Get the Dirt! A Soil Health Science Fair

Dig into soil science with hands-on exhibits, demonstrations, activities, and local experts at this family-friendly celebration!
About this Event
Soil Health Science Fair

Saturday, November 14, 2026 | Gorman Heritage Farm

There’s a whole world beneath our feet—come discover it!

Healthy soil is actually so much more than dirt, so we hope you don’t fault us for being clever! It's a living, breathing ecosystem teeming with organisms, big and small, all playing a part in sustaining life on our planet.

From our first cup of joe in the morning to the meals we share around our tables and the water that quenches our thirst, healthy soil is connected to so much of our everyday lives. Beneath forest floors, garden beds, farm fields, compost piles, and even our picnic blankets, an incredible world is hard at work, often without us ever noticing.

Alongside air and water, soil is one of our planet's most essential natural resources. Yet, despite being all around us, it's easy to take the ground beneath our feet for granted. What exactly is soil? How was it formed? What makes it healthy? And why does it matter so much?

Let's dig a little deeper!

Join us at Gorman Heritage Farm as we celebrate Ohio Soil Health Week with a family-friendly Soil Health Science Fair! Through hands-on experiments, interactive demonstrations, creative activities, and conversations with local experts, curious minds of all ages are invited to explore the fascinating world beneath our feet.

Here's a little of what you can discover:

• Get to know Ohio's soils! Discover how the soils beneath our feet were formed, what makes them unique, and why different soils have different properties.
• Discover the virtues of clay soil! Calling all home gardeners! Learn why clay soil isn't necessarily the gardening challenge you might think it is, and how to work with the soil you've got with Ohio Master Gardener's Club.
• Turn food scraps into garden gold! Meet the hardworking organisms that transform organic waste into nutrient-rich compost. Explore composting with Queen City Commons and learn how to get started at home, whether you have a backyard, a small patio, or limited space. Discover vermicomposting and other options!
• Become a soil detective! Learn about soil sampling, what soil tests can tell us, and how understanding your soil can help you grow healthier plants.
• Meet the creatures beneath our feet! Get acquainted with some of the animals that make their homes in the soil with DinoBuddies, and take a closer look at the tiny organisms that help keep it healthy.
• Follow the water! Join Mill Creek Alliance to explore the important relationship between healthy soil and clean water, and discover how what happens on land affects our local waterways.
• Explore soil health on the farm! Learn why caring for the soil is so important to farmers and discover some of the practices we use right here at Gorman Heritage Farm to protect and nurture the land that grows our food.
• Get creative and curious! Little explorers can settle in for story hour, paint with soil, and enjoy hands-on opportunities to investigate the colors, textures, and wonders of the earth.

Whether you're an experienced home gardener looking to dig a little deeper, a curious beginner eager to learn, a family of nature lovers, or a kiddo who just loves to play in the dirt, there's something for everyone!

Bring your curious minds, your explorers' eyes, and maybe a little willingness to get your hands dirty. We can't wait to dig in with you!

POLICIES

• Programs run rain or shine. Dress for the weather if your program takes you outside!
• Agritourism Warning: Under Ohio law, there is no liability for an injury to or death of a participant in an agritourism activity conducted at this agritourism location if that injury or death results from the inherent risks of that agritourism activity. Inherent risks of agritourism activities include, but are not limited to. the risk of injury inherent to land, equipment, and animals as well as the potential for you as a participant to act in a negligent manner that may contribute to your injury or death. You are assuming the risk of participating in this agritourism activity.

By signing up and/or attending any of our programs, you are agreeing to the above policies.