Cool Patch Pumpkins in Dixon offers 40-acre maze and other Halloween fun
This corn maze outside Dixon has been certified as the world’s largest. Courtesy Cool Patch Pumpkins
It’s the Cool Patch Pumpkins’ corn maze, certified twice by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest on the planet. And there’s only a few more days left to wander its miles of amazing paths.
Open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily through Oct. 31, the maze is a major attraction with people from around the nation – and the globe – trekking to Dixon to explore its living puzzle.
In addition to the maze, there’s plenty for kids of all ages to get into the Halloween spirit. More than 150,000 pounds of dried corn fills a “corn bath” for little kids to dive into. Food is offered for sale on weekend nights. Of course, visitors will find thousands of pumpkins in all shapes and sizes or they can choose their own future jack-o’-lantern in the you-pick pumpkin patch.
But the maze is the really big draw. Visitors take on average about 45 minutes to navigate its course, including five raised bridges or lookouts that allow people a chance to get their bearings.
“Every year, the maze is completely unique,” posted its owners, the Cooley family, who opened their first growing roadside attraction in 2001. “This year, our corn maze is dedicated to celebrating American Farmers and the incredible agricultural industry that keeps our nation thriving.
“Farming has never been an easy job – it takes long days, hard work, and a deep sense of pride to care for the land and provide for others,” they added. “Most people don’t choose this career for any conveniences; they choose it because they love it, and because they understand how important it is for every family in every community. We all owe a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to the men and women who rise with the sun, face the elements, and put food on our tables.
“Back in 1790, nearly 90% of Americans worked in agriculture,” the Cooleys noted. “Today, that number has dropped to just 2%. But whether your grandparents farmed, your great-great-grandparents, or even further back, farming is part of your family story. No matter where you come from, you have agriculture in your history. It’s in your roots, it’s in your blood, and it connects us all. So as you explore the twists and turns of this year’s maze, take a moment to remember the farmers – past and present – who have helped shape our country.”
Maze admission is $22; anyone under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Note: The maze is closed during rain.
Cool Patch Pumpkins is located at 6150 Dixon Avenue West, Dixon.
Details and directions: https://www.coolpatchpumpkins.com/
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Flowers in My Back Yard Series
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April 14: Small flowers with outsized impact
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April 3: Make Easter lilies last for years to come
March 31: In praise of a pollinator magnet (small-leaf salvias)
March 24: Azaleas brighten shady spots
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March 10: Keep camellias happy for years to come
March 3: Fruit tree blossoms are a fleeting joy
Feb. 27: Are your roses looking rusty?
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Garden checklist for week of May 10
Take it easy during that high heat – then get to work! Your garden is calling.
* Remember to irrigate your tender transplants. Seedlings need consistent moisture. Deep watering will help build strong roots and healthy plants. Water early in the morning for best results.
* Plant, plant, plant! It’s prime planting season in the Sacramento area. Time to set out those tomato transplants along with peppers and eggplants. Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.
* Direct-seed melons, cucumbers, summer squash, corn, radishes, pumpkins and annual herbs such as basil.
* Harvest cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.
* In the flower garden, direct-seed sunflowers, cosmos, salvia, zinnias, marigolds, celosia and asters. (You also can transplant seedlings for many of the same flowers.)
* Plant dahlia tubers. Other perennials to set out include verbena, coreopsis, coneflower and astilbe.
* Transplant petunias, marigolds and perennial flowers such as astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia and verbena.
* Keep an eye out for slugs, snails, earwigs and aphids that want to dine on tender new growth.
* Feed summer bloomers with a balanced fertilizer.
* For continued bloom, cut off spent flowers on roses as well as other flowering plants.
* Put your veggie garden on a regular diet. Set up a monthly feeding program, and keep track on your calendar. Make sure to water your garden before applying any fertilizer to prevent “burning” your plants.
* As spring-flowering shrubs finish blooming, give them a little pruning to shape them, removing old and dead wood. Lightly trim azaleas, fuchsias and marguerites for bushier plants.
* Don’t forget to weed! Those invaders are growing fast.
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Food in My Back Yard (FIMBY) Series
Lessons learned during a year of edible gardening
WINTER
Is edible gardening possible indoors?
Hints for choosing tomato seeds
Why winter is the perfect time to plant fruit trees
When to plant? Consider staggering your transplants
How to squeeze more food into less space
Plant a fruit tree now -- for later
Win the weed war by tackling them in winter
Tips for planting bare-root trees, shrubs and vegetables
Time to give vegetable seedlings some more space
Ways to win the fight against weeds
FALL
Dec. 16: Add asparagus to your edible garden
Dec. 9: Soggy soil and what to do about it
Dec. 2: Plant artichokes now; enjoy for years to come
Nov. 25: It's late November, and your peach tree needs spraying
Nov. 18: What to do with all those fallen leaves?
Nov. 11: Prepare now for colder weather in the edible garden
Nov. 4: Plant a pea patch for you and your garden
Oct. 27: As citrus season begins, advice for backyard growers
Oct. 20: Change is in the autumn air
Oct. 13: We don't talk (enough) about beets
Oct. 6: Fava beans do double duty
Sept. 30: Seeds or transplants for cool-season veggies?
Sept. 23: How to prolong the fall tomato harvest
SUMMER
Sept. 16: Time to shut it down?
Sept. 9: How to get the most out of your pumpkin patch
Sept. 2: Summer-to-fall transition time for evaluation, planning
Aug. 26: To pick or not to pick those tomatoes?
Aug. 19: Put worms to work for you
Aug. 12: Grow food while saving water
Aug. 5: Enhance your food with edible flowers
July 29: Why won't my tomatoes turn red?
July 22: A squash plant has mosaic virus, and it's not pretty
July 15: Does this plant need water?
July 8: Tear out that sad plant or baby it? Midsummer decisions
July 1: How to grow summer salad greens
June 24: Weird stuff that's perfectly normal
SPRING
June 17: Help pollinators help your garden
June 10: Battling early-season tomato pests
June 3: Make your own compost
May 27: Where are the bees when you need them?
May 20: How to help tomatoes thrive on hot days
May 13: Your plants can tell you more than any calendar can
May 6: Maintain soil moisture with mulch for garden success
April 29: What's (already) wrong with my tomato plants?
April 22: Should you stock up on fertilizer? (Yes!)
April 15: Grow culinary herbs in containers
April 8: When to plant summer vegetables
April 1: Don't be fooled by these garden myths
March 25: Fertilizer tips: How to 'feed' your vegetables for healthy growth
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