(All photographs by the author.)
The following is a news update for the under-15 crowd.

The fairies are here!
And they’re waiting for us. As well as a giant unicorn. And some mermaids, a dragon, and a wizard. And a few scary creatures, too. Like a werewolf and Big Foot.
Everyone knows unicorns and dragons exist, but some people insist Big Foot doesn’t. Obviously he does – he’s hanging out right now in a corn field right behind Taft Farms in Great Barrington. Duh!
Taft Farms has been a popular stopover for magical creatures and superheroes for many years. Last year Spiderman and the Hulk were here for like six weeks. Pikachu has also visited. Some say it’s because Taft Farms’ cider donuts are crazy yum. Especially when they’re still warm and steam comes out when you bite into them and the cinnamon sugar gets all over your fingers. Magical creatures love these magical cider donuts as much as we do.


Tip: It’s a good idea to bring several donuts into the maze with you. Your parents might say one is enough. But that’s what is called “misinformed”. Because food is energy and cider donuts are especially nutritious in October. And you may need to share your donuts with the unicorn if you get lost. So, I recommend bringing plenty of donuts. That’s called using good judgement.
Another tip: The magical creatures aren’t big talkers. Best to say “hi” and move on.
By the way, did you know that some people call corn “maize”? It’s a traditional indigenous word that was adopted by the Spanish when they invaded the Americas hundreds of years ago. So, you could actually call the corn maze a “maize maze” if you wanted to. Hah!
And did you also know that each stalk of corn has about two ears of corn? At most industrial farms, there’s only one ear. But at Taft Farms, there are sometimes as many as four. This is because they take good care of the soil and treat it with respect.
Sue’s Zoo

There’s a little farm zoo at Taft Farms, next to the maize maze. Not everyone knows this. But they should. There are bunnies, chickens, ponies, goats, pigs, and a llama with a lumpy jaw named Elvira.
The zoo is run by a woman named Sue. (Sort of like the Johnny Cash song, but not. You can ask your parents about that.) She has the farm because she really likes animals, and she has a daughter about your age if you happen to be about 12 years old. Some of the animals are there because other people didn’t want them. Which is sad. But less sad because there are people like Sue in the world who really care about animals.

Sue lets the animals live peaceful lives. She takes really good care of them and they live a long time. There’s a pony named Chase, who is 40 years old. Chase and Sue are about the same age, but Sue can still chew her food without difficulty.
Chase lives with a younger pony named Blueberry, who has a really big belly. Chase needs to be separated from Blueberry when they eat because Chase takes about an hour to chew. And Blueberry? He gets so hungry and pissy if he has to wait, that he picks up his bucket with his mouth and throws it around. [If you don’t believe me, here’s a video of Blueberry doing just that:
There are also a bunch of what Sue calls “tough old chickens,” but she means that in a nice way. And before you or your parents start to worry about the chickens, Sue would like you to know two things. First: their feathers look funny because they’re molting. Not because Sue plucks them every night for fun. Second: there’s a reason one of the roosters lives alone. His name is Hannibal, and he isn’t alone because Sue is mean. He’s in his own cage because he’s what we call ornery. He likes to fight the other birds, and with anyone who gets close to him. The original Hannibal attacked Rome. This Hannibal attacks curious children who get too close.
Which leads us to an important thing about Sue’s zoo. It’s not a petting zoo. It’s a zoo-zoo. Because sometimes animals chew on little fingers. And that activates something called “liability.” You can ask your parents about that.

You can also ask your parents about this: Sue has three bunnies, all girls, named Sadie, Shady, and Oreo. Three months after she got them, Sadie and Shady had babies. And then there were more babies. And more babies. Eventually there were 22 babies. How could that happen if Sadie, Shady, and Oreo were all female? Hint: Oreo never had babies, and now Oreo never will.

There are two peacocks – Bubba and Forest. And three goats – Spirit, Faith, and Odie the Goatie. About a dozen mallard ducks. And Elvira, the llama with a “lumpy jaw” who nobody wanted, so Sue gave her a home.
Speaking of homes, this one costs money. So please put money in the big coffee can next to the register, which is next to the cider donuts!
Hayrides

Danny Taft has been farming for about 70 years, since he was your age or even younger. And he knows everything about farms, farming, black walnuts, and bears. During hayrides, he drives his tractor all over the farm and points out how things work, how things grow, and where the bears like to go to the bathroom on his property. He’ll also tell you about the Native Americans who used to live in the area, and, if you’re lucky, he’ll tell you all about the arrowheads and stone tools that he’s found. He knows a lot, and he’s really good at explaining things. Did you know that the Berkshire Hills were once taller than Mt. Everest? Don’t believe me? Go ahead and ask him. He loves to teach things like that.
Food
Okay, so we talked about the cider donuts. There are also pies in the farm store. And sandwiches. And even though everybody knows that tuna comes from a can, at Taft Farms they insist that tuna actually comes from a fish in the ocean, and they are really proud of their tuna sandwiches because the tuna “doesn’t come from a can.” Just be nice and say “okay.” The tuna sandwiches are really good anyway. Don’t forget to check out the pumpkins, the apples, and the funny-shaped gourds. And you know how Thanksgiving dinner is totally yum, but you don’t see your parents for a few days while they cook it? Well guess what: they can buy the whole dinner at Taft, farm fresh and to go. Unicorns don’t cook Thanksgiving dinner. Why should your parents have to?
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The Corn Maze is open 7-days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It closes for the season in early November. Sue’s zoo is open daily. The corn maze and zoo are free! Taft Farms is open daily from 8 am to 6 pm. Best to call Taft Farms about hayrides, which are nearly over for the season: 413-528-1515. Taft Farms on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taft.farms/