Georgia Magazine - September 2016 - 35

COURTESY OF UNCLE SHUCK'S ity of them rely on global positioning systems (GPS) in some way to help cut the designs into each individual corn field. At Hootie's, Reeves handles nearly the entire process himself, from sketching the maze design to mowing the paths. A local tractor dealer helps convert his design into an electronic file that's loaded onto a GPS unit with sub-inch accuracy. The GPS unit is mounted on his mower and guides him through every turn. "It's actually better to do it at night so you rely entirely on the GPS," Reeves explains. "It's that accurate." An entire industry has developed to cater to other maze owners that look for a more turnkey approach. Mike Pinzl turns the creation of his maze at Uncle Shuck's Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch near Dawsonville over to a company called Maze Play. Every year, the company offers him the option of picking from its catalog of designs or commissioning a custom maze. "We are teaming up with Northside Hospital Atlanta this year and will incorporate health-related activities in our maze," Pinzl says. "The maze itself will depict a stethoscope September 2016 in the shape of a heart and outlined by the state of Georgia." The company uses GPS to guide a tractor through Pinzl's 12-acre field and plow the corn into the ground once the crop grows to be about head-high. "There are around 5 miles of paths in my corn field, and it takes them about five hours or a little longer to get it done," Pinzl explains. GPS doesn't come into play at The Rock Ranch, a 1,500-acre farm the late S. Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A, established in The Rock, Ga. The 4-acre maze there is created each year by The MAiZE Inc., which utilizes a grid system to map out the paths. (For more on The Rock Ranch, see page 48.) "We give them the dimensions of our field and they put the design on grid paper," explains Adam Pugh, director of business development and event operations at The Rock Ranch. "When the corn is about 2 or 3 inches tall, they walk through it with a 6-foot-wide sprayer and spray the corn along the pathway [with herbicide]. They mark key intersections in the design and follow a detailed map, counting the rows to keep the design." More online at www.georgiamagazine.org COURTESY OF THE ROCK RANCH An aerial mock-up shows Uncle Shuck's Corn Maze's design for this year, a partnership with Northside Hospital Atlanta. The maze, which depicts a stethoscope in the shape of a heart and outlined by the state of Georgia, will incorporate health-related activities. The Rock Ranch's maze this fall will feature the face of actor/professional wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and will also pay tribute to the town of The Rock, where the ranch is located. Interactive stations in the maze will educate visitors about Johnson's career as well as the town's history. Riddles and activities Corn maze attractions offer more than a navigational challenge. Most of them incorporate riddles and activities, giving visitors clues to the correct path and educating them about agriculture and other topics along the way. At Uncle Shuck's, a portion of the maze is called the Maze of Knowledge and offers fun facts about corn. At The Rock Ranch, Pugh says incorporating activities-such as games, trivia and educational displays-is key. "The more interactive we can make it, the better. We try to have fun with it." (Continued on page 39) 35 http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - September 2016