Water for lawns and gardens may be plentiful right now, but anyone who’s lived in Texas very long knows it will be in short supply again. More and more Texans are looking for a way to recover water that would otherwise go unused—the rain that drains off the roofs of their houses and into the street. They want to harvest it, not waste it. But how?

Grayson County Master Gardeners are bringing in an expert to provide some of the answers. Water Resource Specialist Dr. Dottie Woodson from Texas Cooperative Extension is going to present a program for the community called “Rainwater Harvesting” and demonstrate how to construct a rainwater collection barrel suitable for use at home.

This workshop is free and open to the public. It is set for Tuesday, August 21, from 1:00 till 3:00 in the second floor Assembly Room of Grayson County Courthouse.

Grayson County Master Gardener Steve Fleming shows off the rain collection barrel he put together with components purchased locally for about $35. He says it works great for watering flower beds and for collecting water for house plants. Photo courtesy of Grayson County Master Gardeners

Local Master Gardeners will provide light refreshments. They plan to give away the rainwater collection barrel that Dr. Woodson builds during her presentation as a door prize. They advise entering the Courthouse through the south door and taking the stairs or elevator to the second floor.

More information is available at 903-813-4204.