Farm Offers Visitors a Wild Ride
Published: Friday, October 7, 2022
Between caring for a barnful of Holsteins and harvesting corn, soybeans and alfalfa hay, John and Cynthia Adam operate Knollbrook Farm in Goshen. The family-centric farm contains an ever-popular pumpkin slingshot, corn maze, hayride, cow train and more. New this year is a mega tube slide that hurtles speed aficionados at approximately 20 miles per hour.
Right up front is the pumpkin slingshot, a jump pad, the petting zoo and mega slide along with other family areas.
"Over the river and through the woods," families can find the hayride, cow train, yard games, a sunflower photo area, the pumpkin patch and, of course, the corn maze.
Balancing all of these areas, along with running the farm, is quite challenging, the Adams say. John is in the midst of cutting hay, the corn and soybeans are maturing for harvest, and the cows require daily attention.
"You got to be crazy," John said after describing what a typical day might look like for them. "Silage season always hits at the same time."
After the daily chores in the cattle barn are done, the phones start ringing, Cynthia said. Soon after, they prepare the activities, concessions and admissions booth and people start showing up. While activities are running, John may be out in the fields or helping to run the hayride or other activities.
One weekend, while John was chopping corn for silage, Knollbrook Farm was beginning to get crowded and he was called away from the work to help manage the farm's agritourism activities.
A crowd favorite is the pumpkin slingshot, which on one recent day saw approximately 11,000 pumpkins launched at a floating innertube.
Profits made from the farm are reinvested into it, and it varies each year how much that is. Some years, it is used to cover a chunk of the farm bills and other years more can be invested into new equipment or attractions.
However, the Adams say they don't do it for the money.
"A guy asked me, 'Why are you doing this?' I looked around and I said, 'I hear laughter and families talking and lots of giggling,'" John said. "And he looked around and heard that laughter and said, 'Yup. You're right.'"
"It's fun, wholesome and educational," Cynthia said.
The Adams especially enjoy getting to see the expression on kids' faces as they make the mental connections between cows and milk or corn and fields. Even some adults gain that understanding while visiting Knollbrook.
"People need to reconnect with agriculture and where their food comes from and how it's grown," Cynthia said. "We're sharing farming with kids who don't have that connection."
As kids launch pumpkins into a pond, the Adams hope they also launch into conversations about agriculture with their parents.
One of their biggest educational attractions is their corn maze. It contains five miles of pathways within a 12-acre field full of different scavenger hunt clues. Knollbrook offers three different hunt categories: agriculture, Bible trivia and history. This year's history hunt is about the Revolutionary War.
"Families can make it as difficult or as easy as they want," Cynthia said as she explained that there are many exit points in the maze.
Ultimately, John and Cynthia want to give a taste of the farming lifestyle to their visitors. Whether kids are picking pumpkins, skidding down the slides or braving the maze, the Adams enjoy watching as families settle into a day of fun and fill their lungs with fresh, country air.
The attraction, located one mile east of New Paris on C.R. 46, is open Friday through Sunday until Oct. 31. Hours are: 4-8 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays and 1-6 p.m. Sundays.
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