In response to the increasing concerns of COVID-19, and out of an abundance of caution for our volunteers and participants, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Soil Kitchen. We are focused on mitigation strategies to protect the community and, while we are saddened by this cancellation, it is our responsibility to put health and safety first. We hope to see you at next year's Soil Kitchen.
Get free soil testing for your food garden
The Soil Kitchen is an annual event that provides a free opportunity for food growers to test what is in their soil. Soil testing helps food growers to know what nutrients their soil may be lacking and if harmful heavy metals are present. The Soil Kitchen will be hosted at the East Austin Garden Fair on Saturday, April 4, 2020 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Parque Zaragoza Recreation Center, 2608 Gonzales St., Austin, TX 78702.
Soil from backyard, school or community food gardens is accepted. Soil samples from flower beds, lawns or non-food gardens will not be accepted. All eligible samples will be collected during the event and sent to certified experts who will screen and test the soil for nutrients and for the presence of heavy metals. The results from the testing will be released four to six weeks after the event.