Ears to You, Godfrey

Corn is big business in our part of the world, but how many of us have any concrete interaction with it -- as a crop, not on a plate -- in our daily lives? Unless you're a player in the agriculture or fresh-produce game, the answer would be "very few." We see the stuff growing every spring and summer and it's an inescapable facet of any Midwesterner's motoring life -- ubiquitous fields of corn outside the car windows, the stalks and tassels blurred by the speed of the passing vehicles we're in. The Great Godfrey Maze (1401 Stamper Lane, Godfrey, Illinois; 618-466-1483 or www.greatgodfreymaze.com) gets you out of the car and right in the thick of the plant that's such a large part of our economy and terrain. The maze comprises two trails cut into seven acres of corn in Godfrey's Glazebrook Park, with a different theme every year. That's a heck of a lot of pruning and shearing, but you can enjoy all this hard field work for only $4 to $6 per person beginning with the grand opening event from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, September 2. In addition to the maze, you can also ride the cow train, whiz along the zip line or try your aim with Godfrey's corn cannon; additional fees apply for these activities, and a combo ticket good for one of each costs $9 to $11. The Great Godfrey Maze remains open Friday through Sunday through Sunday, October 30.
Fridays-Sundays. Starts: Sept. 2. Continues through Oct. 30, 2011