By Tara Desmond
Every fall, field corn turns into entertainment and memories. This year, for one Illinois farm, it's also a tribute to a country music icon.
In the latest episode of IL Corn TV, host Lindsay Croke talks with All Seasons Orchard in Woodstock, Illinois, a 40-acre agritourism farm known for its you-pick apples and, this year, its Dolly Parton-themed corn maze. Orchard manager Annette Jenkins says visitors have already been showing up specifically to walk through the maze and honeycrisp apples remain the farm's most popular pick.
The maze itself was designed by The Maize, a company that has created more than 7,000 corn mazes over 31 years and currently works with over 300 farms across the U.S. and Canada. Marketing director Kamille Combs explains that this is the fourth year The Maize has partnered with a country music artist on a themed maze design, following collaborations with Reba, Luke Bryan, and Lainey Wilson. This year, 18 farms in the U.S. (2 in Canada) are featuring Dolly Parton mazes, each making a donation to her Imagination Library literacy program.
Combs says the goal behind these partnerships, and agritourism in general, is helping small farms diversify their income so families can hold on to the land they love. Many of the participating farms have built out the Dolly experience with photo ops, her music playing throughout the maze, readings from Imagination Library books, and an interactive trivia game that quizzes visitors on Dolly facts as they navigate the paths.
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