October Turns “Maize” to “Maze”
By Lauren Poster
Thompson Nursery and Farm at 1625 Bucksville Drive in Conway, S.C. is an old-style, family operated farm which has maintained its roots while striving to meet the demands of an ever-changing future. Despite an unpredictable economy and a trend toward paring down on expenses, Thompson Nursery and Farm lends itself very much to thoughts of prosperity and solidarity, clearly showing the result of hard-wrought, muscle and sinew work.
One thing that doesn't change is that fall still comes every year, and the farm is ready to take advantage of the effervescent spunk the cool air tends to give us residents of a hot state. Accordingly, they are having a variety of seasonal events geared to just that, including an eight-acre corn maze and air cannon target shooting range, augmenting their petting zoo and other family oriented activities.
Arriving at the farm, I am greeted by a scene straight out of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood: happy children stroking muzzles accompanied by the overall feeling of health, wealth and responsible supervision. A smiling group, whom I later find out are members of the Thompson family themselves, send me over to "the man in the blue shirt." This hale fellow, at the mast of a legion of rascally younguns, is Scott Thompson, one of two brothers now operating the farm.
The children, some as young as 4, aim an air-powered mini-cannon at a series of variously distanced holes. The goal, I soon realize, is to get an ear of corn through one of these holes. The whizzing schunk of flying produce both startles and delights, even as desensitized farm animals mill about in the hopes that someone will have a misfire and send them a snack.
The children are here with a large group visiting the farm today, and Scott is keeping busy helping to load the cannon and shuttle people back and forth between here and the maze.
Noah Moran, a scrumptious 8-year-old, says of the cannon, "It was fun." High praise, but befitting of someone called Noah he seems to prefer the petting zoo, where he has his pick of sheep and goats. His favorite is a little brown goat; regrettably, however, "the big one got a hold of my pinkie!"
(It was a love bite, Noah. On another note - I am shocked by how ridiculously human the bleating of a goat sounds. It is an otherworldly sound of rude complaint, the joshing kind you hear in the rec room of a nursing home when someone loses a hand of poker.)
Scott Thompson, a sparkling Peter Pan type with quick blue eyes and Clintonesque hair, is very generous with his time, volunteering a tour and history of the farm along with info about all the events offered. A self-proclaimed fourth-generation curator of the farm, he says the business has been in his family since the mid 1800's.
In recent years, his entrepreneurial spirit has helped to keep them developing. They have added a greenhouse to increase production, but Scott jokes that the most hefty investment they have made recently - in an effort to keep with code - is a pristine, $20,000 restroom facility.
He notes that several of the animals on the farm are on loan from Rock Smith Farms. Thompson feeds and maintains them through the summer, and then they begin work as the nativity scenery at the Dixie Stampede throughout their winter program. The farm's 36-year-old mule Catherine may be recognized as the former companion of Colombian Coffee's Juan Valdez.
Turning my attention to the corn maze (I've always wondered, shouldn't we spell it corn maize?) I ask how the freaky labyrinth was designed. Thompson proudly shows me an aerial shot, happy to report that it was designed by the country's largest provider, the MaiZE (So I was right!!!). How was he able to get them out here? "Cold hard cash, plain and simple," he laughs. As embedded in the actual design of the maze, its construction was sponsored by area TV 15. MAiZE creations are viewable at cornfieldmaze.com. I was shocked to learn that this idea, though it seems very rootsy, a la Children of the Corn, has only existed in this form since the mid 1990's.
The maze will be "haunted" by Carolina Forest drama students high off their appearance in Cats the Thursday through Sunday one week before Halloween, and Thursday and Friday before the actual date. October 31st is reserved for Scott, his wife, and their young children to celebrate, sort of like how Chick-fil-A closes on Sundays: a bummer, but respectable nonetheless.
The maze is open until dark during operating hours. I am assured that no one is authorized to push through the silky husks and grab me, and so I hesitantly agree to go in, the light fading to a yellowish haze. It is sometimes difficult to remember that I live in the shadowy bosom of the South, residing in Myrtle Beach amid neon and constant traffic. But the air is still and gauzy, the sound of my footsteps dulled by the thick wall of living boundaries blocking me in. It is disquietingly silent inside the maze despite all the ears around, and as my companion takes off running, I suddenly feel like the cameraman in a '70s-era horror film.
I have always believed psychotics hang out in places like this, messing with your sense of security. Unless you want to dive into the clutching unknown of face-high corn, you can't get out unless you follow the path. And once the fear takes hold, it's hard not to retreat. Stick with your church group, people.
Admission prices vary from $15 to $9, depending on what level of involvement you would like to have with the farm and its inhabitants. You can choose to visit the maze alone, or to take an interactive tour of the more than 200-acre farm. I recommend going for broke and getting funky with the potbellied pigs, rabbit, turkeys and all other manner of fowl. You may even luck into a sighting of Zeus, the rescued German Shepherd posing as a faithful hound dog, who spends most of his day sleeping in a mound of hay.
Thompson Nursery and Farm also offers several you-pick events throughout the growing seasons, as well as educational tours and parties available on reservation. Visit thompsonfarmandnursery.com for more information, or call them at 843-236-1400.
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