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The Maize Maze is BACK!! MAIZE MAZE 2008, Made
in the Shade, begins Saturday August 30th and runs through Sunday,
November 9th!
Design: This year's corn field design features a giant cottonwood tree with an owl in the shade and sunflowers growing beneath the tree. The maze is cut into a different pattern each year and the crop of Mexican June corn is rotated throughout the many fields of the Los Poblanos Fields Open Space in order to preserve the richness of the soil. Within the maze, there are checkpoints that will assist visitors to find their way through the maze. Signs with riddles are posted inside the maze to help visitors in their navigation. Dates & Hours of Operation: The Maize Maze begins on August 30th and runs through November 9th. The Maze is open to the public on Friday evenings from 6:00-9:00 PM, Saturdays from 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM, and Sundays from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM. The maze has been extended through November 9th. The hours open to the public are 12:00 noon to dark on Saturday, the 8th and Sunday, the 9th. The maze is open by reservation for weekday visits for school groups, clubs, scout groups, family reunions, birthdays, company outings, and team-building activities. To schedule a weekday visit please call 345-4580. Admission Prices: Adults $8.00, Seniors $6.00, Children 4-12 $4.00, Children under 4 free. Discount Days to be announced on www.riograndefarm.org. Activities: This year the Maize Maze will feature several weekend special events. *On September 6 at 11:30 AM we will have a Grand Opening featuring presenters, speakers, and a Ribbon Cutting. Community leaders and other dignitaries will assist in the ceremony. This will be a major media day with opportunities for photographs and feature articles. There will be a balloon tether 8:00-9:00 AM and later depending on the weather. *On September 12 at 6:00 - 8:00 PM there will be a Balloon Glow. *On September 27 RGCF will host Farm and Wildlife Day, a special event featuring animals, organic farming information, sustainability groups, community booths, wildlife groups, produce vendors, and other vendors. The event will be from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM and is free with admission to the 2008 Maize Maze. *On October 18 we will host Arts Day featuring local artists and crafts people. They will have many different types of work for display and sale. The event will be from 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM and is free with admission to the 2008 Maize Maze. *There will be Moonlight Mazes on the evenings of September 12 & 13 and October 10 & 11. The maze hours will be extended until 10:00 pm on those evenings. *The Annual Haunted Maze will take place on October 31 and November 1. It will feature a spooky maze and haunters to delight and frighten our visitors. The maze hours will be extended until 10:00 pm on those evenings. *Discount Days: Saturday, September 13 and October 11th from 1:00 - 4:00 PM adults will be $5 and children ages 4-12 will be $2. If you come with a previous year's t-shirt on you will get $1 off on any day. Additional event attractions include a hay bale labyrinth, night sky telescopes, hay bale shuttle, farm products (hay bales, corn shocks, & sunflower seed heads), and hot air balloons. Please visit www.riograndefarm.org or call 505-345-4580 for more information on telescopes, hot air balloons, and for weekday group reservations. Goals: The major goal of the 2008 Maize Maze is to raise money for the programs at the farm. Service learning programs bring over 1,000 visitors to RGCF each year. School, social, church, and corporate groups gain an educational experience and contribute service to the community. There are activities for all age groups. Many children have never been on a farm. The farm's community gardens, wildlife habitat, and certified organic croplands provide educational experiences, community service project opportunities, recreation and entertainment to a broad segment of our population while honoring our history and protecting the environment. The maze also provides food for the migrating birds, Sandhill Cranes and Canada Geese, that live at the farm during the winter. Sponsors: The sponsors for the maze include: Perfection Honda, Albuquerque Tents, Whole Foods Market, Law Offices of David C. Serna, NCA Architects, Bow Wow Blues, High Desert Construction, Inc, Johndhi's BBQ, Soilutions, Inc, La Montanita Coop Information Contacts: For more information please contact Event Coordinator Abby Feldman at 505-999-1258 or AbbyFeld@gmail.com. To schedule a group or for general information please contact the Rio Grande Community Farm Office Manager, Marcia Walton, at 505-345-4580 or riograndecommunityfarm@earthlink.net. Attendance Facts: Last year the Maize Maze attracted over 6,000 visitors.
The Maize Maze at Los Poblanos Fields Open Space in Albuquerque, NM covers approximately 12 acres. This year's design was created by Shawn Stolworthy of MazePlay out of Idaho, United States. There are informational signs throughout the maze trails to learn about cottonwood trees. The maze is a puzzle designed with elements of deception. This
type of design requires decision making and each move depends on
the previous one. Solving the maze is a great interactive family
or group activity, yet each individual must walk their own path,
and choose their own way. There are 10 information stations within
the maze. The journey takes about 1 hour. Free parking is available at the gravel parking lot west of the entrance to the Community Farm on Tierra Viva on the north side of Montano Road, 1.1 miles west of Fourth Street. A ten-minute stroll from the parking lot along the dirt road, brings maze-walkers to the entrance of the maze. We advise wearing sturdy shoes, hats and bringing water. A flash light on Friday and Saturday evenings would be useful. WHO ARE WE? The Annual MAIZE MAZE is put on by Rio Grande Community Farm, a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization formed in 1997. RGCF manages 55 acres of the Los Poblanos Fields Open Space to demonstrate sustainable urban agriculture and provide urban wildlife habitat. Income from the Corn Maze generates support for several other projects at Los Poblanos Fields including: a Community Garden, service-learning and volunteer opportunites, and supporting the planting and cultivation of crops and hedgerows for migratory birds and wildlife habitat. Los Poblanos Fields Open Space is 138 acres of historic farmland located in Albuquerque's North Valley. The farmland was purchased with the support of the taxpayers of the City of Albuquerque and the volunteer hours of many hard working citizens. It was an important achievement to secure the property as a working urban farm. Encouraging the practice of organic and sustainable agricultural methods in our cities promotes conservation, and supports many important cultural and environmental objectives including: protecting wildlife habitat, increasing biological diversity, maintaining cultural identity and tradition, development of new economic opportunities for farmers and gardeners, and supporting community vitality. BE A-MAZED! FOR MORE INFORMATION To book school and group field trips call 505.345.4580. |