Tossing aside common conventions, Goughan is turning the farm’s annual corn maze into a gargantuan birthday card, complete with a crop rendition of Gloria.
“This year’s maze has been in the making for several years,” said Goughan. “On July 14th, 1955, Gloria Libby was born to Judson and Phyllis Libby. That makes ‘farmer’ Gloria the big 6-0 this year. So the girls and I have made a giant birthday card for the event.”
Everyone in the Goughan family is working hard to keep this surprise under wraps.
“We have kept it a secret by telling her it was a pirate ship,” explained Goughan. “We plan to show her the true maze on camera when the local TV station does their yearly corn maze story, which is planned for Friday at 8:30 a.m. Her reaction, which could go in any direction, should be priceless with our family’s tradition of ‘gotcha’ surprises.”
The entire family is thankful for everything Gloria has done.
“The girls and I want to wish Gloria a Happy Birthday and tell her how blessed this family has been with her as our matriarch,” said Goughan. “She has been the anchor for keeping the family together through kindness and example, and she dared to share a dream with her husband through many struggling years. It’s our hope to reward her, as small as it is, with this corn maze birthday card and tell her publicly how much we appreciate and love her.”
“To us,” continued Mark Goughan, “she’s amazing.”
Most seasons bring at least 2,000 visitors to the maze. In addition, Goughan’s Farm offers free animal barn visits, a merry-go-round, and a new 18-hole mini golf course, which, according to Gohghan, “uses an agricultural theme for the players to challenge each other.”
The farm also offers fruits, vegetables, ice cream, and pumpkins during the fall season.
“Total attendance of the maze is dependent on the weather,” said Goughan.The corn maze season began August 29th. It is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.
Six years ago, Goughan’s Farm took a tremendous leap forward when Mark and Gloria’s daughters offered to move back to the region and help their parents.
“I remember a time when the kids hated the farm and, in part, me,” said Goughan. “This was mostly because I made them work throughout their high school years on the farm with little or no pay. They asked me if I knew how much money they could be making if they moved to Bangor or Portland. And with that, each child went to where they thought the grass was greener.
“They eventually wanted to come back and they didn’t bring any of that big money with them. The blessing that Gloria and I have received is that our three daughters have realized that although money is needed, it’s not the most important factor of being a part of this small family farm,” he said.
Goughan’s Farm differs from many local farms in that it offers agri-tourism, a commercial enterprise at a working ranch or farm conducted for the enjoyment of visitors that generates supplemental income.
“Agri-tourism is growing in importance in the United States both as a diversification strategy for smaller farms and as a source of economic development in rural communities,” said Goughan. “It helps in getting people connected with their food and drink on a level that is different than visiting the local big box grocery store.”
