One Upping the Corn Maze

Of the two million farmers left in the United States, half struggle to turn a profit. But many of the profitable farmers have reinvented their role to ensure their survival. In the process, they created two new words that describe their enterprising efforts: agri-tainment and agri-tourism.

It's not just Farmer's Markets anymore. These markets, the oldest farming tradition dating back to the 1600s, continue to flourish across the country. Now farmers invite city folk to give country living a try (think City Slickers). They ask families to bring the kids out for hayrides and to navigate through corn mazes (often designed using GPS technology) and then come out after dinner to enjoy creamy homemade ice cream and neighborly visits [in fact, there's a very popular one, pastoral view and all, just down the street from LMT!].

They also create hugely popular and profitable Halloween extravaganzas. One farm, outside Philadephia, for instance, creates jobs for 250 people, attracts...