Corn mazes might be corny.

Corn mazes might be crazy.

But they are good.

Why?

For many reasons &8212; extra income for farmers &8212; but the main one is this:

Because corn mazes give city folks a chance to connect with farmers and for farmers to get to know city folks.

Many of the corn mazes in Minnestoa are closer to the Twin Cities. Some offer more than just a maze. They offer pig races, petting zoos, pony rides, cheese tasting and pumpkin patches.

Even in the rural areas, people are closer to agriculture but not everyone is connected to agriculture. It is possible to grow up in Albert Lea without knowing much about the agriculture all around.

And people who did grow up around agriculture remember running through the corn with brothers and sisters. (If the corn was green, you&8217;d get pollen all over you, right?) Those are fond memories. Corn mazes give that experience to everyone.

The corn maze in Northwood, Iowa, offers fun and frivolity for children and parents alike who seek the ghostly thrills of the Halloween season. You get lost. You get found. You get turned around.

But it and other corn mazes remind children that their food doesn&8217;t just come from a grocery store. They get the dirt on their hands and they touch the plants.

The corn-maze experience provides education, too.

And that&8217;s not half bad.