CALS News

Oct 13, 2009

CONTACTS: John Foltz, (208) 885-6446, jfoltz@uidaho.edu

Written by Bill Loftus

Record Cold Freezes Plans for 2009 Lewiston Corn Maze

LEWISTON, Idaho—Agriculture is an enterprise full of risk. College of Agricultural and Life Sciences students learned that aspect when record low temperatures in early October severely damaged the 5-acre corn maze in Lewiston, forcing the cancellation of maze operations this fall.

The corn maze grew from a partnership between Kaufman Farms of Lewiston, City of Lewiston and the college and its Agricultural Student Affairs Council.

Students designed the maze and cut the paths through it Aug. 27, a day when the high temperature of 102 degrees barely missed the daily record of 103 degrees.

On Oct. 9, the temperature in the Lewiston Orchards dipped to 23 degrees, 10 degrees below the previous record low of 33 degrees set in 1977. The following two nights brought more record low temperatures. The corn, still actively growing before the freeze, collapsed. Corn stalks that stood 7 to 8 feet tall before the freeze fell to 3 or 4 feet high afterward.

John Foltz, the college’s associate dean and director of academic programs, said the partners hope to try again in 2010.