Post #549000 by woofmutt on Tue, Aug 17, 2010 8:00 AM

New Park, PA (PRWEB) August 16, 2010

*“Island Adventure” at the 14th Annual Maize Quest's Corn Maze Adventure at Maple Lawn Farms

More than a "walk in the stalks", Maize Quest's corn maze educates and entertains with 24 learning stations hidden in the 'living' pathways. Corn maze guests explore the 9-acre puzzle shaped like a Wiki-Tiki shaman. The Maize quest Fun Park features 25 attractions including the world's first and largest Bamboo Maze.

“Aloha!” This year’s annual corn maze takes guests to the South Pacific to learn about Polynesia.

"Talk about using your imagination," says Hugh McPherson, Maize Quest’s Maze Master. "Enter through the thatched archway and you’re transported to the islands. It’s one giant Luau!”

McPherson’s young children, ages 6 and 8, thought of the “Island” theme during a “Daddy Playday” at the Maize Quest Fun Barn over the winter. Their idea became a 9 acre field of towering cornstalks carved into the shape of a giant Wiki-Tiki Man, dancing natives, palm tree and erupting volcano.

After a zany introduction video, guests enter the maze with a gamesheet on which they answer questions, collect pictures, decode maps and unscramble secret words all relating to facts about life in Polynesia. They find the answers at game stations hidden along the paths.

"The miles of convoluted twists and turns encourage teamwork," says “Designer Dave” Phillips, Maize Quest’s maze artist. "This corn maze puzzle is bigger than any one person. You have to work together to escape.”

After Designer Dave produces the corn maze picture, Maize Quest’s team uses sophisticated GPS to cut the trails through the field of growing cornstalks, then the crew retraces every path to clean the trails by hand making the design really ‘pop’ when viewed from the sky.

The Maize Quest Fun Park, as the “Largest Collection of People-Sized Mazes in the World”, provides 25 attractions most included with admission. Guests have access to each attraction including the living bamboo maze, the stone labyrinth, an 80-foot-long tube slide, pedal karts, and, in October, ride the Pumpkin Express Wagon to the 10-acre pumpkin patch for picking.

"Tahiti, Bora Bora, Captain James Cook; I learned a lot from the games! It’s fun and educational," says Michelle Posey, Maize Quest’s Group Tour Director. "We did our research and connected our information to the Pennsylvania and Maryland academic standards, so school field trips are grounded in solid education.”

Educational groups may a number of specialized programs at Maize Quest. Preschool fruit and pumpkin tours focus on kids identifying farm products and picking apples. Elementary through middle school groups focus on communication, writing, and listening skills as they challenge the corn maze, older students may choose a giant scavenger hunt led by global positioning (GPS) units called geocaching. Each tour is customized to suit the teacher’s requirements.

Maple Lawn Farms, the home of Maize Quest’s Corn Maze, is pick-your-own paradise for local food lovers. Peach and apple picking season is here with a dozen varieties of tree fruits. The farm’s market offers pre-picked fruit, local produce and a weekend bakery that features apple dumplings and cider doughnuts.

“This is the right time for local food and local fun,“ says Paul McPherson. “People are staying closer to home, spending time with their families and the farm and corn maze are an affordable day of fun.”

http://www.maplelawnfarms.com.