Family creates maze out of corn

Megan Perry, Corner Post staff

Oct. 17, 2002 - A maze of maize is proving to be a good investment for the owners of the "Eye of the Tiger Corn Maze" just east of Columbia. The Shryock Brothers Farms has produced an interesting value-added alternative to its regular row crop harvest.

Debbie Shryock said the idea for a corn maze has been thrown around her family for a few years and finally became a reality this year. She said she enjoys working with the maze because she gets to visit with a lot of people from all over the state.

The construction of the maze began with the planting of the 1,700-acre field. Mike Shryock then used a Global Positioning System to position flags in an MU pride Tiger design. The 700 flags marked 3.2 miles of trail that the Shryocks then mowed when the corn was approximately one foot tall.

The Shryocks estimate roughly 6,000 people have attempted their skills at the maze. With ticket prices averaging $5, this means their maze has grossed about $30,000.

The family said they plan to keep the maze open as long as the corn is in good shape. Then they will harvest the field.

While there is some concern about the compacted trails making planting difficult next year, the Shryocks said they plan on deep tilling the ground to fix the problem. They are not sure there will be another maze next year, but they are considering it.

For more information about the "Eye of the Tiger Corn Maze," visit www.callawayfarms.com.

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