Rain barrel workshop scheduled June 18 at Honey Haven Farm

As temperatures rise and flowers begin to bloom, hearts and minds turn to sprucing up lawns, gardens and flower beds for summer. But did you know nearly 40 percent of household water use in the summer goes to watering lawns and gardens?

That’s why Ashland Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is once again partnering with Honey Haven Farm to host a series of three rain barrel workshops on Saturday, June 19. Participants will build their own rain barrel to take home and install for their own use.

“Rain barrels are a great tool to harvest rainwater from your rooftop and store that water for later use,” said Becca Vales, urban and education specialist at Ashland SWCD. “The water can be used for your lawn, garden, indoor plants or maybe even washing your car.”

The workshop will be conducted by Vales and Valerie Smith of Honey Haven Farm. Three time slots are available for the workshop: 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., and each time slot is limited to 10 participants. Registration is $65 and includes everything you need to create and install your own rain barrel.

“Last year, we offered two workshops, and they were extremely popular,” said Jane Houin, Ashland SWCD program administrator. “The workshops sold out very quickly, so we opened up more slots this year. Everyone really seemed to love their rain barrels last year, and we heard from many of the participants throughout the summer about how they were using the barrels and even decorating them to add some personality.”

Vales said the rain barrels offer a variety of benefits. In fact, rain barrels will save the average homeowner about 1,300 gallons of water during the peak summer months.

“Rain barrels help reduce the flow of water leaving your property from your downspouts,” said Vales. “That helps reduce the about of surface water runoff that can pick up pollutants like pesticides, oil and fertilizer and helps keep those pollutants out of our waterways and rivers.”

In addition to the June rain barrel workshop, Ashland SWCD will also be brining their Rain Beat on Main Street rain barrel artistry celebration back to both Loudonville and Ashland for a second year. The district is looking for both local businesses to sponsor the rain barrels and artists to decorate the rain barrels. This year’s event will take place August 2-9 in Loudonville’s Central Park and August 10-16 in Ashland’s Corner Park.

“Last year, our first Rain Beat on Main Street was a huge success,” Houin said. “Not only did we hear a ton of great feedback from community members, but we were able to raise nearly $1,600 for stormwater education programming in the county. Last year’s funds are being used to install a demonstration rain garden at the Ashland County Fairgrounds this spring.”

Sponsored barrels are painted by local artists and displayed in the downtown areas. Then, community members are able to vote for their favorite in a people’s choice awards program, and they can bid on the barrels through an online auction.

The goal of the program it to bring awareness to water quality issues and stormwater management to help improve our local water quality, not only in our urban areas but in the county’s waterways as a whole. Houin said water quality is vital to our community, not one to improve our quality of life, but because Ashland County’s water resources serve as huge economic engines that bring tourism dollars to the our area as visitors come to enjoy the Mohican River and its tributaries.

To purchase tickets for the June 19 Rain Barrel Workshop, call 419-281-7645 or purchase tickets online through Ashland SWCD’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AshlandSWCD