Vehicle wanted: Kustermans Adventure Farm needs a new target for their corn cannon

Kustermans Adventure Farm is putting the call out for something a little unusual: a vehicle people can blast with corn cobs.

The family-run farm west of London, Ont., is once again gearing up for its Fall Festival, and one of the biggest draws is the "corn cannon," a compressed-air launcher that gives visitors the chance to fire cobs at signs of monsters and retired vehicles.

CEO Steve Kustermans said the tradition has become a highlight of the season.

"It's kind of a spectator sport," he said. "People cheer when the corn smashes into the cars. The windows get blown out, the taillights go, and the body gets dented. By the end of the season, the cars are destroyed — and people love every second of it."

The farm has gone through a few different vehicles over the years, including a white sedan that once belonged to Kustermans' grandfather. That car, he said, took a surprising number of hits before it was retired. "It actually survived a lot of bullets. It was built tough," Kustermans said with a laugh.

Now, the farm is looking for the next vehicle to put in the line of fire. The team says they're open to anything — a car, a truck, a van, even a limousine. If it has four wheels and can sit safely in the firing zone, it's eligible.

Kustermans has taken to social media to invite Londoners to send in pictures of their old rides. Anyone with a potential donation can send photos through the farm's Facebook or Instagram accounts. The winner will receive $500 in cash, plus free family passes to the Fall Festival, along with the bragging rights of knowing their car went out in a blaze of corn.

The Fall Festival runs every weekend in September and October, starting Sept. 6. Along with the corn cannon, guests can make their way through a five-acre corn maze, this year themed around pollinators, bounce through inflatable obstacle courses, enjoy face painting and family games, and later in the season, head out to pick pumpkins from the farm's 10-acre patch.

"It's one of the best times of year here," Kustermans said. "It's all about families laughing, running around, and having fun together. And this year, one lucky donor's old vehicle will be part of that fun from start to finish."