We had our internet upgraded to fiber optic last week and the installer turned out to be a gardener who was very interested in the rain barrel - http://www.gardenstew.com/about16103.html and the compost barrel - http://www.gardenstew.com/viewtopic.php?p=74496#74496 Randy had created for me a few years ago using the food grade barrels we found at a garden center. That garden center no longer sells them but the installer gave Randy directions to a feed store east of here that had dozens of them. Randy bought 4 of them yesterday as an early birthday gift for me. Soon to be 3 rain barrels and a compost barrel ( photo / image / picture from toni's Garden ) They even had labels on them showing what they had originally contained. Labels on barrels ( photo / image / picture from toni's Garden ) Three of them will become additional rain water collectors, one out front and two on either end of that gutter where the first one is now. One will become another compost barrel, and place out front. I have a couple of cans of paint for plastic in dark green for the ones out front so they are less conspicuous than the bright blue. They also had several lidless metal barrels of various colors that I am now really trying to figure out how and where to use. The green was pretty and they had a dark purple too. Our anniversary is in May, I wonder if I can get a couple of those to have on hand when the perfect idea for their use comes to me....oh, yeah, not a problem.
Now that's the kind of birthday present that I think is really great. Who wants fancy clothes or jewellery when you can get pressies like yours?
Lucky you. I am sure you will be enjoying those for years to come. Guess this summer I am going to have to check out some feed stores and other sources. I have really been wanting to supplement our summer water since it is soooo expensive. That is a b-day present I would really appreciate also.
Great looking rain barrels Toni. Here's hoping that there will soon be rain to fill them. Fiber optic internet connection sounds great too. Jerry
Just wondering Toni, when you were a teenager did you ever foresee that you would ever have a use for blue plastic barrels? I think Randy knows how to pick the perfect present!
Congrats on the barrels Toni! I'm glad you got them.... not just glad for you... but I could benefit from them too! How you ask? Well... I have a barrel like that too and have been wanting to set it up to collect rain water (if it ever rains here again!). The first problem I ran into was since the lid doesn't come off and you can't get your hand or tools down in there... how did you get the bottom spout to "screw in" and stay in place?
Frank, Blue plastic barrels, re-bar and zip ties have become a staple in my garden now. In fact of those three items only re-bar was even heard of when I was a teenager Cheryl, check out the construction instructions for the rain barrel in that first link I gave. Randy has instructions on putting in the spigot too and you don't have to reach down in the barrel. The epoxy he used has held up for almost 2 years of the barrel being full of water, empty, full, empty...etc. with no leaks. And it only takes about 1/4th inch of rain on a typical size roof to fill up my 55 gallon barrel. We had a couple of days of light sprinkles a few weeks ago and my barrel was about half full.
I would love to set up one of these in my yard sometime. Doing a lil research into plastic and its leaching into the contents properties over time, do you guys only use food grade plastic barrels? I would hate to be hurting the recipients of the water unknowingly ya know..
Food grade, the label (second photo) shows they contained Aloe Concentrate, I figure it can't get much better than that. The first two that are already in use as a rain barrel and compost barrel originally held Vinegar.
a good purchase Toni,..i have three blue barrels in my garden,..one for compost and two are housing a Spanish Bayonet and a Rose Bush,..you have given me an idea re the paint,..didn't know about it.
