Santa Fe Rain Barrels Fund Raising

As the spring season comes to a near, rain barrels in Northern New Mexico will soon be back in full swing with the need for more gardening and watering of plants. This time of the year is a great time to plant new seeds, and in accordance with that, raising awareness on the environment and sustainability can open many doors for the year, as well as offer the possibility of making some money. Santa Fe Rain Barrels has in the past sold rain barrels at a discount for non-profit organizations to hold fundraisers. This is beneficial to both parties as it gives us a chance to distribute our product and develop a better network of clients in the Northern New Mexico community, and gives those having the fundraiser a chance to make some money! People presented with the choice of buying rain barrels in Santa Fe and Albuquerque are more likely to do so in this setting as it benefits not only our business, but the cause behind the fundraiser and the community as a whole.

All ideas are welcome, and we will do our best to meet the needs of anyone wanting to make something happen. Whether it is to raise money for a school program, for a trip, or some kind of project, we are prepared to help. Please come to us for all rain barrel fund raising requests by contacting us.

Water Harvesting and Landscaping

In New Mexico, the land is very arid and dry. The sun blazes in the sky during the warm summer months, evaporating the majority of the water that is not connected to a larger body. Flying into the Albuquerque airport after spending time in more humid environments, I am normally astounded by the colors that I see out of the window of the plane. There is red, orange, dots of green, and underlying almost all of these colors, different shades of brown. The majority of the landscape in New Mexico is comprised of dirt, and there is a limited amount of biodiversity outside of our life-giving mountain ranges. Despite much of our art and culture is based on the hidden beauty of New Mexico's brown landscape, the people of Santa Fe and the surrounding areas seem to be cultivating more of a love for plants and greenery, and as this takes place, the art of landscaping comes into play.

Green plants and brightly colored flowers are greatly welcomed in contrast to the brown color of the stucco, and while this gift of nature does grace the appearance outside of our homes, it comes with a cost, one that is generally a good deal higher in New Mexico than other states. Water is scarce in our dry environment and therefore less abundant and more costly. It is therefore of great importance not only for the sake of our savings, but the environment in which we live, to conserve more water.

Although it may seem contradictory to have gardens and save water at the same time, there are many ways in which we can enjoy the beauty of nature without depleting its resources. Santa Fe Rain Barrels not only offers a way in which we can store and preserve the water that falls from the sky, but also strategies in landscaping that allow us to use less water in the first place. We understand the need for more plants in our fellow New Mexicans' backyards, and offer our services of landscaping and water harvesting in New Mexico those in need. Please come to us with any questions and requests regarding any of our services.

Thanks!

Winter Water Harvesting

As the holiday season takes a hold of us, the weather is getting colder and plants remain dormant, waiting for the springtime to continue their growth. Outdoor activity is limited, and outdoor plants require very little attention while in their hibernating states. With all that said, water harvesting is in low need. However, for those who want to continue catching the snow melt coming from the roof, it can continue to take place whether plants are being watered or not. Due to the size of our cisterns and water tanks, water can continue to be collected with ease and no risk of freezing and cracking of the tank. With our Santa Fe Rain Barrels, however, it is possible for them to freeze and crack. Many if not most people with our rain barrels in New Mexico do not empty their barrels in the winter. Do this at your own discretion, and know that WaterRite Systems is not responsible for any damage to your rain barrels if they are to freeze and crack. For those not wanting to empty their barrels over the winter, here some tips in order to minimize the chances of having to replace a cracked barrel due to freezing:

1. Try to have the barrels in a place that gets a good amount of sun. The South side of your home is the best place for this.

2. Check on them to see how much they are freezing. If the ice is getting really thick and you can't see through it or crack it, it might be best to empty the barrel.

3. Maintain them at a level that is not completely full so the water has room to expand as it freezes. This may help.

4. Leave the faucets at the bottom of the barrels a little bit open with a hose attached so that the water can run out and water a tree or plants rather than freezing.

Good luck with all of your winter water harvesting. We are still open for business throughout the winter. Please get in touch with us if you are interested in making a rain barrel or other purchase or if you have any questions. Stay Warm!

Reasons to Invest in a Water Harvesting System

Water harvesting systems are essential for the preservation of a clean and reliable water supply in places that are very dry like New Mexico.  For anyone with outdoor plants and gardens that need watering, rain barrels and cisterns are a practical investment that will not only save you water, but also save our water supply from being depleted.  Here are a few reasons to invest in a water harvesting system in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and surrounding areas:

• Rain barrels and other water harvesting systems prevent erosion of the soil underneath canales
• A well thought out water harvesting system can allow for you to never have to use the tap to water outdoor plants again
• By having your own supply of water, limitations to outdoor watering during periods of drought will not affect how much you can water
• Having a water harvesting system at your home can save you a good percentage of the money you spend on your water bill each month
• A sustainable water harvesting system can be low in cost and easy to instal

I hope that you were able to see the logic in investing in a water harvesting system.  Please contact us for more information.

Water Harvesting Around the World

As the human population increases, the resources that our race is in need of to survive decrease, bringing ways to live sustainably into the forefront of our existence. As water is a key factor for the existence of life, access to it is of utmost importance, and people are beginning to realize that the more it is conserved and recycled, the more it will be around in the future. In Santa Fe, a large amount of the population in the city currently own rain barrels or some other form of water harvesting system. In other areas around the country and the world, similar solutions to the concern of water access are surfacing. In Dadaab, Kenya, women have begun to catch water during times of rain in order to water crops for food, and are fighting for the implementation of water harvesting structures to aid in their mission. In Pheonix, a relatively new convention center has both solar panels and a water harvesting garden, and the rise in water prices in India has been pushing the farming community to find an alternative to expensive irrigation systems.

Much of the world is beginning to see the importance of water conservation, much of this due to being forced to find a more sustainable alternative due to current conditions. After seeing how it could be without water, I wonder whether more of the population will choose water conservation before their plants begin to die and washing the car is unheard of.

Let's get started early! Water harvesting systems are easy to install and use, and can eliminate the cost of watering outdoor plants. Rain barrels, cisterns, tanks, and totes are some of the water harvesting systems that Santa Fe Rain Barrels currently offers. Don't wait until your plants are wilting!

Please contact us for more information.

Santa Fe Rain Barrels Migration

Hello everyone.  This winter we will still be open for sales of rain barrels, cisterns, and all other water harvesting systems, although we will be pausing all wholesale accounts until next spring.  During the winter months, there is very little to no gardening and watering needed, and therefore the business tends to migrate with my dad to spend the next few months in a warmer climate.  My brother Lukas and I are still around, however, and will be glad to assist anyones needs for rainbarrels or other products throughout the winter.  Many people continue to find uses for the barrels throughout the cold months.  

Please visit our website if you have any questions or would like to place an order!  The easiest way to reach us is by going to the contact us page of the website.  Feel free to call or e-mail.  It is never too cold to plan for the spring!

Years of Water Catchment

After ten years selling rain barrels, we have come a very long way in the water catchment business. Our methods have improved extensively since my dad first began the endeavor, and we have steadily developed from our days vending "food storage" barrels behind our house. We now have a storage yard where we keep the barrels as well as the large cisterns and square, 275 gallon totes that have been growing in popularity. We also sell a number of different fittings and connections which make water harvesting in New Mexico a much easier and more practical investment. Our storage yard in Santa Fe is always stocked with barrels of both sizes (50 and 60 gallons), and all available colors; terra cotta, brown, gray, black, and blue.

Although the temperature is dropping as the days bring us closer to October, we are still open for business, and it is still an ideal time to get whatever water harvesting systems you need. We are currently selling at retail prices in Santa Fe while wholesaling to various different stores and nurseries in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. Come catch the rain before it turns into snow!

10 Years of Water Harvesting

The dawn of the year 2000 had many expectations leading up to it. Will it be the end of the world? Will it be the end of technology? Is it the beginning of a new era and consciousness? Similar to today´s 2012 doomsday speculations, the meaning and significance of Y2K had everyone around the world asking questions. People didn´t know what to think. Many people were afraid while others claimed that it was all just a big myth. As the time drew nearer to January 1st, however, the rumors got louder and those listening to them got prepared.

People driving by the back of our house off the main road of Eldorado in the year 1999 were occasionally greeted by a sign that read `Y2K Storage Barrels`, with a large amount of red barrels waiting to be sold, and my hopeful dad attending the many intrigued drivers that stopped by to have a look. The corner of our yard was stacked higher than the level of our fence with barrels, which we had unloaded from a full-sized semi despite the scrutiny from neighbors. Aside from that, the barrels smelled (and continue to smell) like garlic or peppers before getting washed out. We had hope that it would be worth all the trouble.

Needless to say, we didn´t have to send all the barrels back to where they came. People were buying them. Some for food. Some for water. Some to put pillows in and turn into a doghouse. Anything you could imagine. The Y2K hype was really working!

After the ball dropped and the parties died down, and people began forgetting about the Y2K new world which had been the only thing on their minds the night before, life went back to normal. It was only then that we really started to sell rain barrels as a way to store the water coming off people´s roofs. As the business started to grow, the city of Santa Fe got involved and granted us the right to give customers $30 dollar rebates on their water bill for buying barrels. We soon found ourselves delivering barrels to places outside of Santa Fe, and I became busier and busier getting orders ready for wholesale. The business spread to Albuquerque, and our methods of selling evolved with the number of barrels we were selling. It wasn´t as easy anymore to keep up with orders, so we were forced to find better and more efficient ways of preparing the barrels to be sold.

Today, after 10 years of selling barrels, the business has seen many changes. We now have a distribution in Las Cruces, NM, as well as the one we have had in Altanta, GA. We have many different sizes of tanks and cisterns, and they are all of various types and prices. The more people buy, the less limits we have in selling the barrels, and we encourage anyone interested, no matter where from or what is needed, to contact us.

The city of Albuquerque, although already big for NM, is continuing to increase in size and population. As the number of people using water increases, the level of Albuquerque´s ground water decreases at an even faster rate, signifying that water conservation must grow to match the demand for water. The earlier people conserve water, the more secure the future of our water supply will be, and we will be more prepared for any water-related problems to come. Rainbarrels for Albuquerque and Santa Fe are always available to interested clients. As the demand for water increases, we hope to meet that demand with a reliable supply of barrels.

Hope we can continue to serve you, and happy 10th anniversary of Santa Fe rain barrels!

Rain Water Harvesting and Sustainability

Growing up in a country like the United States with all of the little conveniences that many of us take for granted, can be both a great gift and a great detriment. Of course these things make our lives a great deal easier and less complicated, giving us more time and energy to educate ourselves and make a living in a somewhat quiet and stress-free atmosphere. On the other hand, we are so reliant on these things providing for us daily, that we would not know what to do or how to live if something were to happen to them. What if our grocery stores ran out of food? What if the plant that provides electricity for our homes were to stop running? These are questions that may sound extreme, but which should not be dismissed. The days in which we rely on outside influences for our survival are coming to an end. What would we do if we turned on the faucet one day and nothing came out?

The state of California, after an unusual amount of draught, has recently begun to ration water in certain parts of the state, mainly for agricultural use. They say it hasn`t been this bad in 15 years, and don`t know when it will get better. I don`t know about you, but that sure gets me thinking. In New Mexico we are used to draught and not affected by it so much, but at the same time we are not growing the nation`s food supply! What would happen if California were to run out of water completely? That far-fetched imagination of grocery stores without food would not be too far from reality, I think, and people would probably begin to wake up and say ¨Hey, we need to do something about this!¨

In my travels and especially on my most recent trip throughout Central and South America, I have been amazed by how aware people in third world countries are regarding survival. They are used to having very little, and therefore always have a backup plan in the case that anything happens which jeopardizes their lives. The majority of them know how to grow food and raise livestock. They know how to build, and how to guard and maintain a steady supply of water in their homes. In times when the water doesn`t come out of their faucets, they just use the water saved in large tanks on top of their houses for whatever is needed. By always thinking of their survival, poor people all over the world are more prepared than the average priveleged but crippled Westerner. They know what could happen and prepare for it, while many of us are so used to having everything we need at the tip of our fingers that we do not consider the possibility of life without these luxuries.

Draught seems to be a growing problem in the world recently, and one of serious consequences. Without water, life cannot exist. That means that water is our most precious commodity for survival, and we must do all that is in our power to conserve it and make sure that we have a constant supply no matter what is going on around us. If we have a secure supply of water, growing food and doing other things to further a sustainable lifestyle can begin to unfold more naturally.

Nothing can be taken for granted. The situation of the world is currently at a very dangerous point, and nobody can be sure where it will lead us. All we can do is be prepared!

Santa Fe rain barrels can help to supply you with any of your water catchment needs on the path to a future of sustainable water.