By Jessica Domel
Field Editor

Pig races, jumping pillows and an 80-foot slide, oh my! There’s plenty of fun and games to be had at the South Texas MaiZe in Hondo, where for over 15 years Ken and Laurie Graff have welcomed families into their fields for some good old-fashioned farm fun.

We’re unplugged, Ken said. They only electronic thing we have here for the kids to do is our apple cannons.

Instead of playing Angry Birds or taking selfies, kids at the maze are encouraged to use their minds, be active and have as much fun as possible.

Admission includes unlimited time jumping on our two giant pillows that are buried in the ground, Laurie said. They can go down our Mattercorn slide as many times as they want. There’s three 80-foot slides, and they’re a lot of fun.

Families are also encouraged to ride the twin cow train or take a hay ride out to the pumpkin patch. For an additional fee, there’s apple launching and pony rides.

It’s old school with jumping on hay bales, running around, playing in the sand box and just having fun, Ken said.

Of course, the main attraction at South Texas MaiZe is the maze itself, which spans seven acres.

It’s a day-length neutral photosensitive sorghum sudan grass, Ken said.

Ken and his family have used the sorghum sudan grass in the maze for 14 of their 15 years, but they’re considering an alternative crop due to the influx of the sugarcane aphid in sorghum across the state.

We’re seriously considering going back to corn, but we’ve got to make sure water-wise that we’re all right, Ken said.

This year’s maze is designed with the couple’s location, Hondo, in mind. It’s a throwback to the original Hondo This is God’s Country, Don’t Drive Through it Like Hell sign.

No matter what the design or the weather, Texas families enjoy their time at the South Texas MaiZe. It’s not one specific attraction or the other that families enjoy, but rather, the whole experience.

Everything is so intense and so computer-driven, Ken said. There’s hardly any place that you can go, relax and unwind anymore. Here, it’s a blast. Everybody has a wonderful time.

The maze sees anywhere from 6,500 to 8,000 people on Saturdays in October. But that hasn’t stopped the family from making time to celebrate America’s heroes.

The first two weekends of each maze season are dedicated to law enforcement, medical and fire personnel as well as military members, veterans and their families.

Those people have always held a close position in our hearts, Ken said. When we opened, we decided that would be something we could give back.

On Veterans Day weekend in November, they again honor the nation’s military families with free admission to the maze.

No matter what the day, Ken, Laurie and their staff welcome visitors to their farm with open arms and remind them the land they’re walking on is still active in agriculture.

We want to expose the agricultural way of life to families because a lot of our patrons are city dwellers, Laurie said. We want them to understand everything goes back to the farm. We’re trying to create an environment where we can educate and recreate.

In fact, once the South Texas MaiZe closes for the year, the maze itself is dealt with promptly.

We’ll close on Sunday. Monday, we’ll be in here with a hay cutter cutting it down and rolling it up, Ken said. It will be used for cow feed for the winter.

One thing that has helped the Graffs continue to tell their story is the new agritourism bill that was signed into law this session by the governor. Thanks to the law, the Graffs and other farm families who open agritourism businesses are able to do so with limited liability and reduced fear of lawsuits.

It’s beneficial for everybody from hunting operations to pick-your-own and anybody in the business, Ken said.

The maze will remain open through Nov. 15. Additional details are available online at SouthTexasMaize.com.