You could have hundreds of gallons of free water simply by collecting it.

On Saturday, July 25, the University of Florida / St. Lucie County Cooperative Extension will be conducting a Rain Barrel Workshop in Fort Pierce, beginning at 9 a.m. This will be a hands-on program designed so every participant can bring home the closed-top rain barrel they create during the course. These rain barrels will be designed for use with existing gutters.

By collecting and storing this rainwater in a homemade rain barrel, we can benefit by having a source of free irrigation water for home gardens during times of drought. During even a short rain shower that produces one inch of rain, a 1,000-square-foot roof yields 625 gallons of water. This water can be invaluable during this time of year.

Also, this stored rain water doesn't contain chlorine, lime, or calcium. A rain barrel helps direct moisture away from building foundations. Storing rain water also helps to reduce the amount of pollution running into our estuaries and ponds in the form of storm water runoff.

People interested in participating in this program can call the St. Lucie County Extension Office at (772) 462-1660 to sign up for this informative workshop. The cost is $35 and includes a rain barrel and conversion kit. Course registration fee is due one week prior to course.

When: Saturday, July 25, 2009 from 9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Where: St. Lucie County Extension -8400 Picos Road, Ste 101, Fort Pierce

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