A popular corn maze in Orange County shut down for the season early because the owners said they were threatened with physical violence over the weekend.
Kent and Evie Woods have operated Liberty Mills Farm, which offers a corn maze and pumpkin patch, for 16 years, but they are now evaluating whether they will reopen in 2026.
The pumpkin patch is normally open through Oct. 31; the corn maze until Nov. 11.
“The anger directed towards our family and staff, the loss of sleep and continuous stress, are not worth continuing operations. We will no longer accept the venom that is directed at us personally,” they wrote on social media Oct. 28 announcing the sudden closure.
Tickets purchased for future visits will be refunded.
Multiple groups escorted out, it got ugly
The owners said several groups were asked to leave the flashlight maze on Saturday night for various reasons.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department called for back-up after escalating verbal attacks from at least one one group.
Sonja Jackson, who posted a one-star review of the maze on Google, said she felt her group was targeted from the moment they arrived, writing that there were very few non-White people on the premises.
Jackson said she grew up in the area but had moved away; she admitted her group was a little loud but said that didn’t warrant being asked to leave the farm.
“I had grown up in the area and left due to the feelings I felt. Now these days and time it’s worse now than it was back in the day. I know we were not welcome when we arrived and not welcome back,” she wrote.
When they were escorted out of the maze, it did cause a “verbal escalation” on their part, she wrote.
Jackson wrote in her review that as a person of color, she would never want to return “if it was the last cornfield on earth.”
The owners responded to the review, giving more context as to why the group was asked to leave.
“Your group was the fourth or fifth group asked to leave the maze and escorted out last Saturday. This included adults, college students, a range of ages, who, regardless of background or race, were equally removed for disrespectful, damaging, and/or rude or threatening behavior. Per our policy, one person in the group failing to follow our rules results in the removal of the entire group.”
The owners said that members of Jackson’s group “repeatedly interrupted” an employee giving instructions before they entered the maze. They also said a young female employee assisting another group was “threatened with language that contained strong profanity.”
“This employee is an exceptional young lady who is far more mature than her age. As instructed, she asked for help on her walkie-talkie, and when she overheard that ‘if she comes near me, I will ‘F’ her up,’ she turned around and exited the maze to be in the company of an adult.
“Let it be noted that your group was not asked to leave for being loud, for being yourselves or for having a good time. You were removed from the maze for a profanity-laced threat at a minor and employee of Liberty Mills Farm.”
The response said it was the sheriff office’s decision to ask the party to leave the property and warn them that they would be charged with trespassing if they returned.
‘Life is too short’
The incidents Saturday night seemed to be the final straw for the couple.
“While we have had thousands of amazing visitors over the years – of all ethnicities – and have created many lasting friendships with some of you, the encounters with the few who insist on profanity-laden language as well as the intoxicated college students who find it fun to crash through the corn and damage our crop we will harvest, have worn us down,” the Woods’ said in their statement.
“This past weekend, at ages 70 and 63, we were accused of being incompetent owners, having a beautiful farm and maze but poor customer service, being unwelcoming and not being able to solve simple problems or train our staff adequately.
“Staff, along with myself, were threatened with physical violence and a phone was repeatedly shoved in my face. We were sworn at and accused of being racist.
“Life is too short if you don’t enjoy what you are doing,” the wrote. “The bottom line is we are no longer having fun at what we are doing.”
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Crystal Graham
