Lyman Orchards sees drop in weekend attendance due to rainy weekends

At the Lyman Orchards corn maze in Middlefield, visitors can pose for a victory picture once they reach the end.

“They were having fun, and it was nice because they got to read the map and follow the map," Cecilia Malcolm said after completing the journey with her family.

Lyman Orchards has been in Middlefield since 1714. In 2000, the family started a corn maze which is open annually during the fall season.

“It’s a great feeling, certainly feel a responsibility to carry out the tradition,” Lyman Orchards owner John Lyman said.

The corn maze has a new theme every September. This year, the design pays tribute to the Wonderful Wizard of Oz novel.

“It is a very challenging maze, because the center part which gets really difficult is really the lion itself and Dorothy on the side, it’s really difficult,” Lyman said.

 If you get lost, there is always a "corn cop" around the corner who can help.

“We will make sure they find their way and don’t get too frustrated,” Lyman said.

After a wet summer, Lyman said the rain actually helped the corn field sprout up.

“Because there was plenty of adequate moisture and warmth and if you look behind you see how tall the corn is, it is one of the tallest mazes we have,” Lyman said.

The eight-generation owner estimates the field to be somewhere between 12 to 14 feet high. But now, Lyman has noticed another rainy pattern, this time during the fall and it’s hurting business.

“So, it’s really impacting our attendance at both the maze, pick your own, at the store,” Lyman said.

Lyman estimates a 10 to 15% loss in revenue due to the rain and encourages people to visit during the week.