Attachment
Scottsdale, AZ (January 2010) — In preparation for its 32nd annual Scottsdale Culinary Festival (April 13 – 18, 2010), the Scottsdale League for the Arts recently planted a vegetable garden on the grounds of the Scottsdale Center for the Arts (7380 E. Second St.). Managed by the composting and sustainability gurus, Ken and Lee Singh of Singh Farms, the garden will provide fresh herbs and produce to be used at the 2010 Scottsdale Culinary Festival. Vegetables harvested through the winter and spring will be donated to the Vista del Camino community center in Scottsdale.
On October 28, the Singh’s planted a batch of winter-ready crops such as romaine, kale, and rainbow chard. And in the next few weeks they will be planting seeds to grow bunching onions, carrots, radishes, beets and other root crops. However, before anything was planted, the soil had to be prepped. “The first thing we did prior to planting was amend the soil because it was previously a flower bed, and we didn’t know about any pesticides or chemical fertilizers that might be in soil,” says Lee Singh. To prep the soil, the Singh’s mixed in Singh Farms compost and compost tea (a special blend of organic materials steeped together), and then injected a fish-based fertilizer into the soil. “This raises the sugar content of the soil, gets the microbial activity going and doesn’t wash away into the sewer like chemical fertilizers.”
Throughout the winter, the Singh’s will harvest grown crops as well as move in new plants as the seasons change. “By the time the festival rolls around,” Singh says, “we will have an all-new batch of crops, a spring mix with lots of fresh herbs for the chefs to cook with.”
“The City of Scottsdale is pleased to provide land for this garden,” says City of Scottsdale Irrigation Systems Coordinator, David Pratt. “The Scottsdale Culinary Festival is a signature event and a powerful fundraiser for the Scottsdale Center for the Arts, so we were pleased to be a part of this.”
About Singh Farms
Renowned for its high-quality compost and vegetables, Singh Farms is a 20-acre oasis at Loop 101 and Thomas Road, and is open to visitors on Saturdays from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.
For more information visit www.ScottsdaleCulinaryFestival.org or call 480.945.7193
For media inquiries contact 602.264.2655
MMPR Marketing
1940 E. Camelback Rd., Ste. 207 | Phoenix, AZ 85016 | tel. 602.264.2655 | fax 602.264.2633 | www.margomedia.com
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
