Let it rain!
Posted By Elaine on August 11, 2009
ready to learn
Tonight we went to a class to learn how to make a rain barrel. I am excited to learn how to use my roof run-off to water the chickens and garden. If I can find the barrels we will add more at the barn.
installing the gutter attachment
Really all that is involved is drilling two small holes in the side of a food grade plastic barrel that were donated by Coke. She also had cut about half of the top off the barrel as well. Then you install the spigot and over flow hardware. Top with a mesh screen to prevent mosquitoes. Then you cut half of your aluminum gutter downspout off and install a flexible down spout. Put it up on blocks and voila completed rain barrel.
completed barrel
We have been blessed with rain this season. We had a drought here two years ago. I have not had to water one time this year. It was close the other day but it rained overnight so I did not have to water the next morning. It will be helpful in watering the animals though. Fun project.
Y’all come back now!
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Yeah rain barrels! Sophie’s 2nd grade class made one for their outdoor classroom and it really does work well! It’s amazing how much water you can collect. I’m always so impressed with you Elaine! Take care.
Sonny,
Awesome website! Thanks for that tip. I can’t wait to try out the new rain barrel. We still have to
destroycut the gutter and get the flex gutter before we are in business. Thanks for reading!What great pictures you have that we can all learn from! Congratulations on your site and above all the innovative manner in which you have connected your barrels together for great water conservation. Our gift from Heaven is a blessing we all need for our existence, so I applaud anyone who is using that blessing wisely, and it certainly appears you and the family are doing just that. !
May I also suggest the importance of keeping your rain gutters extremely clean while harvesting the rainwater. To maintain a free flowing gutter, not clogged which causes overflowing gutters and wasted precious rainwater.
I hate cleaning gutters and it can be a very dangerous job, depending on how you accomplish this nasty, dirty job. However, I would like to let you know about a new method of cleaning your gutters that I found on-line, that may help you do this job easier, and more frequently because of the ease of operation. I have this tool and found it to be “as advertised” and hope you will check out their website. It is truly the best method of cleaning rain gutters on the market today and you can see it for yourself at http://www.gutterclutterbuster.com Please read their customer testimonies as well.
I pray that you and your family are successful in all you are doing and blessed each day as you have learned the importance of harvesting our precious rain water. Each drop is “Precious.” God Bless