Donation to Project Grow

Project Grow is an arts and farming non-profit with adults with developmental disabilities. They provide good-wage jobs for the folks in our program, farming nearly 1 acre of urban land in N Portland (Tillamook and WIlliams). The barrels are being used in the greenhouse to let the city water settle in and off gas the chlorine. Also, one barrel is being used as a dunk-tank to wash greens and vegetables.

Donation of collection bins for Food Bank

Hi Andrew,
Here is the picture of the collection bins for the Refundable Cans and Bottles.
July, I collection $46.95
So far in August about $18.00.
Thank you again for donating the barrels, the funds go to the food bank.

Donation to Forest Park Elementary School

Rain Barrel Workshop at SE Portland Tool Library

On August 7 I attended an edifying rain barrel workshop at the SE Tool Library.

These were my barrels that I donated, and it was a pleasure to see that the instructor's method of making rain barrels was more advanced than mine.

I learned how to set up more complicated assemblies: In this case, 4 rain barrel on a raised platform, all daisy-chained together, including a "first flush" valve.

I'd like to make one at my house! But sadly, I rent.
I would love for someone to pay me to install one of these beauties for them. :)

Depaved Holy Redeemer School

On June 26, 2010 I helped depave Holy Redeemer Catholic School & Church at 127 N. Rosa Parks Way

That's me on the far right!

This is phase two of a three phase depaving project at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church & School (started in 2009). Depave will return to this site to complete additional depaving of approx. 4,250 sq ft in 12 separate pockets, where soil amendments and native plantings will occur. This project is funded by East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District (EMSWCD).

I'm honored to have participated along side the Depave people and other volunteers like myself.

I look forward to ripping up more concrete at the next Depave event!

Barrel Donation to Baker Prairie Middle School

Dear Andrew,
Thank you for the donation of three barrels for the Baker Prairie Middle School Community Garden in Canby. On July 9th we had a work day in the garden to allow Canby high school students to earn Community Service hours. In addition to weeding plots and doing trail maintenance, students also installed the three barrels in our new green house for use as passive solar heating. Without out your donation and donations by other like-minded folks, our garden would not be possible. If you wish to donate more barrels in the future just let me know. We could use them.

My best,
John Colvett
Teacher and Garden Manager
Baker Prairie Middle School







(Baker Prairie Middle School Community Garden in Canby, OR. used some barrels to go in a greenhouse. The barrels were filled with water for passive solar storage in the greenhouse.)

Community Garden Success!

At the corner of NE 15th and Dekum, we set up a garden on Saturday, March 19.
Thanks to everyone who helped out!
Here are some of the pictures!

Portland Rain Barrels Mission Statement

Portland, Oregon is known as a rainy city, getting about 40 inches of rainfall per year. But fifty-five percent of the rain comes in four months: November, December, January, and February. Another 32% comes in March, April, May, and October. In the other four months, June, July, August, and September, Portland receives only five inches of rainfall. During these dry summer months, gardeners turn on their hoses. Every drop that comes out of a hose in the summer months could be coming from a rain barrel if that water were stored during the rainy season.


Portland is also known as a "green" city. There are 32 community gardens located throughout the city which are organized by Portland Parks and Recreation. There are also countless backyard gardens, community-supported farms and other forms of grassroots food-growing projects. For example, there are no less than fifteen full-fledged CSAs (farming operations called Community Supported Agriculture) in Portland proper (according to portlandcsa.org), not to mention the dozens located in the cities around Portland.

For these reasons, Portland is the perfect town for the project that I am undertaking. My project is simple. I collect used plastic barrels which would otherwise have to be recycled. I distribute the barrels to organizations or individuals in the community which are involved with local agriculture. Some of the barrels will be given away unmodified. These barrels can be used for a number of purposes such as storage, potato growing and compost-turning. The other barrels will be modified into rain storage units. This is a simple process of adding a faucet on the bottom, a screen on the top, and positioning the barrel on a raised platform under a downspout. This is a fun and collaborative process, perfect for a volunteer group, like at a church, school or community center. I plan to organize rain-barrel-building parties in which groups of volunteers come together to learn about conservation of water, the importance of local food sources, and of course, to construct rain barrels.

In addition to working with existing organizations, I will work personally to set up new community farms. For example, I am already getting the ball rolling on a community garden in my neighborhood, Woodlawn.

There are costs incurred in obtaining barrels and modifying them. I will recoup these costs by selling some completed barrels to home owners.


The end result of this ongoing effort will be incredibly meaningful for the community and for the environment. It will bring neighbors together, support the production of healthy food, and conserve water.