Farmers Market Opens June 5

The Golden Farmers Market opens Saturday, June 5 and runs through the first week of October. Shop local and fresh at the Golden Farmers Market, sponsored by the Golden Chamber of Commerce. Local growers and artisanal vendors offer a wide selection of produce, prepared food and health, beauty and wellness items. The market welcomes SNAP Benefits and offers Double Up Bucks for its patrons. Look for the market in its customary location next to the Golden Library at 10th & Illinois Streets, on Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Please plan to follow COVID-19 shopping guidelines so we can keep the market up and running through October. For more information visit www.GoldenFarmersMarket.org.

SATURDAYS

8 a.m. – 1 p.m. June 5 – October 2 10th & Illinois

The Golden Farmer’s Market accepts SNAP payments and Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB). Participants receive an incentive that matches the amount spent in federal nutrition benefits toward the purchase of healthy, fresh, locally-grown fruits and vegetables.

PARKS IN GOLDEN ARE WATERED WITH THE DROUGHT IN MIND

Have you ever wondered how the Parks Division maintains over 250 acres of beautiful, healthy turf, flowerbeds, planters and traffic medians, while keeping water conservation in mind? Drought conditions in Colorado have forced many communities, including Golden, to look at invoking voluntary water restrictions. Just as we ask residents to be mindful of water consumption, the Parks Division irrigates with best water conservation practices in mind.

Smart watering solutions begin by applying only the necessary amount of water to specific turf and plants each week. Using the ‘cycle and soak’ method of irrigation, watering times are broken into 3 cycles per night, so a zone requiring 30 minutes of watering time is broken into three, 10-minute cycles. This allows the water to soak into the ground and minimizes surface water runoff. Most irrigation occurs at night, after parks close at 11 pm to reduce evaporation in the hot sun. Watering days are spaced throughout the week when possible, and to encourage deep root growth, areas are not watered on consecutive days. Watering times are also affected by the weather and in drier, warmer periods, you may notice that the irrigation systems are running for longer periods of time than in the spring and fall.

Technology plays an important role in irrigation, with the use of centralized and smart irrigation controllers, along with rain shut off sensors. Centralized controllers allow for adjustments to be made from one central location, obviating the need to travel to each individual controller, and use sensors to monitor daily temperature and rainfall to ensure accurate and not wasteful watering. Rain shutoff sensors are used to suspend irrigation if more than .25” of precipitation falls during a rain event. Employing a fulltime Irrigation Technician who performs routine inspection, repair and scheduling of irrigation schedules ensures yearround best practices. The use of mulch and the selection of drought tolerant perennial plants, as well as subsurface drip irrigation systems are important ways the Parks Division stays mindful of precious water resources and uses only the amount of water necessary to maintain healthy plants and turf for public enjoyment.