High-Tech Games Attract Farm Crowds

2009 - Volume #33, Issue #5, Page #08

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GPS, text messaging games, and geocaching can take your maze or other farm entertainment business to a new level. According to "Maze Master" Hugh McPherson, today's economy is prime time for farmers to expand their offerings and marketing beyond mazes and selling pumpkins or other farm crops.
  "We try out all of our crazy ideas on our own place," says McPherson, who has offered mazes and entertainment at his Pennsylvania farm for 12 years. "We are professional designers who try to come up with new ideas for attracting people to the farm. We are inventing all the time."
  Teens (and others) will enjoy a new text messaging game where they find stations, and text codes to lead to the next clues and prizes, such as a coupon for savings on something sold at the farm.
  McPherson suggests extending the season with GPS geocaching hunts over 40 or 50 acres. High school students, Scout groups and even corporations seeking team building options work together to find items that are hidden on the ground using GPS units.
  "Corporate team building can cost $50 to $100 per person. Businesses don't want to stop developing their staff," McPherson says, suggesting farmers spend time on the phone marketing and booking groups. By charging admission from $7 to $12, farms offer an affordable option to corporations and extra profit for the farm operations.
  McPherson's company Maize Quest sells a package that provides signs and marketing materials, and advises how to purchase appropriate GPS units and coordinate them with the game.
  GPS is also a huge time saver in cutting mazes, McPherson adds. His business offers a la cart and complete maze design packages.
  For people not interested in technology, the Maze Catalog offers new non-tech games and retail take-a-ways like the Happy Apple Face Trace and Funky Pumpkin worksheets that allow young children to choose stencils to create custom faces.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Maize Quest Corn Mazes, 2885 New Park Road, New Park, Penn. 17352 (ph 866 935-6738, ext. 102; hughmc@cornmaze.com; www.mazecatalog.com).

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High-Tech Games Attract Farm Crowds 33-5-8 GPS, text messaging games, and geocaching can take your maze or other farm entertainment business to a new level. According to "Maze Master" Hugh McPherson, today's economy is prime time for farmers to expand their offerings and marketing beyond mazes and selling pumpkins or other farm crops. "We try out all of our crazy ideas on our own place," says McPherson, who has offered mazes and entertainment at his Pennsylvania farm for 12 years. "We are professional designers who try to come up with new ideas for attracting people to the farm. We are inventing all the time." Teens (and others) will enjoy a new text messaging game where they find stations, and text codes to lead to the next clues and prizes, such as a coupon for savings on something sold at the farm. McPherson suggests extending the season with GPS geocaching hunts over 40 or 50 acres. High school students, Scout groups and even corporations seeking team building options work together to find items that are hidden on the ground using GPS units. "Corporate team building can cost $50 to $100 per person. Businesses don't want to stop developing their staff," McPherson says, suggesting farmers spend time on the phone marketing and booking groups. By charging admission from $7 to $12, farms offer an affordable option to corporations and extra profit for the farm operations. McPherson's company Maize Quest sells a package that provides signs and marketing materials, and advises how to purchase appropriate GPS units and coordinate them with the game. GPS is also a huge time saver in cutting mazes, McPherson adds. His business offers a la cart and complete maze design packages. For people not interested in technology, the Maze Catalog offers new non-tech games and retail take-a-ways like the Happy Apple Face Trace and Funky Pumpkin worksheets that allow young children to choose stencils to create custom faces. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Maize Quest Corn Mazes, 2885 New Park Road, New Park, Penn. 17352 (ph 866 935-6738, ext. 102; hughmc@cornmaze.com; www.mazecatalog.com).

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