Wynn Farms’ delivers ‘wynn-ing’ family-friendly experience

Some farms just seem to have it all.

With a challenging corn maze, pick-your-own apples, in-house apple cider, make-your-own flower bouquets, and specialty caramel apples, Wynn Farms — just a 20 minute drive west of Amherstview — is a ‘wynn-er.’

James and Sarah Wynn started farming 10 years ago, taking over some land from James’ family farm.

“It’s been in the family for a long time,” said Sarah, who grew up in Peterborough and moved to Kingston to pursue nursing. “I absolutely just fell in love [with farming]. Farming is more my thing.”

James is an engineer by trade, and Sarah still works as a nurse.

“We have two full-time jobs. Jim is an engineer by day, a farmer at night and weekends. I spend the majority of my time doing farming.”

An elephant on a tractor

This year’s corn maze is more challenging, admitted Sarah. “I start in January designing the maze. This one, I won’t lie, it’s more challenging. If people did it in 45 minutes last year, this year’s maze might take a little more than an hour.”

Asked what inspired her to design the maze—shaped like an elephant on a tractor, and with 10 stations representing food, animals and other facts about Africa, Asia and South America—Sarah said that “it’s about travelling.”

“I know we can’t travel right now. In the maze, it makes it almost as though you’re travelling. With COVID, we wanted to bring that ability to travel even though we can’t do so,” she added.

A tri-fold brochure is handed out to participants showing a map of the maze, along with a pencil and a crayon (to be used for “rubbing” the medallions found at each station).

Little bits of information about animals, weather and food in each continent—cocoa, coffee, cinnamon—are included at each of the 10 stops along the way.

Those who fear getting lost in the maze can take comfort in the fact that there are emergency exits scattered in between the paths.

“There are signs in there. We’ve never lost anyone,” Sarah said.

Revealing how the maze is made, Sarah said that she first designs the maze and then they plant the corn. “My husband—he’s an engineer, he’s good in math… we do a lot of counting corn. We count and measure, we flag it out, connect the dots, and mow the corn when they’re about two feet tall.”

Wynn Farms started their corn maze in 2012. Admission costs $6.50 for children ages 2-12, and $8.50 for ages 13 and up. Children under two years are free with two paying adults.

Secret recipe for caramel apples

With a caramel coating that has just the right amount of stickiness—not hard and chewy like other candy apples—and with a light dusting of white sugar at the base, delivering a surprise crunch, Wynn Farms’ caramel apples are definitely worth the drive.

“Our signature item—caramel apples—they are homemade, it’s a secret recipe. People drive all the way to get them, and [apple] cider, as well. People send me messages asking me if we have any caramel apples left,” Sarah admitted.

Pick-your-own apples are now available at the farm, with harvests until the end of October. There’s a pumpkin patch, and the farm also grows produce, such as pears and squash.

Moonlight mazes and fresh bouquets

Other activities in the farm include “moonlight mazes”, where people can go into the maze at night, as late as 10 p.m.

“The big idea is we cater to a lot of age groups. Women in their 60s, 70s, they go in the maze.
We’ve got the fire pit going, hot cider going. We get girls’ night out, scout’s groups… It’s quite fun, especially when there’s a full moon.”

A build-your-own bouquet activity is available on Friday and Saturday nights, made from the flowers in the farm.

“We have flowers set out that we have harvested from the field. In a mason jar, visitors can build their own bouquets.”

Wynn Farms is currently open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with hours increasing beginning on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021.

“We’re hoping we could have a haunted maze this year. They go to the barn and into the maze. That’s the one thing we’re not sure we could run,” said Sarah.

Wynn Farms is located at 8191 Highway 33, in Greater Napanee. For more information, visit their website here.