Water butts & rainwater harvesting

A water butt is the gentlest possible start to homesteading. Bolt one to a downpipe, wait for the next shower, and you've got free, soft, chlorine-free water for the veg patch. No permission, no paperwork, no fuss. It's the sort of small win that hooks people, and from there some folk go all the way to whole-house systems that flush the loo and feed the washing machine.

This hub pulls together the practical stuff: how to pick a butt that suits your space, how to work out what a rain shower actually gives you, how to keep the water clean and the butt from freezing solid in January, and when it's worth stepping up from a single butt to a proper tank. Start small, see how much you use, then scale up if it earns its keep.