Join the Hamilton County Conservation District for a morning of fun and learning as we celebrate healthy soil—and the first annual Ohio Soil Health Week!! Healthy soil supports growing healthy food, both in our backyard gardens and in our crop fields. Healthy soil also supports communities that are good places to live: nourishing shade trees and landscaping, absorbing rainwater, and supporting diverse wildlife. At the Healthy Soil Festival, you can learn ways to help improve and protect soil in your own yard or neighborhood. The Open House style Festival will include interactive learning stations and exhibitor and vendor booths. The last hour of the Festival will be a program on soil testing with a speaker describing how to conduct a soil test, how to interpret results, and introducing methods to improve soil fertility to achieve your growing goals. Attendees are welcome to bring their soil test results (if they have tested in advance), or they can pick up soil test kits that day to bring home. Registration is recommended but not required.

In honor of Ohio Soil Health Week, join Green Umbrella at Camp Washington Perennial Farm for their “Bring Your Own Bucket” fall compost sale! This 2-hour event offers high-quality compost perfect for putting your gardens to bed for the winter, along with essential education on the composting process. Event Goals: Provide high-quality compost for fall garden winterization Educate attendees about the composting process and its benefits for soil health Promote sustainable gardening practices for the fall and winter seasons Showcase our farm’s commitment to soil stewardship Attendees are encouraged to bring their own buckets to purchase compost by volume ($8), with bagged compost also available for sale ($10). Learn how to properly prepare your garden for winter using our nutrient-rich compost. Our knowledgeable staff will be on hand to explain the composting process and answer your fall gardening questions. Open to the public (gardeners) If you’re looking for compost now, order online any time, and learn more at the Common Orchard Project’s website.