water Catchment and storage

Buckets, Barrels & Beautiful Solutions

We got 330 gallon portable totes from BiLo.  Rain catchment starts with what kind of roof you’re catching the rain from. Asphalt shingle roofs deliver carcinogens along with the rainwater. Metal roofs and greenhouse roofs don’t deliver those kinds of carcinogens. Rain from asphalt roofs can be used for flushing toilets but little else. All rain water requires some level of filtration.  Our system is gravity powered and requires little maintenance. 

Storage is one thing, but easy filtration is everything.  And if it’s not easy, you won’t do it.  We bought 330 gallon portable totes from BiLo.  Ken elevated them from the point where they would gravity-feed the gardens and toilets. 

From Roof to Root Zone

We’ve pieced together catchment systems from salvaged hose, secondhand tanks, and sheer determination. Here you’ll find real-world tutorials on first-flush diverters, overflow planning, seasonal storage, and filtering setups that actually work (even if they’re not pretty). It’s not about perfection—it’s about making water work for you.

Collected Wisdom (and Runoff)

Tips, Hacks, and Lessons from the Rain Barrel

Here’s where we log our experiments with rain catchment—what helped, what failed, and what made us run outside during the first real storm to watch it all in action. Whether you’re just getting started or tweaking your setup, you’ll find honest advice and a few muddy footprints in every post.

SEE MORE

Get our free homestead updates
straight from the backyard

We’re Ken and Linda, tinkering, planting, preserving, and sometimes failing gloriously. Join our weekly notes for real-world tips on growing food, living off-grid, and making do with what you’ve got. No fluff—just dirt-under-the-nails honesty.