TRAVERSE CITY, MI - Just outside of Traverse City, a corn field that was planted to be extra thick is now growing tall, its stalks crowded together to form green walls and giving way to twists and turns that have been precision-cut into this 10-acre block. Later this month, it will open as one of Northern Michigan's most anticipated corn-maze destinations.

And once you make it through this maze, you might find yourself marveling at the long, strange trip it's been.

Jacob's Farm is getting into the classic rock spirit this fall, with its 2025 corn maze design revealed as a skull with a lightning bolt - an iconic Grateful Dead album cover image. The skull is edged by cherry cut-outs as a nod to this vacation spot's most iconic fruit.

The design replicates the Dead's famous "Steal Your Face" live double album cover, which was released in the summer of 1976.

The corn maze opens to the public on Thursday, Aug. 21. On Sunday, Aug. 24, a Grateful Dead cover band is booked to play at the farm from 6 to 9 p.m.

Jacob's Farm has evolved into one of the Traverse City area's best agritourism destinations in recent years. A state-recognized Centennial Farm, the acreage has been in the Witkop family for five generations.

It's now known as a wedding and special event spot, with a few different venues available for rent. But the farm aspect is what draws in the public. Each late summer and fall, it's known as a U-pick spot with cherries, apples and peaches served up with a side of family-friendly activities. As the leaves start to turn, think cider and fresh donuts, bonfires and wagon rides. Add in some live music a few nights a week. And it now has a full-service restaurant and bar area (try the pizza!).

Jacob's Farm is especially known for its well-designed corn maze, which changes each year. This has been drawing fall crowds since 2008, said farm COO Hiram Witkop.

"We rented that field out to other farmers when I was a kid - it was just corn," Witkop, 41, said in a recent interview with MLive. "Now we've developed this monster of a business over time. Families come back every year, just for the corn maze."

Inside the Maze

The corn maze itself is an adventure, and more than just walking. Users will find checkpoints at different locations, once inside. "It's a little more interactive than just a regular corn maze," Witkop said.

Planning for the maze starts around the first of each year. Farm members typically work with a maze design company to select the theme. In the past, they've done dinosaur mazes, or a labyrinth in homage to Alice in Wonderland.

Each summer, a local farmer is contracted to plant the corn field. It's seeded extra thick and planted slightly later in the season than normal so the mature corn will be timed perfectly for a late summer opening and stay in good condition until the maze closes in late October.

"It's irrigated under the corn," Witkop said. "So if it's a bad rain season, we are still going to have 8-foot corn. And when the maze is done, the farmer gets whatever corn is left."

And here's the nerdy fun part: The maze picture is done with computer-aided design (CAD). In early July, a tractor with rototilling blades attached uses GPS instructions to precisely sculpt the design from the growing corn field. You can see the video of the tractor creating this cool field art on the farm's social media page here.

Witkop said being able to turn their family's long-held property into a gathering place for locals and tourists as well as their venue guests has been an amazing evolution.

"We are trying to show the community what we are capable of doing," he said of the property, which was purchased by his great, great grandfather in 1892. "It's definitely grown through the years."

They've added new buildings, converted others and worked to establish a network of local vendors. Along the way, they've established a name for themselves as a place people put on their fall travel bucket list.

"There's not many places around here like us," he said. "We're not going anywhere."

For updates on activities, music and events at Jacob's Farm, follow them on social media.