the Great Neck Farmers Market,” she said. Reischer is also a member of the farm and has attended events with her family for years. “It’s so close and convenient, and they have so many great events. They just support local vendors and products, so I’m trying to support them,” she said.
The Amazing Maize Maze is now open for the fall season. For more information on tickets and dates of operation, click here.
