Check Out Von Thun Farm's Superhero Corn Maze

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — There are corn mazes — and then there are corn mazes. Every year, Von Thun Farm in South Brunswick creates a one-of-a-kind truly stunning maze. This year, they're inviting farm visitors to check out their 7+-acre Marvel Superhero comic book-themed corn maze.

Von Thun actually hires a professional "corn maze company," The Maize Company, to create their a-mazing mazes.

"They're based out of the Midwest somewhere and they literally just rent a van driving all over the country, doing everyone's mazes," said John VanLiew, one of the managers at the farm. "Last year we had a Minion maze; the year before that was a tribute to the Mets' Mike Piazza for being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. And our most popular maze ever was the one we did for Derek Jeter — his face cut into the maze. People came from all around for that one."

The Marvelous Superhero Maze includes a large spider, a hammer, a star-studded shield and a well-recognized helmet. As visitors walk through the corn maze, they will have the opportunity to answer a series of questions testing their superhero knowledge. If they get the answer correct, they will be provided with a directional hint to keep them on the right path.

Past Patch reporting: Mike Piazza-Shaped Corn Maze Opens In South Brunswick

"This company is able to do intricate designs," said VanLiew. "We're always looking for something that will be fun for kids, and superheroes seem to be pretty popular these days."

There are actually two mazes that your family is invited to explore: A smaller one for younger children and a much larger one for older kids and adults. It should take about 40 minutes to figure out how to get out of the bigger maze, VanLiew said — provided, of course, you don't get lost. When all the twists and turns are added up, it's more than three miles total inside the maze.

It's $8 per person during the week to enter the maze; on the weekends it goes up to $12.99 but that includes unlimited hayrides, apple picking and access to the pumpkin patch for pumpkin picking. Kids 36 inches and under get in for free. They will have a full fall festival on Columbus Day weekend (Oct. 6, 7 and 8) with live music, a balloon maker, a magician and a man on stilts. There will also be an inflatable moon bounce, barnyard mini golf, rubber duck races and check out Van Thun's pedal kart speedway.

Von Thun’s Country Farm Market is located at 505 Ridge Road, Dayton, NJ 08810. It's right off of Rt. 130 in Monmouth Junction and is easily accessible from the New Jersey Turnpike and Routes 1,18, 27 and 287.

VanLiew doesn't think their maze is actually the biggest in New Jersey. He thinks that title might be taken by Alstede Farms in Chester in Morris County, New Jersey. Alstede's maze is 10 acres.

How long does it take to create such a maze? The planning actually got started back in June, he explained.

"The company we hired designs it and maps it out before they get here," he said. "Then we plant the corn in early July. A couple weeks into July is when The Maize Company comes. That's when the corn is still only a couple inches high. They use herbicide and go through and put that down on all the places where they don't want the corn to grow."

“Our family has seen tremendous growth in our Fall Harvest Weekends over the last 30 years, thanks to our loyal customers,” said Bobby Von Thun, manager of Von Thun’s Country Farm Market. "We spend a great deal of time brainstorming our corn maze theme and ways to continue to expand our activity offerings to make sure no two years are the same at the farm.”

Images via VonThun Farms.