September 1, 2010
(Winston Salem, NC) For the last five years, Sammy and Sue Shelor of Mountain Meadow Farms in Meadows of Dan, Virginia have created a musically themed corn maze to celebrate the musical heritage of the Appalachian Mountains.
This year, Mountain Meadow Farms decided to celebrate another Blue Ridge Mountain icon – the Blue Ridge Parkway. In honor of the Blue Ridge Parkway’s 75th Anniversary, the design of this year’s corn maze is the logo for the Parkway’s 75th Anniversary.
The maze’s design is not the only thing new for 2010. This year, the Shelor’s have partnered with the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s Kids in Parks program to create an educational scavenger hunt through the maze. The corn maze, with its attractiveness to kids and families, interactive educational opportunity and proximity to the Parkway is a perfect fit for the Kids in Parks program.
Kids in Parks is an initiative of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Working together with partners on and in communities along the Parkway, the Kids in Parks program is trying to increase the physical activity of children and their families, improve their nutritional choices and connect kids to the Blue Ridge Parkway.
As a seasonal TRACK Trail, the corn maze will be outfitted with a self-guided brochure that kids and families can use to learn about corn while in the maze. As visitors roam the maze, they will find informational signs that correspond with questions in the brochure. After they complete the trail, visitors can register their adventure on the website, www.kidsinparks.com, to earn a small prize designed to make their next nature adventure more meaningful.
“We are so excited to be able to partner with Mountain Meadow Farms for this seasonal TRACK Trail. The Shelor’s have created a wonderful family adventure and learning opportunity, not only for the community but also for Parkway visitors” said Carolyn Ward, President of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.
Sammy and Sue Shelor, with their farm just seconds from the Blue Ridge Parkway, uphold the traditions of the Blue Ridge. The Patrick County, Virginia, couple owns and operates Mountain Meadow Farm and Craft Market.
Sammy, an award-winning bluegrass banjo player, grew up on the farm, and eventually inherited it from his grandfather. Sue, an artist, found herself inspired by the artisans of the Blue Ridge. The "Corn Acoustics!" Corn Maze is just one of the projects, along with their market, market garden, and festivals, which feature the Shelor’s passions for mountain music, art and agriculture.
If you plan to attend upcoming Blue Ridge Parkway 75th Anniversary Festival events, September 10 -12 at Cumberland Knob Recreation Area and the Blue Ridge Music Center, stop by Meadows of Dan and check out the corn maze. Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekends from September 4th to October 31st. Admission is $5.00 per person and children 5 and under explore for free. Visit kidsinparks.com, mountainmeadowcrafts.com, BRPFoundation.org or blueridgeparkway75.org for more information.
About Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation:
The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, under a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior, is the primary private fundraising organization for the Blue Ridge Parkway. As the primary fundraiser and trusted steward of the Blue Ridge Parkway, The Foundation is committed to preserving the past, enhancing the present, and safeguarding the future of America’s Favorite Journey™. For more information visit our website: www.brpfoundation.org Share the Journey®
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