Zoe Makes a Rain Barrel

​I first made rain barrels, in downtown Fort Wayne, at a workshop near the St. Josph River. The workshop was sponsored by the Tri-State Watershed Alliance which is now the Maumee Watershed Alliance. Because of that very positive experience I was excited when I discovered the Maumee Watershed Alliance was sponsoring another workshop at ACRES Land Trust headquarters. I invited my great-great niece, Zoe Clay, who is also a greenie, to join me. I then called the Alliance and received permission to record the workshop.
 
First, the setting was wonderful. The workshop took place in a historic barn that was a hundred years old. I knew ACRES restored land; I did not know that on occasions they also preserve significant structures associated with the land. So here we were, at the first ACRES preserve near Cedar Creek and just a short drive from Bicentennial Woods.
 
The presenters were Sharon Partridge of the Maumee Watershed Alliance and Kyle Quandt from the St. Joseph Watershed Initiative. They pointed out that watersheds provide water to agriculture, industry, homes, and nature in Northeast Indiana. I was grateful that they used a used a map during their presentation to illustrate the watershed from Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana that served the area.
 
They then discussed the many contaminants and challenges the watershed faced. This included pesticides and fertilizers from agriculture, chemical pollutants from industry and urban areas, and poor water management. They also described the systemic way these issues were being addressed. The systemic approaches involved legislators, policy, technology, and short and long-term plans. However, there was a way individual citizens could help care for the health of our waterways and watershed, rain barrels. Water barrels reduce the amount of excessive water put into flooding streams and rivers. They also provide free water for gardens.
 
After the lecture the participants were guided in making the rain barrels. Participants worked in teams of two to assist one another. Consistent with the value of contributing to the community, Zoe made her rain barrel for her grandmother.
 
To celebrate such a green morning Zoe and I took a short hike in the Bicentennial Woods. We then finished the day by having lunch at an establishment that provides tasty and sustainable food, the Loving Café. 

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