HEATHER BRIDWELL/GDH File

The corn pit is a real crowd pleaser at Wieck Farms, located in the Texas Panhandle near Etter, Texas – two miles east of Hwy 287. For more info or a map for directions visit their website at www.wieckmazeandpumpkins.com or call (806) 922-3721.

By HEATHER BRIDWELL
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Need a day to relax, have fun, but use your brain a little? Well, you should take a trip to the maze and pumpkin patch that Willie and Mildred Wieck have created and have a great, fun family experience.
The Wieck have designed three different sections: the Texas Maze, the Confusion Maze and the No Left Turn Maze covering about 20 acres.
The Confusion Maze is a diagonal maze with dead ends in all directions
“Confusion is quite a deal, keeping you concentrating and keeping you thinking on where you need to go, where you have already been,” Willie said.
The Texas Maze outlines the state of Texas with some of the cities inside the maze, marked with highways and signs to offer a simple explanation of each city.
No Left Turn Maze has some short rows and some long rows where you have to try to “take no left turn” because the only way out is to turn right.
“A lot of the older kids and adults like to get out their flashlights and try to make it through the maze in the dark. They have a fun time doing it,” Willie said.
There is also have a straw playground featuring two cornpits, a small petting zoo, a miniature maze for the little ones and straw bales for climbing.
“That is one of the most fascinating things you will see the kids play in. They can play in those cornpits for hours,” Willie said with a laugh.
After a fun day of walking and playing on the playground,it’s time to visit the  10-acre pick-your-own-pumpkin patch with 80 plus different varieties of pumpkins.
These pumpkins are still on the vines, offering the youngsters the harvest experience of letting them cut their chosen pumpkin off the vine.
Select pumpkins from huge to small in a variety of colors – gray, white, pink, red and more.
Just in time for Halloween to use as a Jack-O-Lantern or  as a decoration for the fall or Thanksgiving season.
The pumpkins are priced by size and variety.
According to Willie, last year the biggest pumpkin that has come out of the patch so far was a least 100 pounds and the smallest was about 3 ounces. “We have had a lot of school groups, lots of folks from the Guymon area and church groups, too,” Willie said.
"If you have kids that suffer from allergies, no worries because they only grow sterile forage (which means no pollen) so your visit will be sniffle free."
Wieck Farms is located in the Texas Panhandle north of Amarillo, a stone’s throw away from Etter, Texas – just two miles east of Hwy 287.
They are open on weekdays from 4- 7 p.m.,  Fridays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m, Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. The cost is $5 for adults, $3 for 6-13 years of age and 5 and under are free.
School groups and tour buses are welcome, but the Wiecks request please to call ahead so they can be prepared. Other times are also available by appointment.
For more information or a map for directions visit their website at www.wieckmazeandpumpkins.com or call (806) 922-3721.