Two hundred years of history deserved something big to celebrate.
As owners of Whiteland’s Kelsay Farms were plotting and planning their annual corn maze, they wanted the design to recognize the Johnson County bicentennial in some way.
What better way than to turn the bicentennial logo into a living labyrinth?
The celebratory corn maze is just part of the fall fun happening at Kelsay Farms, one of the best-known agritourism sites around the county. Starting on Sept. 29 at the farm, visitors can relax on a hayride, climb on the straw bale mountain, meet farm animals, swim through the corn crib play area and ride the Moo Choo Express.
A new digital scavenger hunt adds a fun wrinkle to the existing corn maze, while people can enjoy milkshakes, grilled cheese and apple slushies on the farm grounds.
“I love the fall season. I love fall festivals, and still really enjoy being able to do this. It’s a privelege to do this each fall,” said Amy Kelsay, whose family owns Kelsay Farms. “It’s quite humbling that we continue to have visitors year after year. And we have new faces coming all the time — they’re not just repeat customers.”
This is the 17th year Kelsay Farms has opened up to the community for the fall, a tradition that started as a way to share their agricultural heritage with the public. Six generations of the Kelsay family have farmed the land, growing row crops and vegetables. Until recently, they had a working dairy.
Weekends in the fall are packed as families come out to pick out pumpkins, take hay rides and enjoy attractions. Thousands of students across Johnson County come out for field trips, where they learn where the food their parents buy at the grocery store actually comes from.
“It really comes down to the ag education. We’re a sixth-generation farm family, and we feel like it’s our responsibility to educate what we do on the farm,” Kelsay said. “While that used to be primarily be dairy, that’s changed now, but we still have the opportunity to educate.”
Of all the activities, the seven-acre corn maze is always the centerpiece of the fall festivities. This year, the farm partnered with Festival Country Indiana, the county tourism organization, to create the bicentennial-themed maze.
“It was fun for us to create the maze this year and think about Johnson County courthouse, and how we were going to recreate that in a corn maze,” Kelsay said. “And it’s one of the more challenging corn mazes we’ve ever done.”
Within the corn stalks, the Kelsays have expanded and beefed up the traditional corn maze scavenger hunt. Visitors can try to find answers to agriculture-related questions posted throughout the maze.
To go along with the bicentennial theme, many of the questions focus on Johnson County history.
“We’re using a brand new program — we’re the only corn maze in Indiana rolling this out. It’s a really fun type of scavenger hunt where you use your phone to scan QR codes through the maze. And it will time you, so we’ll have a leaderboard going throughout the fall,” Kelsay said. “And there’s a GPS feature with it, so for the first time in our history, you can see where you’re at in the maze.”
The Kelsays are also bringing back one of the favorite activities: on Oct. 28, people will be able to trick or treat in the maze.
“That’s grown to be one of our most highly attended events. It’s still daylight, it’s not haunted or scary, it’s family friendly and we give out a ton of candy and prizes,” Kelsay said.
But the corn maze and the surrounding activities are only part of the fun featured this year at the farm. Kids can play on the bale mountain or in the corn crib play area. Leap for the sky on the jump pad or play a game of human moosball-foosball. Pick out pumpkins and, of course, ride the Moo Choo Express.
Visitors can also meet some of Kelsay Farm’s livestock residents, including cows, pigs, sheep, goats and more.
“It’s an honor they choose our farm to go to in the fall,” Kelsay said. “It’s so motivating to be able to get to do something every day that you love.”
IF YOU GO
Experience the farm
What: An opportunity for local residents to take part in agriculture-related activities at Kelsay Farms throughout the fall. Activities include a seven-acre corn maze, scavenger hunt, Moo Choo Express, milkshakes and grilled cheese and more.
Where: 6848 N. CR 250E, Whiteland
When: 6 to 9 p.m. Fridays, noon to 9 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays Sept. 29 through Oct. 29. Special weekday hours from noon to 6 p.m. will be held the weeks of Oct. 9 and 16.
Trick or treat in the maze: 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 28; wear your favorite costume and receive $1 off admission.
Cost: Admission $12, kids 1 and under free; admission includes all activities on the farm.
Information: kelsayfarms.com
