He Creates Corn Mazes With GPS-Equipped Zero-Turn Mower
“It’s like playing a video game,” says Don Watts about cutting a cornfield maze with his modified zero-turn mower equipped with GPS. “It’s pretty challenging, because you can’t take your eyes off the screen for more than a second, but you also have to watch for things in the field.”
Still, he admits, following directions from a screen is an easier way to cut a maze. And his favorite part comes when he shows his client overhead photos taken by a drone after he finishes.
Thanks to GPS and drones, the business he and his wife, Lorraine, started in the early 90’s has changed considerably. For several years the graphic artists drew designs on inch-grid paper and then removed young corn plants after creating a grid in the field with stakes every 25 ft. and spray painting the design. Nowadays, what once took 8 hrs. to cut, takes about 1 1/2 hrs. and is accurate to within 6 in.
Operating as The Corn Maze Guy, Watts creates about 80 mazes a year - from Maine to North Carolina and from the East Coast to Indiana.
It’s a full-time job, Watts says. From January through May, the couple works with clients to create designs using computer software.
“Most of our customers have design ideas,” Watts says. “Farming, Halloween and patriotic are the most popular themes.”
They have graphics to work from but usually customize designs to feature a local football mascot or special county celebration, for example. From June to September, the couple travels pulling a trailer with the modified mower and the software they’ve created for clients.
The commercial Ferris mower has been greatly modified to cut corn that is ideally 2 to 3 ft. tall and sometimes taller. The front has been removed, the mower elevation changed and tires replaced with tractor tires. The GPS antenna rises above the canopy, which provides shade necessary to see the monitor.
“We get stuck a couple times every year, in tire ruts and muddy areas,” Watts notes. They purchased a 4-WD Kubota mower for particularly wet fields.
He suggests clients plant corn in both directions in 30 to 34-in. rows, to make it more difficult for maze-goers to see through the rows. After he cuts the design, the client needs to mow or chemically kill the cut corn, otherwise it will grow back.
“Some farmers are starting to go with the tall-growing grasses like Sudan and sorghum because they have some advantages over corn,” Watts notes. “They look very similar except they don’t have ears, they grow quickly even in adverse conditions that would hinder corn, and they need less fertilizer. The grasses can be harvested when the maze is over.”
Using a mower is different than other corn maze companies that use tractors and larger equipment. It also makes The Corn Maze Guy more affordable.
“Our price is based on the location and the size of the maze. Generally it’s about a $2,000 average,” Watts says. That’s for average size mazes from 5 to 8 acres.
Their services include cutting the design, a corn maze guide, a banner, and a corn maze game. They offer premium games, rack cards and promotional material for an extra fee.
“I think games are very important so maze-goers feel they get their money’s worth. Have a game, a tractor-pulled wagon ride, and animals. Sell pumpkins and food. Do something to keep your customer there for more than the maze,” Watts advises.
There seems to be continued growth in the corn maze business, and with hired help Watts says their company is growing and taking on more clients.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Don and Lorraine Watts, The Corn Maze Guy, 76 Lamp Post Rd., Doylestown, Penn. 18901 (ph 267 261-5700; www.thecornmazeguy.com; don@thecornmazeguy.com)
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He Creates Corn Mazes With GPS-Equipped Zero-Turn Mower FARM HOME Lawn Mowers 31h 38 “It’s like playing a video game ” says Don Watts about cutting a cornfield maze with his modified zero-turn mower equipped with GPS “It’s pretty challenging because you can’t take your eyes off the screen for more than a second but you also have to watch for things in the field ” Still he admits following directions from a screen is an easier way to cut a maze And his favorite part comes when he shows his client overhead photos taken by a drone after he finishes Thanks to GPS and drones the business he and his wife Lorraine started in the early 90’s has changed considerably For several years the graphic artists drew designs on inch-grid paper and then removed young corn plants after creating a grid in the field with stakes every 25 ft and spray painting the design Nowadays what once took 8 hrs to cut takes about 1 1/2 hrs and is accurate to within 6 in Operating as The Corn Maze Guy Watts creates about 80 mazes a year - from Maine to North Carolina and from the East Coast to Indiana It’s a full-time job Watts says From January through May the couple works with clients to create designs using computer software “Most of our customers have design ideas ” Watts says “Farming Halloween and patriotic are the most popular themes ” They have graphics to work from but usually customize designs to feature a local football mascot or special county celebration for example From June to September the couple travels pulling a trailer with the modified mower and the software they’ve created for clients The commercial Ferris mower has been greatly modified to cut corn that is ideally 2 to 3 ft tall and sometimes taller The front has been removed the mower elevation changed and tires replaced with tractor tires The GPS antenna rises above the canopy which provides shade necessary to see the monitor “We get stuck a couple times every year in tire ruts and muddy areas ” Watts notes They purchased a 4-WD Kubota mower for particularly wet fields He suggests clients plant corn in both directions in 30 to 34-in rows to make it more difficult for maze-goers to see through the rows After he cuts the design the client needs to mow or chemically kill the cut corn otherwise it will grow back “Some farmers are starting to go with the tall-growing grasses like Sudan and sorghum because they have some advantages over corn ” Watts notes “They look very similar except they don’t have ears they grow quickly even in adverse conditions that would hinder corn and they need less fertilizer The grasses can be harvested when the maze is over ” Using a mower is different than other corn maze companies that use tractors and larger equipment It also makes The Corn Maze Guy more affordable “Our price is based on the location and the size of the maze Generally it’s about a $2 000 average ” Watts says That’s for average size mazes from 5 to 8 acres Their services include cutting the design a corn maze guide a banner and a corn maze game They offer premium games rack cards and promotional material for an extra fee “I think games are very important so maze-goers feel they get their money’s worth Have a game a tractor-pulled wagon ride and animals Sell pumpkins and food Do something to keep your customer there for more than the maze ” Watts advises There seems to be continued growth in the corn maze business and with hired help Watts says their company is growing and taking on more clients Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Don and Lorraine Watts The Corn Maze Guy 76 Lamp Post Rd Doylestown Penn 18901 ph 267 261-5700; www thecornmazeguy com; don@thecornmazeguy com
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