By Cole Baerlocher
Cooler weather brings more than a change in wardrobe, it also brings new adventures. This fall, the Texas A&M Agronomy Society is yet again bringing its iconic, annual Fightin’ Texas Aggie Corn Maze to the Bryan-College Station community.
“The Fightin’ Texas Aggie Corn Maze offers the ultimate fall adventure by bringing the on- and off-campus community together on the Texas A&M campus for a fun-filled weekend, all while emphasizing the importance of agriculture,” said Ayden Castillo, the public relations officer for the Texas A&M Agronomy Society.
The maze, located at 2605 F&B Road in College Station, will open to the public on Oct. 19 and be open through Nov. 2.
Castillo discussed three key reasons to attend this year’s corn maze.
Reason One: Months-long corn maze process results in weekends of fun
Corn is an edible grain that takes roughly two to three months to be harvest-ready. However, until harvest, the foliage provided by corn stalks creates the perfect opportunity to build a maze.
“It is a long and meticulous process to build the corn maze, but the rewards are worth it,” said Castillo. “Our corn maze officers aim to plant the corn in late June or early July, and they have been cultivating the maze ever since.”
Members of the Agronomy Society monitored the crop, maintained the irrigation equipment and managed weeds. Once the corn reached the desired height, members cleared the maze paths by hand.
“Our members map out the maze paths, then clear paths, removing any debris, to ensure safety before we open to the public,” said Castillo.
Reason Two: An a-maize-ing way to connect with your community
For the Texas A&M Agronomy Society, the corn maze serves as an opportunity to engage with their community in an exciting way.
“This year’s maze is dedicated to former student and Agronomy Society member Jonathan Stanush ’18 who passed away earlier this year,” said Castillo. “He played a large role in helping with our corn maze while attending Texas A&M. We are honored to share and honor his memory in this way.”
Similarly, the corn maze offers a wonderful opportunity for community members to connect with each other as well. Visitors can expect various activities and photo opportunities at this year’s corn maze. From hay bales decorated for photo ops to agronomy students sharing insights on corn production, you can expect a variety of family-friendly activities.
Reason three: Reconnecting people with agriculture
Through the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Corn Maze, the Texas A&M Agronomy Society strives to emphasize the importance of local agriculture to the Bryan-College Station community by educating attendees about what it takes to grow food.
“It’s easy to forget the effort that goes into growing the food we eat, and through events like this, we strive to reconnect people with the agriculture industry — the backbone of our nation,” said Castillo.
Information on the 2024 Fightin’ Texas Aggie Corn Maze
The maze will be open to the public on Oct. 19, Oct. 20, Oct. 27 and Nov. 2 from 1-7 p.m., Oct. 31 from 7-10 p.m. and Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 from 4-7 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased online and are $7 for ages 5 and up, tx.ag/Ages5AndUp, and $4 for children under 5, tx.ag/UnderAge5. There is also a liability waiver available on the ticket page that must be filled out prior to visiting the maze.
Source : tamu.edu