Wanna get lost in a corn maze? Clyde Township couple ventures into some 'agritainment' fun

Local families looking for some seasonal fun will be able to pick pumpkins, ride a tractor-pulled wagon, and get lost in a corn maze at home with one couple in Clyde Township starting this weekend.

Greg and Kate Beck said they loved growing up around Blake’s Orchard and Cider Mill in Armada and have long wanted to bring something similar to this area.

They own and operate Becks Farm and Produce, renting property in Clyde historically owned by the McNaughton family for the last year and a half. Greg Beck said they also work with locally raised beef and eggs and have previously grown pumpkins, but since August, five acres of corn on the state have been carved into a maze.

Early on Friday, ahead of opening up Saturday, they said they were still setting things up after the week’s rainy weather. Though wearing boots caked in mud, the couple — each wearing a bright orange Beck's sweatshirt — said they were excited to delve into what they called the “agritainment” business.

“We knew times were hard. We know money is very scarce nowadays. Families could come and not spend an arm and a leg,” Greg Beck said. “They could spend three, four hours, make some memories, and still have money when they go home.”

The Becks’ you-pick pumpkin patch and corn maze was slated to be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 29 at 5021 Beard Road in Clyde.

Kate Beck said they encouraged people to put on their boots, dressing appropriately for the weather, to come out, and enjoy the season.

Admission is $5 for individuals over age 4; children 3 and under could enter for free. The cost of pumpkins was separate.

“Out here, we have about 8,000 right now,” Kate said, adding they had triple the pumpkins behind the corn and not out on display.

The couple has shared an aerial photo of the maze they took with their drone online to give people a preview of the fun.

“We also didn’t want people to get lost in it too much either,” Greg said, jokingly.

In addition to the pumpkin patch and maze, they’ll have hayrides, a kids’ zone, an area with cornhole for adults, and concessions. Kate Beck said the latter would involve cider and donuts from the local McCallum’s Orchard and Cider Mill.

She said it would be their first year with agritainment features at Beck’s Farm and Produce.

“We want to get into the haunted stuff. We eventually want to be able to do a haunted hayride and haunted corn maze in that area. But it takes a lot of time,” Kate said.

“We wanted to work on this first,” Greg said, motioning to the setup Friday. “… With this being our first year, we want to make sure this goes good before we add anything else to it.”

He added they also wanted to wait for their kids to be a little older.

“We’d have to be able to have power out there. It’s just the next couple of hurdles,” Kate replied. “… I would say for sure we’ll have that started within the next five years.”

Contact Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Get lost in a corn maze: Clyde Township couple ventures into some 'agritainment' fun