Water harvesting

[near horse]

I know many of you are rarely to never short on water but for those of us who struggle during summer months, I’m posting this older article I found in my archive stuff. Called “The Man Who Farms Water”.

http://ag.arizona.edu/oals/ALN/aln46/lancaster.html

[Simple Living]

Very interesting article Geoff!! There are a couple of lines from it that seem to be stuck in my head. I think everyone should be thinking along these lines.

This diversity gives him food security, for if some crops fail due to drought, disease or pests, others will survive. The use of open pollinated varieties enables Mr. Phiri to collect, select and use his own seed from one year to the next.

Nitrogen-fixing plants abound. The pigeon pea is one example, and is also used for fodder and mulch. Mr. Phiri has found that fertilized soils don’t take and/or hold water well. As he says, “You apply fertilizer one year, but not the next and the plants die. Apply manure and nitrogen-fixing plants once, and the plants continue to do well year after year. Fertilized soil is bitter.”

Gordon

[near horse]

Check out this “bucket drip irrigation system” (also from my archived water files) Pretty low tech.

http://www.chapinlivingwaters.org/Introduction%20to%20bucket%20drip%20031006.pdf

http://www.chapinlivingwaters.org/Bucket%20Kits%20%20for%20Gardening%202011.pdf

the Chapin Bucket Irrigation Kit (familiessupply their own buckets) appears to be a major, effective new tool forenabling the poor of the world to help feed themselves. The buckets are mountedon posts 3′ (1m) high which provides the water pressure for the gravity flowirrigation. Each Chapin Kit consists of fittings and sufficient irrigation tapeto irrigate two 50′ (16m) rows of vegetables by filling the bucket 1-2X’sdaily. These Chapin Kits are already in use in more than 70 countries, andtheir popularity is steadily growing.

[Author]

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