Am I the only grown-up who finds a corn field maze irresistible?
Maybe it’s the fresh weather of fall. Maybe it’s the idea of wandering left and right through a big field. Maybe it’s a chance to act like a kid for awhile.
Lots of Gulf Coast families head east to the 6-acre maze at Dakin Dairy Farms in Myakka City. I think it’s worth the trip, plus a $10 admission fee. What have you got to lose?
Besides yourself, I mean.
My wife and I had to go by ourselves, because our daughters are long gone, but Naomi’s a good sport.
She believed me when I said I knew the way, even when I didn’t. She didn’t punch me when I hid behind some corn and pretended we got separated. She even wore the goofy 3-D glasses that went with a map of the maze.
My favorite part of our trip was about 20 minutes in, after giggling through wrong turn after wrong turn, when we found ourselves back where we started.
Ice cream reward
The Dakin website has a drone video that offers a neat preview of the maze.
The field isn’t as lush as those ridiculous crops you see in Iowa, but the corn stands 7 feet tall. It’s pretty and effective — pretty effective.
Just when you think the maze is too easy, you reach a dead end. Just when you think it’s too hard, you find yourself moving toward the finish.
Most people complete the maze in a half-hour or an hour.
The whole thing is relaxing and fun, but I can see how folks might get a little freaked out. There’s always this moment, this tiny feeling of panic, when you realize that you are, in fact, lost.
That’s the best part.
Humble pie served with a frisson of fear. You have to swallow your pride and turn back. You have to reach a familiar point and start over.
After completing the maze, you get a free ice cream back at the Dakin Farms store. We traded up to a strawberry milkshake made with real cream. That hit the spot.
I’m already looking forward to next year, when our girls might visit and we can try the maze in a different way. Wandering through the dark on Flashlight Night sounds like fun.
Interested?
The Dakin Dairy Farms corn field maze is at 30771 Betts Road, Myakka City. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday. $10. dakindairyfarms.com. 322-2802.
