As the aspens change color and pinon nuts litter tree riddled hills, the days get slower and slower and the world around us retracts in order to prepare for the winter months. With the changing of the seasons, rain barrels are in much lower demand, and soon the business will come to a close for the winter. There's not much to water in freezing weather, and therefore very few barrels to sell.

Although it's completely up to you, emptying your barrels in the wintertime can prevent them from freezing and cracking. In a lot of cases, people never experience this problem though, and therefore it is encouraged for each individual with barrels to use their own discretion. They can freeze and crack, but won't always do so. For example, if you have your barrels on the south facing side of your house and they get a lot of sun, you probably won't have a problem. Just be warned that it can happen.

If you still need to get some barrels before the business goes into hibernation for the winter be sure to contact us as soon as possible for any orders. Harvest the Santa Fe water before it gets too cold!

Sustainable water paves the road for a sustainable life

For those unaware of the current situation in the world, we have some problems. Not just the economic problems in our country, but also problems like war, global warming, and the food and water crises. The list goes on but I'd rather not depress anyone.

As these problems continue to escalate, awareness regarding them grows as well, and an underlying message pokes out of "honeybee populations continue to decline" and "gas prices on the rise" headlines. The message is simple: become more self sustained. In fact, its so simple that our complicated minds in our complicated society can have a hard time really decoding the actual meaning of that message.

People in our day and age must come to grips with what is going on and begin to lead lives in which they are much less reliant on others, and that's where sustainability comes in to play. With the food crisis becoming worse people are encouraged to grow their own food. As global warming continues to rise people know that they need to drive less. And as water demands turn into a more crucial issue, especially in the Southwest, it is in everyone's best interest to support local, sustainable water.

Santa Fe water harvesting systems create less reliance on water coming from the city, which gives people in our dry city and state the option of watering plants whether or not it is a designated "watering day" during periods of drought. With a water supply that doesn't come from an outside source, locals can be reassured that they are saving money on their water bill, conserving water, and supporting a local economy in which less gas is used to ship in materials. Then they have the freedom grow food sustainably using their water harvesting systems, which in turn creates a household with less reliance on transported food. The more sustainable you get, the more sustainable you can get!

For those of you trying to conserve cash, we have a number of $45 "dirty" barrels. These barrels have nothing wrong with them, they're just not as clean. If you don't care about the appearance, it's a good way to save a few bucks on your water catchment system. They can also be cleaned up if you have a good arm and some degrease soap and a scrubber.

We also recently got a shipment of 50 gallon Terra Cotta barrels, which we were low on previously. They are selling for $55 a piece, with the brown colored ones for $60. The 60 gallon brown barrels are $65 dollars, and all other 60 gallon barrels are $60. For a limited time we are also selling 55 gallon "wide mouth" barrels, which tend to be cleaner and nicer in appearance than the other barrels. They are 65 dollars.

If you are not already aware of this, we deliver any number of barrels for a cost of $15 dollars per delivery. Of course that depends on where you live. Santa Fe and Eldorado tend to be ok. Call first in order to set a time to meet. During the course of the summer we have also been selling on the side of highway 285 near the first entrance to Eldorado. We have been there on Saturdays, but might not be there again until next summer, depending on how busy it looks.

Take advantage of all the recent rain before it stops raining. It's a good chance to conserve water and save some money on your water bill.

The water catchment season is in full swing. As soon as the rain stops, we're bound to go back into another dry period. With the water regulations that were taking place before the monsoons, barrels, tanks, and cisterns are the best way to save yourself from either a fine for watering too much, or a high water bill.

Until about a month ago, the city of Santa Fe offered a $30 rebate to people who bought rain barrels. This topic is currently under reconsideration and could be re-initiated in Santa Fe. Anyone buying barrels gets thirty dollars off their water bill with the rebate. So rainbarrels and water harvesting systems are a great opportunity to save both water and money!

We are currently fully stocked at our yard off of Agua Fria St. near Airport Rd. We have tanks and cisterns of all different sizes, as well as 50 and 60 gallon barrels. We offer our services to Northern New Mexico (mainly Santa Fe and Albuquerque) both wholesale and individually. We also send shipments to both Atlanta, Georgia, and North Carolina. Our prices can't be beat in the Santa Fe and surrounding area.

We encourage you to contact us regarding any questions or if you would like to take advantage of any of our services.

Rain barrels a good way to catch the monsoons!

Due to the amount of rain we've been experiencing lately in the Santa Fe area, barrels are going fast! Although water restrictions might not be as high, it's a lot better to take advantage of the moisture in order to fill your rain barrels, rather than wishing they were full when we're in another drought. 50 and 60 gallon barrels are available, in a few different colors. Take advantage of the rain before it's too late!

Welcome to the Rain Barrel Blog!

Santa Fe Rain Barrels is pleased to announce this new venue for notes on water harvesting in Santa Fe. After nine years in this industry, we have plenty of tips to share on how to make the most of the rain water off your roof.