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Manitoba corn maze offers tricky twists and turns for Canada 150

A new corn maze in Manitoba gives visitors the chance to walk coast to coast to coast.

Farmer says maze drawing out map of Canada is the largest, most complex he has ever built

Dear Meadow Farms in the Rural Municipality of Springfield created a corn maze this year to celebrate Canada's 150 years of confederation. (courtesy Deer Meadow Farms)

A new Canada 150-inspired corn maze in Manitoba will givevisitors the chance to walk coast to coast to coast.

Vince Rattaiis the owner ofDeer Meadow Farms, locatedin the Rural Municipality of Springfield, just outside Winnipeg's Transcona neighbourhood.

Hesaid his mazethis year is the biggest and most complex design he's attempted in six years of making mazes in his corn field.

"We're hoping they're going to be wowed by what they see here," he said.

The maze follows the outline of the map of Canada and includes representative symbols in its different "regions," like a dogsled in the North, a fishing boat on the East Coast and a oil well in Alberta.

It measures 3.7hectares, or9.1 acres larger than five CFL football fields.

Corn maze celebrates Canada 150

7 years ago
Duration 1:33
Vince Rattai, owner of the farm Deer Meadow Farms, hopes to have his special Canada 150 corn maze open on Sept. 2, 2017.

Rattai said helikes the challenge of themed mazes. In the past, he has createda maze in the shape of a polar bear, mimicked the Blue Bombers logo and even created a spiderweb complete with black widow spiders.

With 2017 marking the150th anniversary of Confederation, he said the cross-Canadatheme was a clearwinner.

The farmer hired corn maze designer Brent Polson to bring the idea to life.

Polson, who used more than 1,000 GPS plot points to create the maze, said the complexity of the map and symbols was a big challenge and he has been in the corn maze business for 17 years. Even he got lost at one pointcutting the design.

With corn in the field measuringabout three metres high, Polson used a flagpoleto directRattaiwhere to drive his lawn mower.

Polson said visitorsshould be prepared to get lost.

"It's going to be a tricky one for sure," said Polson. "Bring a bottle of water and try your best."

The maze is expected to take about 30 minutes to an hour for an adult to complete.

Rattairecently moved Deer Meadow Farms from its previous location on Deacon Road to its new location on Springfield Road.

Hehopes to have the corn maze open and ready for visitors by Sept. 2.

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With files from Radio Noon and Holly Caruk