Amazing fund-raiser Proceeds benefit

technology at NUACS

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The corn maze on Ron Domeier's farm seemed easy to navigate at first, but once Janelle Curry and her friends got through the first part of it, they realized the job wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

The cornstalks, which had already turned gold from green, stood more than 8 feet high, and the ground beneath them was soft, dark and mushy.

The maze featured eight dead-ends, each marked with a stuffed animal to comfort scared children.

It started out with straight rows that went up and down the field, but got more tricky after its paths began to curve and twist together.

Despite a couple of wrong turns, though, Curry and her buddies successfully navigated the maze.

"It was fun," said Curry as the rest of her friends regrouped outside the exit. "It was very interesting."

The maze was the latest addition to the annual Pumpkinfest, a fund-raiser put on by the New Ulm Area Catholic Schools to raise money for technology improvements. It is one of NUACS' many fund-raisers throughout the year and, according to Domeier, was started to raise money for technology specifically.

Pumpkinfest depends upon donations of time and especially produce in order to thrive. Domeier estimated that this year's Pumpkinfest brought in about 600 of its namesakes in varying sizes and prices, complemented by approximately 500 pounds of squash.

"The painted mini-pumpkins have sold well," Domeier said, looking over a hay trailer stocked with bins of farm produce. "It's a toss-up. The gourds went real good last year."

Pumpkinfest not only moves produce; it produces profit too. Domeier said that in its first year, the fest only earned $360, but it brought in $960 last year.

"This year, I'm saying we're going to make about $2, 000 to $3,000," he estimated.

Attendance has also improved in the last three years. Jo Benning, a NUACS volunteer from New Ulm, said only 50 people came to the first Pumpkinfest. But 250 came last year, and Sunday's attendance attracted approximately 400 people.

All of the pumpkins, squash, and gourds at Pumpkinfest sold comes from local farms. The pumpkins were grown on a farm near Hanska.

"It's kind of a real all-profit thing, which helps the school greatly," Benning said.

NUACS boosters prefer the festival to a traditional carnival, Benning said, "We wanted more of a family thing, where a family could come out, grab a hot dog, y'know ... a sense of the community."

The corn maze attempted to enhance that family aspect. Building it took 10 people three tries before it was right, said Mandy Domeier, 15, whose father owns the 8 1/2- acre farm. She said it took about four hours on the first try but only took one on the second try using a weed whip and a design she found on the Internet.

The corn maze will stay up for two more weekends before harvest. The corn will be sold under NUACS' name and the money from the sale will go straight to the school, Ron Domeier said.

"This is just a riot," he said, looking out at a group of kids petting some penned-in calves and sheep. "It's my favorite time of the year, too."

The corn maze will probably return for the next Pumpkinfest, and it might have a companion next year -- a hay maze.