Companies in the LSU AgCenter Food Incubator offer samples and sales of their products at the 2014 Garden Fest at the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden. (Photo by Rick Bogren)

News Release Distributed 04/30/15

BATON ROUGE, La. – Fresh food, hayride tours and children’s water slides will be featured at the annual Garden Fest at Burden on June 20 at the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens in Baton Rouge.

From 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m., visitors will have an opportunity to take a hayride to the Botanic Gardens research area to taste tomatoes, melons, peppers and fruit crops and learn about the hottest new vegetables in the research trials conducted by the LSU AgCenter, according to Burden resident director Jeff Kuehny.

“Kids can beat the summer heat in fun water activities,” Kuehny said, noting water slides will be a part of this year’s activities. Children are encouraged to wear proper attire if they want to participate.

Visitors are invited to bring their best tomatoes from their gardens and enter them in the biggest tomato contest.

LSU AgCenter experts will conduct a plant health clinic and diagnose problems with plant specimens visitors bring to them.

The Louisiana Culinary Institute and the Louisiana Egg Commission will prepare and serve omelets, and visitors can sample bloody marys from Mason’s Grill and a summer drink from Mockler Beverage Company. Food companies in the LSU AgCenter Food Incubator also will be offering samples of their new foods and beverages.

The Louisiana Culinary Institute and the East Baton Rouge Parish extension office will provide samples of healthy dishes prepared from vegetables produced at the Botanic Gardens and local food producers.

Antique tractors such as the popular Farmalls made by International Harvester Corp. will be on display.

Admission to the event is $10 for adults and $5 for children 4-10 years old. Children under 4 will be admitted at no charge. The LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden is located at 4560 Essen Lane at I-10.

More information is available online at www.lsuagcenter.com/burden or by phone at 225-763-3990.