Estonian corn maze favorite back with new design for 14th summer
Corn isn't a major crop in Estonia, but for over a decade, the Sakk family's summer corn mazes at Toretalu Farm have drawn hundreds of visitors each year — and even gained devoted fans. ETV's "Ringvaade" stopped by the Central Estonian farm to try this year's bone-chilling design firsthand.
For the past 14 years, the Sakk family has carved a uniquely designed maze into the corn growing on their farm near Põltsamaa. Hidden throughout this year's maze are six checkpoints visitors must find — none of which are marked on the map they receive.
"It's like one big game," explained Toretalu Farm owner Kaspar Sakk. "You go in and wander around, and if you find as many checkpoints as possible, you can even win a small prize."
The family's corn maze tradition traces back to plans for a hedge maze.
"We wanted to build a hedge maze, but bushes are expensive and take a long time to grow," said co-owner Kristi Sakk. "After buying the farm, we didn't have the budget for that."
The couple works on each year's maze design together. "You always think about what's a hot topic at the moment," she added.
This year's design depicts a trio of skeletons accompanying a crowned king wearing a shirt that reads "I ❤️ ESTONIA."
Cutting out the design among the crops takes about two weeks.
"How quickly you can navigate the maze depends a lot on the design," Kristi Sakk acknowledged. "It also depends on whether it's someone's first or second time through."
She noted some visitors have come to the corn maze every year for all 14 years.
"The biggest fans even ask us for a blank map so they don't know where the checkpoints are," the owner noted. "They come up with their own strategies for finding them."
"I've gotten lost in the maze myself when I go in with the ride-on mower to redo the paths; sometimes I can't figure out how to get out," Kaspar Sakk admitted. "The design covers five to six hectares."
Toretalu Farm works with another local farmer who takes the corn as cow feed once the maze season ends.
For the Sakk family, having strangers visit their property is simply part of their lifestyle.
"They're nice, and we enjoy chatting with them," Kristi Sakk said. "Every year, we've added something new to keep it interesting for visitors. Toretalu is our masterpiece. When a new idea strikes, we drop everything else and dive into creating something fresh and exciting — because we want to."
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Editor: Annika Remmel, Aili Vahtla
