Maize's New Pumpkin Patch Was Built From the One That Closed Last Fall

Last fall, Stacy Woodard read that Cedar Creek Farms & Pumpkin Patch was in trouble, and she made a prediction to her husband, Gage. "Well, there's a business for you," she told him, according to the Wichita Eagle. "I guarantee you there's going to be a pumpkin patch for sale by the end of the fall."

She had mostly forgotten about it when Gage called her at Maize Career Academy, where she teaches agriculture classes, and asked if she could tour a patch with him after school. The deal came together in the last week of October and the first week of November. By the end of February, everything had been moved to the Woodards' own land.

The swings, the outbuildings and the whole idea came from 119th Street to 53rd Street North and reopened under a family that already works in the community. Halloween night in Maize follows the same pattern this year: it runs through the city park, put on by Maize Rec and the City of Maize. For households in Eagles Nest and across Maize, this season is mostly being built by neighbors.

From 119th Street to 53rd Street North

Cedar Creek's patch opened in 2019 at 6100 N. 119th St. in Maize, and its owners closed the business in October, before the Woodards stepped in. The Woodards bought some of its assets, including the playground equipment and some outbuildings. They moved all of it to the 65-acre property where they live, on W. 53rd St. North. The Sedgwick County Commission approved a conditional use permit for the business in August.

The new place is called Woody's Family Farm, and the family behind it has deep Maize roots:

• Stacy Woodard teaches agriculture at Maize Career Academy.
• Gage Woodard runs feed sales and deliveries for Woodard Mercantile.
• Gerald and Leslye Woodard, Gage's parents, founded Woodard Mercantile in 1991.

That background explains a lot about the farm. An ag teacher and a feed-business family are running a farm attraction on land they already live on, with equipment from a patch Maize families already knew.

What's Actually Out There on the 65 Acres

The Eagle's August preview listed what the Woodards planned to have open:

1. More than 14,000 pumpkins to pick
2. A petting zoo
3. A half-acre corn maze
4. Hay rides and a barrel train
5. Pig races
6. A playground
7. Pony and horse rides
8. Concessions

Visit Wichita also lists a giant jumping pillow and calls the farm "new to Maize, Kansas in 2026."

The half-acre maze is small on purpose for now. In the Eagle's story, Stacy described this first season as a race to opening day:

"Everything this year is just kind of like, 'What do we have to get done to get open?' And then hopefully, we just continue to grow and expand as we go on. But we're in a time crunch this year."

The couple hopes to open on weekdays down the road so they can host field trip groups, and to make the corn maze bigger in coming years. This first season is the smallest version of the farm Maize will likely see.

The Pass Math, With Two Weekends Left

Admission covers the activities. The Eagle reported three ways to get in:

The family pass costs $65. Five single-day passes would cost $75, so a family of five saves $10 a visit with it. A season pass costs the same as just over two single days, so it pays for itself on the third visit. Only six open days remain in the season, so it makes the most sense for someone planning to come both weekends.

According to the farm's FAQ, a few things cost extra: fire-pit rentals, animal feed and the pumpkins themselves. You can buy tickets at the entrance with cash or card. That matters this month, because the farm's online daily-pass pages for Oct. 23 and Oct. 31 say tickets are not on sale there.

Saturday, Oct. 24, Has Two Maize Stops

Saturday is the one day this season when both of Maize's Halloween anchors are open together. The farm opens at 10 a.m. That evening, Maize Rec holds its Halloween Drive-Thru with the City of Maize from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Clair Donnelly Amphitheater.

The amphitheater is in the middle of Maize City Park at 401 S. Khedive. The city uses it for concerts, performances and other community events. For one night, it becomes a drive-through route:

• Local police, fire and EMS crews on site with their lights flashing
• Sponsors handing out treats, including some for pets
• Full-size candy bars handed out to cars
• The Spooky Forest at the end, which is back this year as an optional stop. Maize Rec calls it family-friendly but says it could be scary for some.

Preregistration closed before this post went up, so the price at the gate is now $10 per carload, and it's cash only. Maize Rec says the treats go to preregistered cars first, and everyone else gets them while supplies last. A late arrival could mean a lighter bag. Farm admission is $15 per person, and the drive-thru is $10 for the whole car, so a full Saturday covering both stops costs a family of five $75: the $65 family pass plus $10 at the park.

The Six Days Left on the Calendar

The farm is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. It closes for the season on Nov. 1.

Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, and the farm's daily-pass page lists Oct. 31 hours of 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. A family could pick pumpkins in the morning and still be home in time for porch lights.

There's more coming to 53rd Street. The Wichita Eagle reported in September that a Casey's General Store is planned for the former Pizza Hut site at 53rd Street North and Maize Road, with an expected opening in early 2027. Before then, the farm's first season ends at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1.

I've watched Maize grow for a lot of years, and a local family keeping its fall pumpkin patch alive is my favorite kind of hometown news. If your own plans for next fall include a move within Maize or nearby, whether that means more room, a smaller place or something new, I'd be glad to talk it through over coffee once the pumpkins are put away. Let's Connect with Nancy Jo Statton.