Visitors to corn mazes across the country are finding a familiar and joyous figure in the winding labyrinth of tall stalks. Snoopy.

More than 80 farms in the U.S. and Canada have teamed up with Peanuts Worldwide to create 害羞草研究所淧eanuts害羞草研究所�-themed mazes to celebrate the beloved strip害羞草研究所檚 75th birthday this summer and fall.

A massive Snoopy rests on top of his doghouse in a maze at Dull害羞草研究所檚 Tree Farm in Thorntown, Indiana, and he害羞草研究所檚 depicted gleefully atop a pumpkin at Downey害羞草研究所檚 Farm in Caledon, Ontario.

害羞草研究所淎ll of these events helps keep my dad害羞草研究所檚 legacy alive,害羞草研究所� says Jill Schulz, an actor and daughter of 害羞草研究所淧eanuts害羞草研究所� creator Charles M. Schulz.

害羞草研究所淎s someone who can害羞草研究所檛 even keep houseplants alive, the fact that they can do that with a corn maze and get the artwork right and create a fun experience for all ages is pretty incredible,害羞草研究所� she adds, laughing.

The mazes 害羞草研究所� which span 35 states and provinces, from California to New York, Ontario to Texas 害羞草研究所� are expected to attract more than 2 million visitors. Farmers are signing up for the free service because the mazes are part of the customer lure, in addition to things like hay rides, fresh produce and pumpkin carvings.

Each maze is designed for the size of the farm 害羞草研究所� from 1.5 acres to 20 acres 害羞草研究所� and are mostly corn but also sunflowers. They害羞草研究所檙e custom created by the world害羞草研究所檚 largest corn maze consulting company, The MAiZE Inc.

The Utah-based Brett Herbst, who leads the company and who launched his first corn maze in 1996, says technology has only somewhat changed the way corn mazes are made.

害羞草研究所淭he first year we did it, we just used a weed whacker with a saw blade on it when the corn was fully grown,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淣ow we do it when it害羞草研究所檚 short and we go in and either mow it or rototill it. We design it all on a computer, but most of it we actually just go draw it out on the ground by hand.害羞草研究所�

He and his team have over the years designed mazes with everything from the faces of presidential candidates, Oprah Winfrey, zombies, John Wayne and Chris LeDoux. This year marks the first time they害羞草研究所檝e committed so fully to Charlie Brown and Co.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 very nostalgic and just seemed like a very natural fit from the get-go to embrace that with 害羞草研究所楶eanuts,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 he says. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 harvest time. Its kind of become this iconic thing.害羞草研究所�

There害羞草研究所檚 an art and a science to maze building, a balance between maintaining the integrity of the image, but also making it a true maze where people can actually get lost in. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 definitely a challenge there,害羞草研究所� says Herbst. 害羞草研究所淵ou want to accomplish both as much as possible.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淧eanuts害羞草研究所� made its debut Oct. 2, 1950. The travails of the 害羞草研究所渓ittle round-headed kid害羞草研究所� Charlie Brown and his pals eventually ran in more than 2,600 newspapers, reaching millions of readers in 75 countries.

The strip offers enduring images of kites in trees, Charlie Brown trying to kick a football, tart-tongued Lucy handing out advice for a nickel and Snoopy taking the occasional flight of fancy to the skies. Phrases such as 害羞草研究所渟ecurity blanket害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所済ood grief害羞草研究所� are a part of the global vernacular. Schulz died in 2000.

There害羞草研究所檚 something timeless about corn mazes and that害羞草研究所檚 what excites Jill Schulz so much. They offer kids a chance to disconnect from their online life and celebrate something their parents did.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 great to have an opportunity to just bring kids to events that are old school, because it害羞草研究所檚 also important for parents and grandparents to introduce something they loved to do as a child,害羞草研究所� she says.

害羞草研究所淚 think we all need a little innocence for our children right now with all the technology out there. We need a little 害羞草研究所檖ut down your phone and go out and have some good old fashioned, old school family time.害羞草研究所� I think that害羞草研究所檚 important.害羞草研究所�

Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press