Cruze Farm opens maze for 'farm fun'

Photo by Saul Young, copyright © 2011 // Buy this photo

photos by SAUL YOUNG/NEWS SENTINEL With pumpkin in hand, Gabino Curl, 3, sits quietly on a hay bale at Cruze Farm on Monday, September 19, 2011. Cruze Farm, known for their milk and ice cream, will host its first corn maze this year beginning on Oct. 1.

Cruze Farm Corn Maze

Cruze Farms lost a milk hand but gained a corn maze.

The family dairy farm in East Knox County will host its first corn maze 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday on weekends Oct. 1-30.

Two mazes — a winding route with scarecrows dressed as five country music legends and a farm-themed educational path for children — have been chopped into eight acres of 7-foot-tall corn at 7309 Kodak Road.

In a broad green field up the hill will be Cruze-cooked food, from burgers to chili, and free children's activities, from tractor races to fake steer roping to ball tosses and bouncy horses. A pen will hold some of the farm's young heifers happy to be fed by visitors; there'll also be a pile of shelled corn to dig in. Hayrides will loop around the field; neighboring farmer Dustin Corum will sell pumpkins.

Photographer Rhonda Thompson will take photos against the backdrop of rolling pastures and hills. Thirty-six red-painted picnic tables under a large tent near the children's play area offer diners or people-watchers a place to eat or sit.

Since this is a corn maze at a dairy farm, maze travelers are rewarded with mini-cones of Cruze ice cream when they finish their journeys through the corn.

Photo by Saul Young, copyright © 2011

Jacob Smith, 10, left, and his brother Jared Smith, 13, preview the corn maze at Cruze Farm on Sept. 19. The maze opens to the public on Oct. 1.

It's the first time the farm, known for its milk and ice cream, has opened to the public. Creating mazes and planning the related events since late August has been a whirlwind venture for Cheri Cruze and daughter Frances Cruze Vineyard.

Earl Cruze, Cheri's husband and Frances' father, didn't plant those eight acres with corn this spring with a maze in mind. The women had toyed with the idea of having a fall festival or maze for a while, but, as Cheri Cruze says with a smile, "We needed permission." Earl Cruze gave that "permission" in late August, after some challenges of his own.

The Cruzes milk about 70 cows on their farm of almost 600 acres. Earlier this year a 'milk hand' — an employee who knows how to milk cows — left. It's tough, the Cruzes say, to find a replacement. So they took over all the milking duties. That meant Earl Cruze didn't have time to silo the stalks and ears of corn as he had planned.

One late August morning Earl came in from chores for breakfast. "He said, 'Let's just do a corn maze,'" says Vineyard. "He didn't have time to chop (corn into) silage and blow it up in the silo."

"From my point of view, there's less work for me in this maze that if I had to silo," Earl says. He points to his wife and daughter saying, "These girls won't do any siloing. But they will jump in on a maze."

Jump they did. Within a couple of weeks, the Cruze women had plans set. Daughter Colleen Cruze is overseeing the food. Frances' wirebound notebook is neatly filled with ideas and to-do lists,

It was important for the family that the children's maze be educational. Children pretend to be farmers as they move from station to station in that maze. Artist Heather Scott's large paintings of farm necessities — like a cow, chicken, silo and churn — will be positioned at stopping points.

Children get buckets and seed to plant at the maze start. As they walk the path, they milk a pretend cow, gather plastic eggs and make imaginary ice cream. When their farm work is done, young farmers get their mini-cone of ice cream.

When October is over the corn won't be wasted. Ears will be picked for animal feed. The maze itself, says Cheri Cruze, is "farm fun."

"On a farm you have to make your fun. For other people this is work. For us this is like having a party."

Area corn maze information

Cruze Farm Corn Maze

What: Family & children's mazes, hay ride, pumpkins, children's activities, farm animals, food

Where: 7309 Kodak Road, Knoxville

When; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays, noon-6 p.m. Sundays Oct. 1-2, Oct. 8-9, Oct. 15-16, Oct. 22-23 & Oct. 29-30

Admission: Maze $6 adults, $3 ages 12 & younger, free ages 2 & younger; half price Oct. 15 for anyone wearing overalls; $2 hayrides, pumpkins, food, fall decorations sold, free children's activities

Information: http://www.cruzefarmgirl.com

Blake Dairy Farm Corn Maze

What: 10-acre maze, pumpkin patch, hayrides, children's games, farm petting zoo

Where: 8831 Ruggles Ferry Road, Strawberry Plains

When: 3-9 p.m. Thursday, 3-10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday through Oct. 31; haunted night maze starts Oct. 6

Admission: Maze $10 adults, $7 ages 3-12, free under 3; hayride $2; pumpkins $3-$5

Information: http://blakedairyfarms.com/

Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch at Oakes Farm

What: Regular maze with "Farm Scene Investigation" game; haunted "Trail of Doom" maze, animal exhibits, hay maze, pedal karts, hayride, pumpkins, giant bouncing pillow, pumpkin cannon

Where: 8240 Corryton Road, Corryton

When: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday & Friday; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday in September, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday in October; 1-6 p.m. Sunday; Corn Maze open today, Sept. 30-Oct. 2; Oct. 6-9, Oct. 13-16; Oct. 20-23, Oct. 27-31; Trail of Doom open Sept. 30-Oct 1, Oct. 6-8, Oct. 13-15, Oct. 20-22, Oct. 27-29, Oct. 31; Sunset Praise Night for church groups 6-9:30 p.m. Oct. 12 or Oct. 19

Admission: $10 adults, $8 ages 3-11 includes regular maze, hayride & "back 40" activities; Trail of Doom $15 adults, $13 ages 10 & younger, $2 less Thursdays (haunted admission doesn't include hayride/ other activities); Praise Night $6 admission, $10 admission & meal, Praise Night reservations at 865-688-6200

Information: http://www.oakesfarm.com

Apple Valley Corn Maze

What: Easy, difficult maze options, adult & children's mazes, petting zoo, food, pumpkin patch, hayride, flashlight-only haunted maze

Where: 460 Lonesome Valley Road, Sevierville

When: 5-9 p.m. Monday- Thursday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday- Sunday through Oct. 14; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. daily Oct. 15-31; haunted maze starts Oct. 15

Admission: Maze $12 adults, $10 ages 12 & younger through Oct. 14; $15 adults, $12 ages 12 & younger Oct. 15-31; hayrides $3; haunted maze $13 ages 13 & up, $12 ages 6-12

Information: http://applevalleycornmaze.com

Kyker Farms Corn Maze

What: Mazes, hayrides, pumpkin patch

Where: 938 Alder Branch Road, Sevierville

When: Maze 4 p.m.-dark Thursday & Friday, 10 a.m.-dark Saturday Sept. 23-Oct. 29; haunted trail dark-10 p.m. Fridays & Saturdays Oct. 7-29

Admission: Maze $12 ages 6 & up, $5 ages 3-5; haunted trail $10 per person

Information: http://www.kykerfarmscornmaze.com

Maple Lane Farms

What: Corn maze, hayrides, haunted maze, haunted mansion

Where: 1040 Maple Lane, Greenback

When: Maze 6-10 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday until Oct. 19; maze and haunted maze open through Oct. 31 with hours dusk-10 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, noon-10 p.m. Sunday with haunted maze starting dusk-10 p.m. nightlynAdmission: Maze $10 ages 12 & older, $8 ages 6-11; free ages 5 & younger; haunted maze $12 a person, haunted mansion $12 a person; combo haunted maze & mansion $22 a person; hayrides $2.50 ages 6 & older, free ages 5 and younger; pumpkins 50 cents to $12

Information: http://www.tnmaplelanefarms.com

Deep Well Farm Corn Maze

What: Corn maze, hayrides, pumpkin patch, petting zoo

Where: 9567 Highway 11E, Lenoir City

When: 4-9 p.m. Thursday, 2-9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, noon-7 p.m. Sunday through Oct. 31

Admission: $8 for maze, $13 for maze with pumpkin patch ride & free pumpkin

Information: http://www.DeepWellFarm.com

Howard Farms Big Piney Corn Maze

What: 8-acre maze, haunted trail, haunted maze

Where: 11122 Watkins Road, Loudon

When: Maze 6-10 p.m. Thursday & Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, 1-8 p.m. Sunday through Oct. 31; half-mile haunted trail through woods starts dusk Oct. 1-31; haunted maze starts dusk Oct. 21-31; haunted maze not recommended for under age 8

Admission: Regular maze $7; haunted maze $10, haunted maze & trail $15

Information: http://thehowardfarms.com

Ballinger Farm Crazy Maze

What: Maze, hayride, pumpkin patch, haunted maze

Where: 2738 Renfro Road, Jefferson City

When: 6-11 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, 1-6 p.m. Sunday through Oct. 31; haunted maze starts mid-October

Admission: Maze $10 per person, ages 2 & younger free with paying adult

Information: http://www.ballingerfarm.com

Echo Valley Corn Maze

What: Maze, haunted trail, children's pumpkin maze, petting farm, hay loft play area

Where: 915 Bethel Church Road, Jefferson City

When: 3-10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, 1-8 p.m. Sunday through Nov. 5; haunted trail dusk-11 p.m. Friday & Saturday Oct. 14-15, Oct. 21-22, Oct. 28-29

Admission: General admission to regular mazes, playground & barn $7 ages 12 & older, $5 ages 3-11; "The Works' admission with pumpkin & hayride $12 ages 12 & older, $10 ages 3-11; Haunted Trail $15 per person

Information: http://www.echovalleycornmaze.com

For a complete list of mazes in East Tennessee and entire state see http://picktnproducts.org.

© 2011, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!

© 2011 Knoxville.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.