Consumer Report
Carbon Valley | Mead | Erie
Volume 27 • Issue 9 • September 2026 • Since 1999 • carbonvalley@gmail.com
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In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened; He saved me from all my troubles. - Psalm 34:6
Turning Your Lawn Into A Grassland Might Just Save You Money By Skylar Whalen
It’s no secret that bills have been high, especially since the drought in Colorado is disrupting water availability and contributing to the many wildfires around Colorado and surrounding regions. There may be a hack to fix all of this, and it’s not quite what you may think. Around the Carbon Valley community, neighbors may have opted to zero-scape their yards, removing all of the short turf grass, in favor of rock, mulch, flowers, and grasses. There is a way to create a similar concept of removing the turf grass and remodeling your yard to conserve water and reduce yard maintenance, while also still having grassy areas to enjoy, and that is planting native grasses instead of traditional turf. Traditional turf lawns are extremely water-hungry due to their lack of drought resistance. They also have shallow roots in the Colorado climate, leading to lots of water runoff. This runoff leads to both soil erosion and a need for more drainage areas to be constructed to catch this water, often bringing trash and debris with it into the water. Why is this water runoff such a problem, you ask? Well, economically speaking, that is just more money from your costly water bill being wasted and draining off into your neighborhood’s sewer drains. Colorado native bunch grasses, while not the first plant that comes to mind for a yard, are actually a great substitute for traditional lawns. Unlike turf lawns, they do grow in clusters, and while they grow higher than traditional lawn grass, some don’t grow so high that the view is blocked. Unlike traditional turf, native grasses have deep fibrous roots reaching further down into the soil. This fights back against topsoil erosion (the only soil we can grow plants and crops on), and it uses water deeper in the soil. The extended height of these grasses will also aid in shading the ground, protecting your yard against
excess heat, and unlike turf lawns. conserving water. Gornish said, Cooperative “When you have a Extension Specialist patchwork of native in Ecological grass species… they Restoration from are not necessarily the University touching, and of Arizona, and there’s space Director of the between them. If a Desert Laboratory fire occurs, it’s not at Tumamoc Hill, going to be able to Dr. Elise S. Gornish move as quickly Native grass grows around Mead Ponds. said, “All of those because it doesn’t Photo: Skylar Whalen roots have things have this continuous associated with them: hairs and bacteria structure of fuel.” and fungi… that sort of make the soil less Native grasses and flowers create likely to move and make the soil more a wonderful space to explore Colorado likely to hold on to water.” wildlife right outside your back door, These deep roots, along with the microbes that interact with them, also filter out toxins and minerals, releasing more nutrients back into the soil for plants to keep using. “[Microbes] excrete out this sticky stuff that really sticks things together… and it creates these pores that allow water to percolate through,” Gornish said. In any soil where plants have been present, there is what is called a seed bank. Seed banks can hold anything from invasive weeds to native plants, leading to excess maintenance, as well as cost in money and time. The key to altering the seed bank is to manually take out the weeds rather than using chemicals, removing the amount of seeds that can propagate more weeds. Alongside this, because grasses are better adapted to the Colorado climate, they can prove to be more successful when they grow, creating less space for weeds to grow and altering the seed bank in the soil for the better. Along with this drought, our beautiful mountains have been burning, and they seem to burn every year, even spreading into the Front Range, as well as other regions. Planting native grasses creates a less continuous path for fire to spread,
with bees buzzing and birds chirping throughout the day. Embracing native plants doesn’t have to be a “cold-turkey” endeavor. Even planting native plants in a few sections of your yard is a great start to see the cost benefits and ecological benefits as well. According to the author of Lawns into Meadows, Owen Wormser, recommended grasses to start with are: blue gamma grass, switchgrass, tufted hair grass, and buffalo grass. Throwing in some native flowers may add to the yard’s look, too. For more native lawn tips and Colorado wildlife information, I would recommend visiting the CSU Colorado Extension, where expert science is made accessible to the public.
Miners Day — Parade, Burros & Fun
September 18, 2026 @ Crist Park, 105 Fifth Street, Frederick, CO 80530 September 19, 2026 @ Centennial Park 630 Eighth Street, Frederick, CO 80530 Cost: FREE to attend. Beverage, food, vendors, carvings onsite for purchase. Miners Day is our premier community event, originating as a celebration to honor and remember Frederick’s mining heritage. This annual event features family-oriented fun and entertainment throughout the day, including a parade, burro race, vendors, food trucks, activities, contests, and live entertainment. Per tradition, Miners Day will conclude with a spectacular evening concert and fireworks display.
FRIDAY: Bingo, Burros & Churros 5 to 7 pm Get ready to kick off Miners Day weekend with a new Frederick tradition! Join us at Crist Park (105 Fifth St.) on Friday, September 18, for Bingo, Burros, & Churros. From 5 to 7 pm, enjoy a fun-filled evening with family-friendly activities, including bingo games every 20 minutes, delicious churros, and the opportunity to meet our charming burros. Don’t miss out on the free fun, fantastic prizes, and plenty of photo ops in Downtown Frederick!
SATURDAY: 9th Annual Miners Day Pack Burro Race Celebrate Miners Day with this great sport begun by some of Colorado’s 19th-century miners. This 10K race will begin right after the Frederick Miners Day parade (between 10:30 am & 11 am). BYOB - bring your own burro or rent one! (Amber Wann at 303-906-1535) The 10K race will start at Fifth Street and Locust Street (Downtown Frederick), head north along the trail and through the tunnel towards the Frederick Recreation Area, loop around Milavec Lake, head back south to the finish line in Centennial Park. There are some small bridges along the paved trail. Wreath Ceremony @ 8AM at Miners Museum/Memorial Wall Parade @ 10 am: The parade starts at Aspen Drive and Tipple Parkway ending at Centennial Park. See www.frederickco.gov/240/miners-day Burro Race @ 10:30 - 11 am on Fifth Street and Locust Street Market Vendors @ 11 am - 4 pm in Centennial Park (630 Eighth St.) Food Vendors @ 11 am - 9 pm in Centennial Park Festival Kick-Off Ceremony and National Anthem @ 12 pm at main stage in Centennial Park Free Kids Activities @ 12 - 5 pm Live Music: 3 - 9 pm | Grind 5280 3 - 4:15 pm | Arena Rock Allstars 5 - 6:15 pm | Colorado Springsteen 7 - 9 pm Fireworks @ 9 pm (approximately)