Goebel Farms, a family farm in Evansville, Indiana, issued a statement Wednesday defending its 2026 corn maze design honoring Charlie Kirk after facing online backlash.
“The maze was meant to honor someone, not to tell anyone else they aren’t welcome. The anger and hatred surrounding politics is part of what makes this memorial feel so important to us. Charlie lost his life because political disagreement became something much darker. I hope this can remind people that we can strongly disagree without hating each other,” farm manager Jeremy Goebel told the Washington Examiner.
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The farm posted a statement on Instagram Wednesday addressing the backlash.
“Our corn maze is not an endorsement of every belief or statement. It reflects our conviction that Americans should be able to speak, disagree, and challenge ideas without hatred or violence. We welcome people of all beliefs, and we are listening to our community,” Goebel Farms said.
“People are free to challenge ideas, criticize them and reject them—but violence must never become the response to speech. That is central to the meaning behind our maze.”
The farm released its newest maze modeled after Kirk on Instagram on Wednesday, tagging the accounts of Charlie Kirk, Erica Kirk, and Turning Point USA. The bottom of the maze shows the words “RIP CK” and appears to also include the date of Charlie’s death, “9 10 25.”
Kirk, a popular conservative activist, was shot and killed while speaking to students at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025.
The suspect, 23-year-old Tyler Robinson, has been charged with aggravated murder and discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury.
The business faced harsh backlash online over the design choice. As of Thursday morning, the farm has disabled comments on some of its Instagram posts.
According to Fox49 in Indianapolis, the business received dozens of negative Google reviews, and the farm owners reported those reviews to Google for policy violation.
Negative Yelp reviews have plummeted the online rating of the farm, which also sells pumpkins and Christmas trees.
“We used to get out trees here, but that stops now that we know exactly who these owners are,” one review from Wednesday said.
“A corn maze is supposed to be something fun, not some dumb political bullshit,” another reviewer said.
Other reviews said, “Honestly, involving Charlie Kirk and politics with Goebel Farms was one of the worst business decisions you could have made.”
“This farm should be shut down. The owners, operators, and workers are all out of their minds.”
Some people on Yelp offered words of encouragement, saying, “It’s sad that they’re getting such hateful comments. Charlie was not a hater.”
“God bless you. Stay strong with these toddlers having meltdowns.”
Some reviews quoted excerpts from Kirk, but the farm said they can lack context, as with any public figure.
“We are aware of several quotations being shared in response to our decision. As with remarks by any public figure, selected excerpts do not always convey the surrounding discussion, intended meaning or later clarification. We encourage people to examine complete sources and context. At the same time, our tribute does not require anyone to defend or agree with everything Charlie said,” the farm said in its statement.
The business said they initially chose to honor Kirk because “he understood that when people stop talking, division deepens and others become easier to dehumanize. He was killed while participating in the kind of open exchange he championed, and we honor the principle that disagreement must never be answered with violence.”
The farm has done multiple corn maze designs over the years, including an image of Jay Leno, the cover art for the movie “Narnia: Prince Caspian,” Star Trek, Indiana Jones, and designs honoring U.S. Troops.
The farm’s 2025 design honored first responders and was announced on the 24th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. The design featured logos for fire and EMS crews, as well as police.
Wednesday’s statement also said the farm recognizes “that using Charlie’s image carries meaning beyond the message we intended, and we are listening to the community’s response.”
“Our hope remains simple: that Americans can speak openly, disagree honestly and challenge one another’s ideas without hatred or violence—and that our community can continue treating its members with dignity and respect.”
Goebel said they plan to take extra precautions this season.
“Staff will be told not to get involved in political arguments or confrontations and to bring any concerns directly to management. We’re also looking at our security plans,” Goebel said.
TYLER ROBINSON WILL STAND TRIAL ON CHARGES FOR ALLEGEDLY KILLING CHARLIE KIRK: JUDGE
“The maze was meant as a memorial. It wasn’t intended as an attack on anyone. We still plan to do what we’ve always done, which is provide a safe and enjoyable place for families to visit in the fall and during the Christmas season.”
Goebel Farms opens on Sept. 8.
