Staff Writer
LIMESTONE — Edgecomb Farms marked the start of a new way to get lost in the season with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Crop Circle Corn Maze off of the Van Buren Road in Limestone on Sept. 8. The maze is currently open from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays until Oct. 31.
The ribbon cutting for Edgecomb Farm’s Crop Circle Corn Maze drew quite a crowd, including, from left, Michelle Albert, Rep. Troy Jackson, Limestone Selectperson Walt Elliott, creators Brian, Chris, and Rob Edgecomb, Rep. Bernard Ayotte, Limestone Town Manager Donna Bernier, Jane Griffeth and Donna Sturzl. The maze is located off the Van Buren road in Limestone and takes about an hour to complete.
The corn maze is one of three projects started at the Edgecomb Farm by brothers Brian, Chris and Rob Edgecomb this year.
Growing potatoes is still the main focus of the farm, where the brothers work with their father Robert and their uncle Fred. After last year’s rain impeded crop yields, the three brothers decided that it was time to diversify.
“We just decided that ’09 was the time,” said Chris, who has been primarily responsible for overseeing the Crop circle Corn Maze, which the brothers agreed is the most fun out of the projects they’ve worked on. Between 40 to 50 people traversed the maze, playing the three games available to heighten the experience of maze-wanderers. “The maze, for us, was just sort of a fun way to connect with the public,” Chris said. “After it was planted, [the maze] took me a couple of hours for about three nights to make.”
The maze is cut in the shape of a bull’s eye.
The two other projects decided on by the three brother included a new vegetable cart overseen by Brian, and hay production, where brother Rob plans on expanding to include various grain options.
“We sort of had all our eggs in one basket growing mostly [potatoes] for McCain’s, and it wasn’t a very great potato crop last year,” Brian explained. “In order to stay viable, we needed to spread out a bit and diversify in other areas so that if one thing is bad one year, you’ll have other things that will help you keep you income.”
The Edgecomb brothers plan on continuing all three projects, which have found a bit of interconnectedness during the past few months; now that harvest has arrived. Brian is planning on stationing the vegetable cart that he’s been selling product from outside the corn maze. Until now, he’s primarily sold produce in downtown Limestone.
The vegetable cart, like Rob’s hay project, has been a successful venture thus far.
“Every week there seem to be new people coming and there seems to be quite a bit of interest in the vegetable cart,” Brian said. From the cart, he’s been selling produce such as beet greens, Swiss chard, string beans, peas, cucumbers, pumpkins, carrots, squash and onions, to name a few. While most of those vegetables are seasonal, he’s always selling red and white potatoes.
“While the three projects were the brainchild of the brothers, their parents Diane and Robert and their uncle Fred were helpful when it came to seeing each project to fruition.
Admission to the Crop Circle Corn Maze is $5 a person, but Edgecomb Farms offers both a family discount for families of five and over as well as a large group discount.
The maze can also be open during the week for large groups by appointment.
Further information about the maze or arranging for the maze to be open during the week can be obtained by calling Diane at 325-4656 or Chris at 540-2266.
