Terrebonne - Carving a path through a corn field is a favorite past time this time of year, but down the bayou it's the "cane" that's as high as an elephant's eye.
This multi-million dollar industry is especially sweet to an artist and a farmer and brought the two together in Terrebonne parish Louisiana. We often overlook the tall, fluid sugar cane stalks that line our highways, but when artist Anne Senstad wanted to create an agricultural based art project, her research led her straight to the cane fields.
This sugarcane field looks just like many others at the surface, Anne Senstad said, "It's really beautiful and especially when you see it from the heights it looks like waves."
It's secret hidden by towering, pulsating fronds is revealed from above. Senstad said, "A maze is a game and it's a sort of symbol of the path through life."
Artist Anne Senstad worked on several pieces with the K&K project in New Orleans, "I wanted to create a large sort of live sculpture." The artist paired her artistic vision with a local staple. She said, "To see it in full growth now and to see what I envisioned on paper become reality is very gratifying."
Theriot sugarcane farmer Ronald Waguespack knew how to make that vision a reality,
"Well I got a phone call from Anne and they wanted to get the project going in New Orleans and we knew that that wasn't a realistic thing so we decided to bring it out here to the cane fields." Senstad said, "
A lot of art is moving more towards sustainability in society so kind of this maze has that statement about sort of the future and creating more kind of sustainable methods for fuel or living." That's one reason Waguespack suggested using ethanol producing sugarcane, "It was a rapidly growing cane."
It stays more erect than the regular sugar cane that we have. It just fit the program." Senstad said, "The cane is so tall the cane is about 15 feet tall so you have these very tall green walls around you that are swaying in the wind and it's really and how should I say it you go between excitement and a little bit worried that you'll get lost."
An artistic, environmental and economic statement all coming together in the maze because although its big business in countries like Brazil, sugarcane based Ethanol is still in its very early stages here.
Waguespack believes opening up that market makes sense, "It would be nice. We could grow that on some of our poorer land you know and the harvest time wouldn't be as critical as our sugar production." He says the heartier fuel producing cane could be harvested through March. Waguespack said, "The land lords and the growers could make money on land that they don't have in sugar production right now." Pound for pound sugarcane produces more energy at a lower cost than corn.
Jonathan Lindley, known as Spanky, is one of the farm hands who worked closely with Senstad, "It was like a big game. It's been different. I never would have thought working on the farm I would have had to build a maze. But, I guess life throws different challenges at you." Senstad said, "It's really a lot of fun and you kind of get lost in it. I get lost in it all the time and finding your way out." Waguespack hopes the labyrinth leads more people to take a look at the new industry. He said, "I think it will definitely open up the eyes of some of the people and at least let them know that this exist here."
The bayou country farmer and the international artist are getting lost in hopes of finding a way to more green energy solutions.
Volunteers will be at the maze Saturday October 24th and Sunday the 25th to show it off to the public, but visitors are welcomed until it is harvested sometime in November. To get there take highway 315 south from Houma to just past Dularge. Look for the Kleentek farming sign on the right.
