THORNTON, Colo. — A family farm that has operated since the 1980s is welcoming the community for its 25th season of agri-tourism, despite facing the driest growing year on record.
Mark Villano grew 50 acres of corn in the driest year he has ever seen — just so his community could continue the tradition of getting lost in it.
Denver7's Mike Castellucci tells us more about how the farm is staying afloat in the video below:
Villano is the farmer and owner of Maize in the City, a family-owned agri-tourism farm that has been operating on the same land in Denver since the 1980s. The farm opened its doors to the public 25 years ago, starting with about 4 acres and room for a dozen cars.
"We weren't the first in Colorado, but we were one of the few that has outlasted. It's a family thing," Villano said.
This season tested that resilience. The canal that feeds the corn ran critically low.
"Quite dry, been this way since June," Villano said. "Talking to the ditch companies, by far the worst year going back to the 1800's."
Villano said the corn received very little irrigation throughout the entire growing season.
"I think we got four full waterings on it the entire season," Villano said.
A single rainstorm made the difference.
"We were very lucky, there was one heavy rain storm after the corn was tall enough and that helped a lot," Villano said.
The farm is owned by three siblings, with Villano serving as the farmer. Sister-in-law, Cristina Palombo, helps run the operation and says the family's roots on this land run deep.
"Our family has been in this area, farming on this land since the 80s. In 2001, we started the agri-tourism part," Palombo said.
That agri-tourism operation has grown well beyond its modest beginnings. Today, Maize in the City features two corn mazes, a market, a pumpkin master building store, and a pumpkin patch where visitors can pick their own.
"Everybody stops in here," Palombo said.
Despite the hardships of this season, Villano said the farm and the family will push through — as they always do.
"Thankfully we all stay married at the end of the month. Family thing. It's something, I enjoy it," Villano said.
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