Fall Sun at Galey's Farm Corn Maze

Last November I had the amazing opportunity to spend Thanksgiving in Iowa with my boyfriend’s family. This was my first introduction to Jon’s family as well as my first American Thanksgiving. His family was amazing! They made me feel at home right from the start and although similar to a Canadian Thanksgiving with ample turkey, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, gravy, and, of course, family, there is something to be said for spending my first American Thanksgiving on a farm during the latter part of the harvest.

On the Friday evening, Jon and I went to help his brother and nephews with ‘chiseling’, the post harvest chopping up of the hard ground, corn shafts, and root balls that remain after combining. It was beyond black that night and about 16 degrees Fahrenheit – a beautiful night! After a couple of hours, Jon let me take over the controls and I had the time of my life driving a giant Case tractor through a real Iowa corn field. That kind of torque and four wheel drive action is an off-roader's dream!

Remembering that feeling, I decided to go in search of a harvest here in Victoria to photograph. Not many people believe me when I say Victoria grows some of the best sweet corn in the world but I swear, it does! Sweet corn is a new term for me, taught during the trip to Iowa where we were actually harvesting feed corn a.k.a. Cornflakes™ that has a longer growing season. Of course, all the sweet corn was also harvested long before I made it back to Victoria but the Corn Maze at Galey’s Farm is not grown for human consumption, only human fun.

Galey’s is an odd combination of farming, theater, and activities within a few kilometers of downtown Victoria. It is part of the ‘green belt’, a strip of land running from Victoria up the Peninsula that is zoned agricultural and safe from development. In 2000, Galey Farms became one of the first local farms to jump on the agri-tourism hay wagon, a perfect expansion for a tourist city.

Worth a visit, Galey’s run a Petting Zoo, Western Town, Haunted House, Pumpkin Festival, Fall Hay rides, and a Farm Train. However, expect a few strange attractions such as the forty foot tall Sphinx built for the Egyptian exhibit at the BC Provincial Museum. It is tall enough to be seen in all directions and a strange enough site to stop traffic!


I did get the chance to photograph a bit of fall corn in the maze but spent more time looking then shooting I'm afraid. Enjoy the pics here!