If there are aliens in Ancaster they must be McMaster alumni.

The design stamped into Joe Lindley's corn field this fall, an annual occurrence for more than a decade, is the McMaster University logo – though its origins are more Earthly than the crop circles of Hollywood fame.

Each year Lindley's Farm & Market designs and cuts a logo with local significance into its corn field, forming a maze for children and adults alike. Past designs have included the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Hamilton Bulldogs logos as well as a likeness of the Avro Lancaster bomber.

“We selected the McMaster logo for a number of reasons, not least of which its significance to the surrounding community,” said Mark Hunniford, who designs and cuts the maze into the field. “It also has a lot going on visually, so we knew the maze part of it would be a success.”

Each year Hunniford cuts out the design by hand and says that he has never digitally-enhanced a photo of his work to cover up a mistake.

“I make sure to measure twice and cut once,” he said.

The process begins in spring when Lindley plants his corn; early, so that the plants aren't too tall by the time they need to be cut. In July, Hunniford, Lindley's brother-in-law, visits the farm and marks out the design with field flags. He then uses a handheld lawn trimmer to cut out the logo, which he later photographs from the air for the farm's annual promotional postcard.

“There's no GPS or heavy equipment. It's all done by hand,” said Hunniford. “The McMaster logo was one of the more difficult we've done, so we really wanted to make sure we got it right.”