[Tfug] *Way* OT... :>

[Bexley Hall]

Hi, Don,

> Take a regular piece of hose bent into a u shape. Plug the
> outlet end so the
> air can't escape. Push the inlet down to the bottom of
> the barrel and
> quickly open the outlet. The rush of water will start the
> flow. The farmers
> use this technique all the time when they irrigate their
> fields. 

Yes, I do this now to get it started (sometimes have to try it a
few times).

But, I would like something that I could *leave* in the barrel(s)
and have it automatically start when the barrels fill.  I.e.,
I collect rainwater off the roof but *use* it dozens of feet away.
I would like to just run a small hose/pipe from each barrel to
a particular tree, etc.

[In anticipation of the inevitable, "Why don't you just run
a hose from your DOWNSPOUT..." question:  we don't have gutters
and, thus, no downspouts.  *All* the water falling on the
roof comes off the back of the house (do they call this a
"frontier" style roof?).  Neighbors with the exact same
floorplan and roof design who *have* gutters replace them
every two years -- since the flow of water is enough to
physically tear them off the facia boards!  So, the barrels
sitting on the ground play the role of "gutters" for us  :> ]