NC-13 Small Business Spotlight: KEN’s Korny Corn Maze
Crunchy leaves, candy corn, and carving pumpkins are all around the corner. As autumn rolls into Wake County, Ken Walker is pulling out all the stops for North Carolina families to make cherished memories at one of the oldest corn mazes around.
“It’s hard to believe it, but this season marks 26 years of KEN’s Korny Corn Maze,” Ken said. “We’re excited to welcome everyone back and show off some of the new attractions we’ve put in place.”
An annual tradition at Ken’s Produce & Garden Center, the corn maze began in 1999 as a means of entertaining schoolchildren who came by in search of the perfect jack-o'-lantern pumpkins. This year, it will also feature a giant shuffleboard game, an elaborate music wall of everyday farm accessories, and a scenic hayride.
“It’s truly a labor of love,” longtime garden associate Amy Woolard said. “Lots of time goes into ensuring we pack all twelve acres with safe and fun activities, but when families return year after year to make memories and we see kids having fun, it’s worth every second of work. After 26 years, we’re even starting to see people who came as kids come back with their own children!”
The once modest pumpkin patch has grown into an entire Pumpkin House featuring more than 40 varieties of gourds and Mr. Walker has been recognized as an “Innovative Farmer” award winner. Still, KEN’s retains its wholehearted authenticity, which our local communities cherish.
As is the case with any small business and farm, their success hasn’t come without challenges.
“Crop loss and unpredictable weather are always a concern. It’s hard to predict and therefore hard to plan around, but the safety net Congress passed is good,” Ken said. “Helping farmers really starts there. As farmland continues to disappear, we need to think up incentives to encourage people to get into farming and keep farming.”
Earlier this year, as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Congress expanded crop insurance benefits for beginning farmers and ranchers, increased coverage options, and made crop insurance more affordable.
Ken and Amy also say that competing with big-box stores and national chains has long been a major challenge.
“We’ll never have the marketing they have, but we make up for it with service. We’ll walk alongside you and help you load items you want to buy— even keep an eye on them while you check out all the attractions. When people leave, we want them to feel cared for,” Amy said.
Known as North Carolina’s ORIGINAL corn maze, KEN’s promises to deliver the perfect fall adventure once again.
The NC-13 Small Business Spotlight is designed to highlight wonderful small businesses throughout our district and share their stories. If you know of a great place to feature, please reach out to Congressman Knott’s communications team at quinn.slaven@mail.house.gov.