The Big Corn Maze to donate 50% of profits to local food banks

MECHANIC FALLS — Peter Bolduc, owner of Harvest Hill Farms and The Big Corn Maze Adventure on Route 26 in Mechanic Falls is pledging 50 percent of its profits this Fall to local food banks.

This is the fifth year that the Farm has featured the corn maze adventure. The theme this year hits close to home, as the theme is “Farms For Food.” The 10-acre cornfield features an intricate labyrinth of passages in the shape of the Farm’s barn, huge silo and, of course, pumpkins.

Players first watch an introductory video in “Cob Theater” located inside a huge man-made ear of corn. Here players get their “ Farm Scene Investigation” clue book. The object of the adventure is to find out who kidnapped “Farmer Joe.” As players work their way through the maze, they come upon numerous “Clue Stations” containing information they can use to solve the fictitious kidnapping of Farmer Joe.

The adventure appeals to tweens, teens and adults. The Maze also appeals to groups, organizations and businesses, as it is a great “Outing Adventure.” The groups break into teams of three to five members and challenge each other to visit all the clue stations and be the first to solve the mystery of who kidnapped Farmer Joe.

The Farm also offers Fall Harvest Educational school and group tours weekdays from October 3 through October 29 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For reservations, go to their website, www.harvesthillfarms.com.

The Maze is one of three Fall Agritainment venues at the Farm. The second venue, Pumpkin Land, appeals to the young and the young at heart featuring games, activities, bounce houses, hayrides and much more. Each child’s admission to pumpkin land also includes a fresh pumpkin from the “Pumpkin Patch.”

This year is the third year for The Gauntlet Haunted Night Ride. The haunted hayride winds its way slowly through the woods in the pitch black of the night. Once the hay wagon enters through the gates of the Gauntlet, there’s no turning back! VIP tickets to the Gauntlet and Night Maze can be purchased on-line. A new addition to the Gauntlet for 2012 is the Haunted Night Maze. As riders depart from the night ride, they have to make their way through the Haunted Night Maze, filled with things that go “bump” in the night.

Military 50 percent discounts are offered to all active duty military personnel and their immediate family.

All three venues are open weekends through October 28.

For more information go to the Farm’s website, www.harvesthillfarms.com.