Tag

Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater harvesting articles span simple first-flush tank setups on domestic downpipes through to earthworks — swales, infiltration basins, and keyline design — that slow and sink runoff across larger sites. Readers find sizing calculations, overflow routing, filtration options for potable use, and comparisons of above-ground and in-ground storage approaches.

10 articles

PIONEER · WATER·5 min read

Designing a drip irrigation system

Lay out a drip irrigation system that actually delivers even water — emitter spacing, pressure and zones, solar-powered options, and rainwater-tank feeds.

PIONEER · WATER·5 min read

Off-grid living: cutting the three cords of power, water, and waste

Off-grid living means producing your own power, water, and waste handling. Here is what each system takes, what it costs, and how to start without overreaching.

PIONEER · WATER·5 min read

Rainwater harvesting: catch the free water on your roof

Every inch of rain on 1,000 square feet of roof yields about 620 gallons. Here is how to size a rainwater system, build it, and check your local law.

PIONEER · WATER·5 min read

Prairie homesteading: wind, drought, and the power of trees

The Great Plains test a homestead with wind, drought, and extremes. Here is what the Dust Bowl taught, why shelterbelts matter, and how to homestead the prairie.

PIONEER · DESIGN·5 min read

Sustainable living: the everyday habits that actually add up

Sustainable living is built from small daily choices in waste, energy, water, and food. Here are the habits with the biggest payoff and how to start them.

PIONEER · WATER·5 min read

Buying land for homesteading: water, soil, and the perc test

The land is the one homestead decision you cannot undo. Here is how to vet water, soil, zoning, and the perc test before you buy, and how much acreage you need.

PIONEER · WATER·5 min read

Homesteading in Texas: climate, land, the ag exemption, and water

Texas rewards homesteaders with no income tax, legal rainwater, and ag exemptions, but its climates and rules vary widely. Here is what to know before you buy.

PIONEER · DESIGN·5 min read

The best states for homesteading, and how to judge them

Tennessee, Missouri, Idaho and more top the homesteading lists, but the right state is the one matching your goals. Here is how to weigh land, water, and law.

PIONEER · WATER·5 min read

How to read keyline on a quarter-acre — a Pakistan smallholder primer

Keyline design has a reputation for being something you do with a bulldozer across a thousand acres. It is not. The idea P. A. Yeomans set out in the 1950s is fundamentally about reading how water…

SECONDARY · WATER·5 min read

Swale maintenance in year seven (not what year-one taught you)

A swale in year one is an earthwork. A swale in year seven is an ecosystem, and the maintenance it needs is the opposite of what year one taught you. The contour ditch you dug to catch and sink rai…