New vendors putting down roots at Golden Farmers Market

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

ey came to the market with a dream and found a community.

e Golden Farmers Market has returned for its 21st year, welcoming several new vendors throughout the season. Whether it’s fresh produce, plants, clothing or artwork, these newcomers have a wide variety of wares to o er.

According to the Golden Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the annual market, this season’s new vendors include but aren’t limited to:

Alyth Active; Colorado Fresh Farmers/Go Farm Growers Collective; OG Bakery; Mountain Freedom Coins; Plant Life; Superganix; and Zena Johnson Art.

Some of them are Golden residents, like Zena Johnson who graduated from Golden High School in 2022. She’s nishing up her gap year before starting at e Savannah College of Art and Design this fall.

Johnson grew up frequenting the Golden Farmers Market as a customer, so it’s been a bit surreal to be on the other side of it as a vendor. She’s been selling her oil paintings, prints and original stickers, and will be available at the Golden market through July 22.

Johnson explained that this was her rst time as a vendor, and Golden is her only market she’s participating in this summer. Most vendors participate in multiple.

Overall, she said, she’s been learning and “seeing what it takes” to be a full-time artist, and start saving money for college. She’s also had a fun time meeting other artists, saying one woman was so inspired by their conversation that she wanted to start painting.

“Everyone is super open,” Johnson continued. “It’s good experience (for me). I’m meeting a lot of the community this way.”

Golden resident and Plant Life owner Sharon Bell has loved that aspect of the farmers market as well. She’s enjoyed sharing her plants and making connections with customers and fellow vendors.

“I wanted to be part of the community,” she continued. “ … I just put myself out there, and everyone’s been very receptive.”

Finding inspiration in the great outdoors

After she moved to Colorado from Louisiana in Dec. 2021, Bell started her company with a green thumb and a dream. She built greenhouses at her Golden home,