No, that’s not Crabtree Falls. But seriously, recently in my hunt to find a cheap way to make a rain barrel, I made an astonishing discovery…but more on that in a bit. It all begins one hungover Saturday when I was at the Farmer’s Market, and was very impressed at the number of people that were taking interest in the guys that were selling rain barrels for the low low price of around $100. Which, to their credit, is actually a VERY reasonable price. But I wanted cheaper. Like…the price of a couple of beers cheaper. And with us living a such a drought-likely area, having a rain barrel seems like a logical thing to do.
So I thought to me-self: who in town would have a heapum big load of plastic barrels? My brain eventually landed on the Coca-Cola bottling plant (which, as it turns out is only corporate offices). I gave them a ring, and I was connected to Marilyn, a lovely lady who informed me that the Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation people had contacted her about this earlier in the day. Long story short, she’s been trying to get this program running for a while now; a program where the Coke offices here will have the 55-gal syrup drums shipped down to Charlottesville from Baltimore, and given away for free(!) to interested parties. She told me that she is building up ammo to present this to her higher-ups, and is looking for support. Our support.
If this is something that you either support or would like to have at your own shack, please contact Marilyn at marilynpbartoes@cokecce.com
After you have your barrel, you’ll need about $15 in supplies, and you’re off. Off to water your pansies, Koi garden, or mud wrestling pit.
Directions after the break
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Tagged as: Charlottesville, corporate, green, mud wrestling, Soda, water
This is an awesome post, Tuffy! I’ll email away!
Indeed, awesome post! I have been wanting to do this for ages… but have had only access to chemical drums at my work place. Syrup sounds nicer (Silmo?). Thanks for this, I will email her straight away…
Is it wrong to say, “One MILLION Cocktails to you, Tuffy!” I will email right away as well.
Thanks for this.
I’d give you my syrup drum, but then I’d be naked.
I notice on the info flyer that it states mosquito netting ‘optional’…. I would strongly recommend that it is used or you will be creating a five star luxury resort for your darling little Culiseta longiareolatas.
a drop of olive oil also helps keep the mosquitos from squatting yer rain barrel. (or any open water container…)
the eggs/larvae can’t breathe.
Can we somehow turn this into a charity? There isn’t enough animosity in this thread.
Screw you echo, you towel. My porch couldn’t hold up 50 gallons of water, but it is loosely affiliated with a 501 3c, and I want to send it to a national competition that involves housing kittens under air hockey tables, so give me yer dough.
/better?
Perfect. Thanks.
@8…You are what public schools produce… I am appalled. This is the perfect argument for homeschooling… I am on my way to drag my kids out of their schools right now, give them bad haircuts and make them weave raffia baskets for disgruntled old people in Uzbekistan.
what a great idea and marketing opportunity for Coke, or pepsi for that matter. It is environmental on lots of levels we are reusing barrels as well as saving water and creating a habitat for mosquito
@ 10 You know what I blame? Society.
What about TV?
are those barrels dredgable????
@8 echo.. LOL
Awesome! I’m glad to hear you guys are on this! I still haven’t heard word from the Coke people, but time will tell. Either way - the very fact that the Coke people acknowledge that just tossing their syrup barrels is awful and that they see its potential in such a drought-likely area is pretty impressive to me.
Oh, and for the raw, uncensored original picture I had for the post [wisely edited, Thor et al.] give a click.
Sorta SFW
The beginning of the post will make more sense at least.
Coke does not just toss it’s barrels. They have a recycling company pick them up. For great rain barrel kits check out http://www.aquabarrel.com - you will also find downspout diverters, downspout filters, first flush devices and much more.
I spoke to Pepsi about getting Dr. Pepper syrup barrels a year ago and they wanted to know why I wanted them. When I told them for rain barrels to water my vegetable garden the woman said she’d have to get back to me. The next day she called and said that they couldn’t do it since the syrup is TOXIC! I find that hard to believe since theoretically folks are drinking the stuff but that’s what she told me.
Have you seen what coke does when you put it on pork!?
and batteries!
Uh, Coke and Ketchup BBQ chicken…I don’t care how it works or why…it just does. Mmmm some weird things are so yummy.
[…] wrote last month about the Coca Cola bottling plant giving away its corn syrup barrels for us cVillains to make home-made rain barrels. Marilyn Bartoes of the CCE Charlottesville responds: Hi […]