Stephen Pratt, a tillage farmer from Co Laois, has created a maze through a field of maize, and is opening it to the public this July.
Pratt has grown a 6ac field of maize, with paths throughout, creating a maze to explore.
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, he said: “I’m always looking for something to diversify the farm. I read an article yesterday that grain is the same price this year as it was 40 years ago. So, this is a separate income stream to tillage farming.
“I saw this when I was on holidays a couple of years ago and I said I’d try it now. I got a grant from the Department of Agriculture for tourism, to help bring people to Laois and give families a good day out.”
Logistics
Pratt planted the field using a maize drill and GPS technology. “I rang around different companies that sell maize drills to find the most modern one, and then I had to find a farmer with one. I found Willie John Keogh from New Ross. He came up and he sowed it for me.
“We put the pattern into the GPS system. Basically, you drive up and down the field and back and forth when sowing it. We then had to go in and hoe it by hand. There was still maize growing in the pathways so we had to go in and hoe them out of it," he said.
Message
There is a message through the crop saying 'Support Irish Farmers'. When asked the meaning behind it, Stephen said: “I’d love to see people shop local and eat local produce. From a tillage background as well, the prices for the products that we’re producing is a lot lower than it should be, I think.
“I know you can get imported vegetables and imported grains, but we don’t know what chemicals they’re being treated with compared to the regulations we have here in Ireland. So, it’s a message that I’d like to put out in front of people that if you can buy local and support your local farmers, and if you help them they will give back, and provide days out like what I’m doing."
The maize maze at Dealgrove Farm, Shanahow, Co Laois. / Stephen Pratt
“We’ve had a lot of enquiries and we’ve had a few bookings. There seems to be a lot of interest in it. We’re open every weekend, Saturdays and Sundays from 26 July to as far into October as possible. It’s very easy to get to because Laois is so central. We’re in Shanahoe, just outside Abbeyleix, Co Laois. We’re about 10 minutes from the Dublin, Cork and Limerick motorways. It's convenient to get to us.”
Maize is not Stephen’s usual crop. His main crop is barley. He also grows fodder beet, organic oats and organic potatoes. “This is my first time growing maize, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Stephen Pratt, a tillage farmer from Co Laois, has created a maze through a field of maize, and is opening it to the public this July.
Pratt has grown a 6ac field of maize, with paths throughout, creating a maze to explore.
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, he said: “I’m always looking for something to diversify the farm. I read an article yesterday that grain is the same price this year as it was 40 years ago. So, this is a separate income stream to tillage farming.
“I saw this when I was on holidays a couple of years ago and I said I’d try it now. I got a grant from the Department of Agriculture for tourism, to help bring people to Laois and give families a good day out.”
Logistics
Pratt planted the field using a maize drill and GPS technology. “I rang around different companies that sell maize drills to find the most modern one, and then I had to find a farmer with one. I found Willie John Keogh from New Ross. He came up and he sowed it for me.
“We put the pattern into the GPS system. Basically, you drive up and down the field and back and forth when sowing it. We then had to go in and hoe it by hand. There was still maize growing in the pathways so we had to go in and hoe them out of it," he said.
Message
There is a message through the crop saying 'Support Irish Farmers'. When asked the meaning behind it, Stephen said: “I’d love to see people shop local and eat local produce. From a tillage background as well, the prices for the products that we’re producing is a lot lower than it should be, I think.
“I know you can get imported vegetables and imported grains, but we don’t know what chemicals they’re being treated with compared to the regulations we have here in Ireland. So, it’s a message that I’d like to put out in front of people that if you can buy local and support your local farmers, and if you help them they will give back, and provide days out like what I’m doing."
The maize maze at Dealgrove Farm, Shanahow, Co Laois. / Stephen Pratt
“We’ve had a lot of enquiries and we’ve had a few bookings. There seems to be a lot of interest in it. We’re open every weekend, Saturdays and Sundays from 26 July to as far into October as possible. It’s very easy to get to because Laois is so central. We’re in Shanahoe, just outside Abbeyleix, Co Laois. We’re about 10 minutes from the Dublin, Cork and Limerick motorways. It's convenient to get to us.”
Maize is not Stephen’s usual crop. His main crop is barley. He also grows fodder beet, organic oats and organic potatoes. “This is my first time growing maize, so we’ll see how it goes.”
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