Grow Jets Grow.
A seeding company in southwestern Manitoba is putting its stamp on hockey fandom this summer and it’s fuelled by passion… and corn.
Glenboro-based Jefferies Seed has unveiled a massive corn maze shaped like the Winnipeg Jets heritage logo in a 30-acre field owned by Over The Hill Farms.
“It’s the third time doing a corn maze,” Cale Jefferies, the seeding company’s CEO, told CTV News Winnipeg. “We like to switch it up with different logos and stuff… but the Jets logo has definitely been the biggest hit so far.”
However, the giant emblem wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. Jefferies said planning started back in the winter by inputting data into the farm’s GPS-enabled planter.
“Basically, once you’ve inputted it, you just press go and (the planter) puts seeds where they need to be or where they don’t need to be,” Jefferies explained. “Every year, I’m amazed how accurate this turns out.”
He estimates the logo covers about 10,000 square feet in the cornfield and, impressively, only took the planter about half an hour to complete.
“We just wanted to get some buzz and demonstrate what technology can do in agriculture and really just have some fun with it,” he explained. “It’s about yield and making the most of your crops, but sometimes it’s just about having fun, showing some passion for the community and the surrounding areas, and the Jets logo is just a nice fit with a lot of passionate Jets fans around.“
The seeding company’s tribute to the Jets has already caught the attention of the Winnipeg hockey club.
The Jets shared an aerial photo of the logo on Friday and, in a nod to the Crave television series Letterkenny, wrote, “Not my corn maze, not my farm. But that there’s a genuine work of art.”
“We were not expecting it to go as viral as it did… but it’s pretty cool to see the Jets retweeted it, and NHL.com got a hold of it,” Jefferies said. “I’ve got a lot more work to do promoting it, but it’s been fun.”
Jefferies said the corn maze is open to the public and he’s encouraging people to come check it out for free.
“Life goes fast, so you’ve got to slow down, have some fun, and enjoy some things,” Jefferies said. “Just to bring a smile or two, or a new experience for some kids — that’s what it’s all about.”
