SOUTH AVIS — The temperature is cooling and with it comes fall and all your favorite activities — including Pine Creek Seed Farm’s annual corn maze and weekend events.

This year’s maze opened Saturday, Sept. 30 and will remain open each weekend until Oct. 29.

Pine Creek Seed owners Chris and Jen McCracken said they changed the time frame for the maze so as not to compete with local Friday night football games.

“We don’t want to compete with high school football games,” Jen said.

Instead, the maze will be open Saturdays 12 to 9 p.m. and Sundays 12 to 8 p.m. Chris noted the Sunday hours were extended from last year to make up for a lack of Friday hours.

The maze will be located in the same plot, at the intersection of Woodward and Tiadaghton avenues in South Avis.

According to Chris, the maze — which will be designed with Oktoberfest in mind — is larger than last year’s by a few acres.

“It’s between 17 or 19 acres this year. Last year it was 13 acres,” he said. “It takes about 6 hours to mow (the paths). It used to take me four hours.”

Chris estimates the total length of the maze this year is about 2 miles.

Just like last year, the maze won’t be the only attraction at Pine Creek Seed.

The facility, located at 204 Tiadaghton Ave., will host a wide range of entertainment, food and vendors each weekend.

“We have events every day,” Jen said.

The cost to enjoy just the events at Pine Creek Seed is $5 or $10 with a trip to the maze included.

The following events are scheduled throughout the duration of the maze:

OCT. 7, OCT. 8

On Saturday, Oct. 7 and Sunday, Oct. 8, Bald Birds Brewing Co. will provide drinks with the Jersey Shore Lioness Club offering chicken corn soup along with food from Shane’s Sandwich Shack, Scott’s Roasting, Cogan’s Concessions, Roger’s Lemonade and Cactus Taters. On Saturday, The Clark McClane Band will perform from 6 to 9 p.m. On Sunday, the PA Street Machines will host a car show.

OCT. 14, OCT. 15

On Saturday, Oct. 14 and Sunday, Oct. 15, Up the Crick will be selling wine throughout the event. Saturday’s food choices will include Bart’s Pizzeria, Shand’s Sandwich Shack and Cogan’s Concessions. Sunday will see the Avis Fire Hall return to sell barbeque chicken along. Shane’s Sandwich Shack and Cogan’s Concessions will also set up shop. On Saturday, entertainment will be provided by Troy Love from 6 to 9 p.m and on Sunday a tractor show is scheduled.

OCT. 21, OCT. 22

Saturday, Oct. 21 and Sunday, Oct. 22 will be Pine Creek Seed’s craft show weekend. Both days will feature food from Kutza’s Kitchen of Jersey Shore. On Saturday, other food options are Bart’s Pizzeria, Cogan’s Concession and Hannah’s Heavenly Bites. Talerico’s Tropical Winery will also be on hand that day. Aaron Kelly will perform from 6 to 9 p.m. that evening. On Sunday, two bands will perform. Bubby & Swales will perform from 1:30 to 3 p.m. followed by Kopper & Kash from 4 to 6 p.m. Talerico’s Tropical Winery will make a return, and the Avis Fire Hall will be back again.

OCT. 28, OCT. 29

Saturday, Oct. 28 and Sunday, Oct. 29 will close out this year’s maze. Saturday will include a live performance by Audio Box from 6 to 9 p.m.; beer and wine provided by Oak Grove Tavern; and food from Tiny’s Bar-B-Que, Cogan’s Concessions, Cactus Taters and Roger’s Lemonade. Sunday, Oct. 29 will bring the fear with a special haunted maze from 6 to 8 p.m. Pine Creek Seed partnered with Spook Haven again to bring the haunting experience back. Food and drink will be provided by the same vendors as Saturday.

Jen said they’re trying to keep all of its vendors and partners local, as they’ve done in the past.

“We’re trying to do everything locally, from pumpkins to food vendors and other businesses,” she said.

Pine Creek Seed also renovated one of its grain bins, retrofitting it into a bar space for vendors to serve food and drink from.

“We found some vendors didn’t have a food truck. It saves them from having to set up and tear down a tent,” she said.

Jen noted she hopes to turn another two grain bins into new spaces for the yearly event.

And, once again, the McCrackens intend to give back to the community with the maze.

Each weekend, a local organization is set to volunteer at the maze. The proceeds from that weekend will be split between Pine Creek Seed and the organization.

Organizations to take part include: Jersey Shore Middle School PTO, Avis Recreation Committee, Jersey Shore High School Drama Club, Jersey Shore Library Committee and Jersey Shore Wrestling Association.

Jen noted they’ll also be passing around a donation bucket to support local teens who are experiencing difficult times.

“Everything we do, we focus on Clinton County and the Jersey Shore community,” Jen said.

That includes plans to donate even more funds from the maze to other local organizations — such as the Avis Fire Company.

Jen said last year the farm was able to donate about $9,000 to the fire company to purchase a silo rescue kit. The farm also offered its own silos to the area fire companies to take part in rescue training.

“I’m glad we could provide a place for companies on this end of the county to receive that training and have that equipment,” she said.

Chris noted Pine Creek Seed and Dotterer Farms often work together and coordinate their events.

“We’re friends with the Dotterers and we’re finding ways to work with them. They have their sunflower maze in the summer and we have the corn maze in the fall,” he said.

Jen proudly noted Pine Creek Seed Farm’s maze is the third largest in the state.

“We were close to number two, but another one beat us out,” she said. “But maybe next year.”

Plans are in motion to shift the location of the maze, to give the current area a break from corn crops.

“Next year we’ll have a new location because we can’t plant in the same place again,” Chris said.

To learn more about the maze or Pine Creek Seed Farm visit www.pinecreekseed.com

Pine Creek Seed Farm & Corn Maze

Pine Creek Seed Farm offers a full range of seed processing, mixing, blending, and distribution services for seed producers and suppliers.

www.pinecreekseed.com

or visit their Facebook page, “Pine Creek Seed Farm.”