Rain Barrels

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Permalink Reply by ElsiesAttic-Admin on April 21, 2010 at 4:35pm

Good link

http://www.ecologyactioncenter.org/clean-water/rain-barrels.shtml

Permalink Reply by Heartland Vintage Collectibles on April 25, 2010 at 8:34am

Yes, I collect water.
Most of our roofing materials are tin. This is because we live on a farm and have many out buildings. I grew up in a time when my grandmother collected water, often year round. So I picked up this idea from her.

We have every guttering system on the farm, feeding into some type of water catching system. At the barns, the water from the guttering fills our cattle watering troughs, this does help cut down the water needs for the cattle.

At my home, I have barrels on one end of the house that has a system of piping that has valves and my barrels are set in rows, as one barrel fills, I can then turn it off and fill the next barrel. I also have these set up so that they will naturally drain into a hose, that I can water my garden plants as needed.

The average 1" rainfall can fill a 50 gallon barrel about half full, so in the spring, I am able to fill my 10 barrels in the average rainfall in the month of April. I also have other barrels set up at our garage, this is a back up storage for the really dry months of Aug.

As the summer months come to a close, I will move the empty barrels into my basement, where I will then fill them for winter storage, this water is used to water my plants that I have indoors during the winter. Since I have veggies growing in pots in one of my spare back rooms of my home.

Permalink Reply by Debsgreatfinds on April 25, 2010 at 9:05am

In my backyard under my 1 gutter I have my black round pond thing to catch the water and I dip my water cans and go around water my potted plats with that water I would like to get a barrel.

Permalink Reply by Debsgreatfinds on April 25, 2010 at 1:02pm

went to home depot and got my rain barrel I could not believe it went to home depot with hubby and seen the rain barrels there for 90 bucks perfect has the attachments what a deal.. if you guys need one they have them :)

Permalink Reply by Patti Fisher on May 1, 2010 at 9:20pm

I used to have a smaller rain barrel back in the late 60's, early 70's, part of the hippie/flower child era! I had plants everywhere and only used fresh rainwater on them. Our city water was floridated, and I was afraid to put it on my plants, lol. Now I am almost afraid to think of putting rainwater on them. Who knows what contaminates are in it. Sorry, I probably shouldn't have said that outloud. I was very green back then!

I am trying to make a switch to a simpler lifestyle, but it is hard. Once I started working and supporting a family I had more money than time and just didn't give a thought to the planet or what was happening to it, and now I am trying hard to go green or at least greener. I have made lots of changes, but still have a long way to go. Hopefully you guys can help get me right!