Community enjoying Sykes and Cooper Farms Corn Maze

By Colby Eaton | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Many Flagler students and St. Augustine families have been enjoying the Sykes and Cooper Farm corn maze this October.

The maze has a total of 9 acres, including two phases. Phase 1, the one I chose, is shorter, but very challenging. Participants said phase 2 is longer, but it must be easier, seeing as how I was lost for over an hour in the other phase.

Sykes and Cooper Farms is located in Elkton, 10 miles west of town on State Road 207. The maze is open through October, Fridays 5 to 10 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sundays 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is $8.

The maze is not the only attraction at Sykes and Cooper Farms, there are a lot of other fall festivities, such as hayrides, farm animal petting, a playground, a tube slide and a corn box. Sykes and Cooper Farms also sell pumpkins, sunflowers and fresh produce.

“It was our first visit, but we will definitely come again,” said Jennifer Edwards, triumphant corn maze finisher. She and her daughter were also lost in the corn maze for about two hours.

A group of young children said they went in circles most of the time. Once out, they were still waiting for their mother to find her way out so they could go on the hayride and participate in other activities.

There were not just families running around, but also many Flagler students. Taylor Koerner, a sophomore, was there with Phil Alpha Omega enjoying the corn maze.

“The whole time was so much fun. Corn mazes are never boring and getting lost is the best part,” Koerner said. “It definitely felt like fall all around me.”

Kara Duffy, a junior at Flagler, enjoyed herself at the corn maze as well. “The corn maze was fun and challenging at the beginning, and then I got lost. It was quite interesting finding our way out.”

The Sykes and Cooper Farms was the winner of “The MAiZE” 2010 Outstanding New Maze Award.