Spring is just around the corner and that means preparing garden beds, pruning trees and shrubs and finally starting that compost pile. It is also the perfect time to venture out to local farms and pick out this year's bedding plants and garden starts for your garden.

This spring on the Red Rooster Route, Garden Treasures Nursery and Organic Farm is introducing the Happy Soils Festival on Saturday, April 16, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Happy Soils Festival allows youth and adults to learn about the key ingredients to build up tilth in the soil. Free demonstrations on the farm show how adding compost and the right fertilizer create an organic space that defends itself from disease and predators. Farm walks will also be organized throughout the day, allowing visitors to learn how an organic system of food production and distribution promotes healthy living and nurtures the environment.

"Our farm is committed to organic food production and promoting a sustainable lifestyle," said owner and farmer Mark Lovejoy. "The goal of the Happy Soils Festival is to take the mystery out of organic gardening and natural soil health."

Now in its third year, the annual Red Rooster Route will host a variety of spring and summer festivals including The Flower Festival during Mother's Day weekend on May 7 and 8 at Foster's Farm, the Strawberry Festival on June 18 and 19 at Biringer Farm and Garden Treasures Nursery and Organic Farm, Red Rooster Route Days on July 16 and 17 at all the farms on the Red Rooster Route, and the Blueberry Festival on July 30 at Bryant Blueberry Farm and Nursery.

A self-guided tour through the greater Arlington area, the Red Rooster Route is rich with pastoral views and plenty of recreational and u-pick opportunities. To learn more about the farms on the Red Rooster Route and to download a tour map, visit the website at www.redroosterroute.com.

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