Arcadia’s Edible Garden Tour

As Rebecca says, “yard space isn’t just for grass anymore”.

Rebecca Kidwell, co-farmer of FarmYard, and co-builder of my own little backyard farm, is one of the prime organizers of this year’s Arcadia’s Edible Garden Tour on Sunday, December 5th, 2010. Tour times are 1pm-4 pm, picnic is 3pm- 4:30pm and tickets are only $10; children under 7 are free. Purchase your tickets on the Arcadia’s Edible Garden Tour website and you will be sent a map of the locations and confirmation of your reservation. Profits benefit our creative folks at Community Food Connections which bring to you the Downtown Phoenix Public Market.

For those of you who are new to Phoenix, the Arcadia area of Phoenix was once home to large citrus groves, a few of which still exist. In fact, Phoenix began as a farming community and both Arcadia and Phoenix have a long history of growing food on a local level.

At the tour you will have the opportunity to personally meet a group of edible food gardeners who are continuing this local farming tradition in an urban setting, by converting their front and back yards into productive garden spaces.You will be able to ask questions about everything from vegetable and herb gardens that use traditional and raised bed techniques, to pollinator gardens, to composting systems,  and gray water use. Oh, and chicken coops!

Five edible gardens will be featured in the tour: Mary’s garden, Rebecca and Troy’s Farmyard, Hal and Jill’s Sweet Life Garden, David’s garden (Care-a-Lot Farms) and Jack and Leah’s garden. Mary is a Landscape Designer who has enjoyed gardening for over 20 years, Troy and Rebecca run Farmyard, a company specializing in edible garden installations, Hal and Jill’s back yard is a mini-farm and orchard, David’s property is an orchard, two large gardens and two eco-ponds, and Jack and Leah’s garden is an example of how to garden in the front yard with style. A “can’t miss this kind of day”!

And, as added value, your ticket price includes an afternoon garden picnic at Hal and Jill’s Sweet Life Garden featuring local and organically grown salad greens and salad dressing, herbed chicken and vegetarian soups, fresh baked bread and a seasonal dessert.Yummy.

Tickets are limited, so hurry. Questions? Call Rebecca at 602-954-1440.

Announcement by Susan Cypert, Phoenix Farmers Market Examiner at Examiner.com

View Susan’s article on Examiner.com by following this link or view more of Susan’s articles by visiting her writer’s page.