Corn that Twists and Turns
Sever Peterson is a third generation farmer whose large, extended family helps him run a 1000 acre farm in the Minnesota River Valley in Eden Prairie. Vegetable farming has been a way of life for Sever’s family since his grandfather acquired the farm in the 1880s. “Since the turn of the century, our family has been very involved at the Minneapolis farmer’s market,” Sever says. “I’m a vegetable farmer,” he adds simply.
Recently, however, the Peterson’s farm activities have taken on a new “twist”; they invite visitors to explore their corn maze, which the entire family helped create.
The maze was inspired by an English foreign exchange student who stayed with the Peterson’s, and shared stories with them of mazes found in the ancient gardens of English castles. In 1997, the Peterson’s designed their first maze, fashioned after a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Since then, the family has done the following:
- Titanic
- an Enchanted Castle
- the Nation’s Capitol maze
which was honored by a visit from President Clinton in May 2000. - The United States
- Around the World
Family Togetherness
Maze travelers explore seven footpaths, then feast on roasted sweet corn while being serenaded by live music. Sever enjoys these festive times, which brings his family’s generations-grandparents, parents, children-together to share in the fruits of their labors. “I have five siblings,” Sever says “and all of my sibling’s children…have worked on the farm…of those that are married, their spouses also worked on the farm. They’ve worked in the field, at the retail stands, and some at the computer…[which] has been very gratifying to my wife and I.”
A Love of the Land
The success of Peterson’s farm is impressive considering its location in predominantly urban Hennepin County. Although the farm is hard work, Sever’s identity is woven closely to a deep love of the land and his family’s long legacy of farming. “I grew up as a farmer…growing grain is a part of it I love,” he says. “When we do the planting, we do it as a family.”