Rain Barrel waterer

[Ghosty]

i would still rather drink water from a stream in the ozarks then a stream in the Appalachia's lol. I have been here for 20 years, yeah there is pollution but it doesn't seem any worse here then it was, in fact things in my area seem better, all the "regular" people are moving out and there are mennonites moving in and other environmentally conscious people moving into the area. // speaking of frogs i did notice this last year that the number seemed up. same with snakes. I saw a wood grouse for the first time just last year out here and I saw my 5th,6th and 7th bobcat last year. Black bear was spotted down the road and as i recall turkey numbers are way up. some of the waterways are a little "ehhh" but where i live there is plenty of deep clear clean water. I wouldnt want to live anywhere else.

You don't know what's missing when it's already gone. It depends what area you are talking. The "Ozarks" could mean any number of areas. Sure, the deeply forested areas of southwestern Missouri and Arkansas still have a bit more diversity. That diversity is disappearing as people encroach. The invasive species are taking over. Pollinators have died off. Aquatic life is nil in places that teemed with life. A few frogs, snakes, lizards, toads, possums, raccoons, foxes here and there don't compare to what was here 30 years ago. I used to walk down a stream and just grab bait jumping or swimming around as I went. Literally thousands of frogs, crawdads, minnows, shad, snails, water spiders, spiders, snakes, lizards, toads, bugs, fish, salamanders, etc. not to mention all the other micro organisms. Pure, flat rock, worm eaten rock streams with crystal clear water and deep pools. It's dead by comparison now, filled in with gravel that can't support much life, or picked clean of rock by people to make money or put around their house. They have even been trying to put factory farms on the Buffalo River, a national treasure. Do I want to move 2 hours in the boonies to see more, and have better streams, sure, but hard to make a living there. I love the outdoors and I'm sad that future generations have less and less life to experience. My grandpa talked of jackrabbits and roadrunners and there are countless others I'm sure disappeared long ago.

 

[1cock2hens]

You don't know what's missing when it's already gone. It depends what area you are talking. The "Ozarks" could mean any number of areas. Sure, the deeply forested areas of southwestern Missouri and Arkansas still have a bit more diversity. That diversity is disappearing as people encroach. The invasive species are taking over. Pollinators have died off. Aquatic life is nil in places that teemed with life. A few frogs, snakes, lizards, toads, possums, raccoons, foxes here and there don't compare to what was here 30 years ago. I used to walk down a stream and just grab bait jumping or swimming around as I went. Literally thousands of frogs, crawdads, minnows, shad, snails, water spiders, spiders, snakes, lizards, toads, bugs, fish, salamanders, etc. not to mention all the other micro organisms. Pure, flat rock, worm eaten rock streams with crystal clear water and deep pools. It's dead by comparison now, filled in with gravel that can't support much life, or picked clean of rock by people to make money or put around their house. They have even been trying to put factory farms on the Buffalo River, a national treasure. Do I want to move 2 hours in the boonies to see more, and have better streams, sure, but hard to make a living there. I love the outdoors and I'm sad that future generations have less and less life to experience. My grandpa talked of jackrabbits and roadrunners and there are countless others I'm sure disappeared long ago.

I'm not going to argue that things didnt change, yes things change, they always will. I personally feel like they are changing for the better and compared to other parts of the country they dont seem to be changing as fast.. I know i'm lucky to have the opportunity to live this life, I dont take it for granted.. I live in the very far sw county in missouri right off of Big sugar creek a couple miles from a state conservation area.

 

[Ghosty]

I just love nature and where I grew up. I wouldn't be on byc if I didn't like the people. I don't want to be cynical, and I know that things have changed in the past due to clear cutting long ago, draining marshland, turning the prairies to fescue, etc. But, there was still a lot of diversity, not as much so now. I accept change will happen, doesn't mean I like it. It's a strange time we live in. We are seeing more change in our planet due to proliferation than any time in human history. Water tables are in decline worldwide. Flying insects are disappearing worldwide. Rainforests are going away. Africa is being pillaged for its wildlife whilst it's people suffer. You could speak on it all day. I honestly don't think anyone could say we are changing our world for the better, do you? but what are we to do? I feel blessed to be alive, but our methods aren't conducive to life. We are the indiscriminate dog in the chicken coop, killing everything and leaving it lay.

 

[HuffleClaw]

Hi! I haven’t read through the whole thread yet, but the title caught my eye! Interesting. I think it would be a fun thing to try, rainwater in a barrel for your flock. I think rainwater is perfectly fine for your flock as long as there isn’t any algae or nasty critters in it. I know I haven been too much of a help, but I’ll do some research and come back here again. Dear OP, if you do go with this, keep us updated!

 

[21hens-incharge]

Would it be necessary to have the rain barrel water filtering or constantly moving to avoid being stagnant and algae growth??

You pose an interesting question.

I don't know the answer but would like to.

We get very little rain here so I cannot even begin to try it.

 

[msmeg26]

Hi! I haven’t read through the whole thread yet, but the title caught my eye! Interesting. I think it would be a fun thing to try, rainwater in a barrel for your flock. I think rainwater is perfectly fine for your flock as long as there isn’t any algae or nasty critters in it. I know I haven been too much of a help, but I’ll do some research and come back here again. Dear OP, if you do go with this, keep us updated!

It's in my brain for now, but I think with a submersible pump/filter it may work...