Filed under: July 2012
1.6 Inches of life-giving water
July 5, 2012
We just got a nice amount of rain after a month of almost none. The pastures and all the crops look much better for it. We are still about 4 inches behind for the year, but this rain came in time to save many fields.
When setting up the farmstead, careful consideration should be given to the water supply. The drinking water to the house is very important of course, but consider an additional source to water animals and gardens.
The additional source can be a pond or lake. Perhaps a stream runs through the property and will be a place from which to draw water if needed. A cistern is a good choice too, Building one or having an underground tank installed to catch water from the eave spouts can be a great option and is much cheaper than having a pond dug.
I have seen a guy take a large culvert. He had it placed into the ground, standing on end. A couple of feet of gravel was dumped into the bottom of the pipe. A lid was made to cover the open, top end out of concrete. The lid had a two-inch hole in it. A hand picture pump was mounted on the lid. Those pumps will lift twenty feet on the suction side, so the culvert pipe section was just right. The pipe was filled by the down spots from his home. I believe there was a small overflow hole drilled near the top of the pipe, but I didn’t ever see water running out.
Plastic drums can be used to catch rain water. A few goldfish placed in each one will keep the mosquitos at bay. The barrels of water will give peace of mind, as the dry season comes and watering the garden is of little concern.
Some farmsteads have gray water systems. The water from sinks and washing machine are collected in a tank used just to water gardens or the lawn. I like this idea, but it can be expensive if you have to hire all of the work done.
Think about your options regarding water. We do not live in a desert climate here, but often it is nice to have additional water. Our livestock require many gallons per day. The gardens and raised beds need watered from time to time. It is much easier on an old guy’s mind to water these things from an additional source rather than taxing a well in the dry season.
I guess there is also peace of mind knowing that if the power goes out, an extra five gallon bucket of water will flush the toilet … even if you have to chop ice to do it 😮 … get the water that is.
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