Rain Bear Rain Barrels are a superior design and will last for years. Conserve water and help reduce runoff in your garden!

Rain barrel season is here! To celebrate our fifth rain barrel season, we are no longer requiring workshops to purchase a barrel! We still will offer workshops for folks who feel more comfortable with a little face time, but we also will offer an online workshop that covers safety and maintenance and some unique ways to use the barrel in the landscape.Our partner locations include Berryville, Va., Stadler Nursery in Frederick, Md., and Laytonsville, Md., and Accokeek Foundation.

$90! Where Does My Money Go?

Our Rain Bear barrels are assembled at our partner locations (Stadler Nursery, Accokeek Foundation, Clarke County, Va.). We purchase as many components from the U.S. as possible. Our barrels come standard with:

• brass 3/4 inch spigot at the bottom, screwed into compression fitting
• 1 1/2 inch overflow hose
• compression fittings so we don't use glue or tape that could fail over time
• 1 1/2 inch elbow and plug to connect over flow hose and plug other fitting if barrels are not linked together
• easy linking capabilities with compression fittings
• easy-to-clean screen
• easily cleanable at end of season to prepare for storage
• UV-resistant black plastic to prevent algae growth and increase lifespan of barrel

Our partners receive some funds from each sale to help with their own education efforts and to offset the costs of storage. In addition, any extra funds from the sales go toward providing free educational workshops on topics such as Rain Barrels, Trouble with Turf, Waterwise Gardening, and even custom workshops to school groups, homeowner associations, and other groups. In addition, funds allow our staff to provide technical assistance with on-the-ground efforts such as rain gardens, pollinator gardens, and xeriscapes. If your group would like a workshop, please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Set Up

We have a couple videos to help with your set up. Please also refer to your owner's manual for detailed step-by-step instructions.

Alternative Installation Techniques for Rain Bear Rain Barrel from Jenny Willoughby on Vimeo.

Using Your Rain Bear Rain Barrel in the Garden from Jenny Willoughby on Vimeo.

Rain Bear Rain Barrels are the best design for our region. They are recycled food-grade barrels and their black color makes them UV-resistant so they will last outside for years. The barrels have an indented, screw-top lid that allows the water to slow and drop into the barrel. A screen in the lid prevents breeding mosquitoes and keeps debris out of the barrel. The screen can be easily cleaned. Compression fittings on the shoulders and at the spigot mean we don't use glue or tape that can fail over time. Compression fittings are designed for underwater uses and the parts you choose to screw into them are interchangeable. With the barrel, we provide an 8-foot overflow hose (1 1/2 inch), an elbow, stainless steel screw clamp, screw-in plug, and a standard 3/4 inch brass spigot that will fit standard garden hoses. Barrels hold about 60 gallons and are about 3.5 feet tall and about 2 feet in diameter.

Can I fit one in my car?

The barrels hold about 60 gallons of water and are standard barrel size. They are about two feet in diameter and about 3.5 feet tall. If you have a smaller car, bring tie down straps in case it will not fit into your trunk completely.

Pick-up Locations-Where Can I Pick Up My Barrel?

We have four partner locations.

Stadler Nursery, Frederick, Md. Pay online and take your receipt to the nursery to pick up your barrel. We cannot take credit cards at this location, but you may pay online.

Stadler Nursery, Laytonsville, Md. Pay online and take your receipt to the nursery to pick up your barrel. We cannot take credit cards at this location, but you may pay online.

Berryville, Va. (See workshop listing below for various pickup locations) Pay online, bring receipt, and arrange to pick up by appointment with Alison Teetor OR pick up just following a workshop or at the Berryville Farmers Market on Saturdays at the Master Gardener booth. If you pick up after a workshop you may also pay by cash or check. We cannot take credit cards at this location, but you may pay online.

Accokeek Foundation, Accokeek, Md. Pay online, bring receipt, and arrange to pick up by appointment with This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it OR pick up just following a workshop. If you pick up after a workshop you may also pay by cash, check, or credit card.

Workshops

Workshops are no longer required to purchase a barrel.

You may also contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it at 301.984.1908 x 109 if you have any questions. The cost for barrels is $90 each.

Workshops are open to all and free, regardless if you purchase a barrel or not. We do not share your contact information, but use it to track our progress. Workshops are no longer required. You may purchase a rain barrel online and pick it up at one of our partner locations.

**Barrel pickup in Berryville/Clarke County, Va., is also available by appointment. Contact Alison Teetor to arrange pickup if you are not able to make it to one of the pickup dates listed above or to the Berryville Farmers Market on Saturdays.

**Barrel pickup at Stadler Nursery in Frederick and Laytonsville, Md., is available when the nursery is open. Please purchase your barrel online and bring your receipt to the nursery center to pick up your barrel.

**Barrel pickup at Accokeek is by appointment or on workshop dates. Please contact Accokeek Foundation at 301.283.2113 directly to arrange pickup.

Fairness for Everyone

Barrels are sold on a first come-first served basis. We will do our best to keep our website updated if we sell out in an area or if we have a waiting list. If we sell out in a particular area it is likely we will be able to get you barrels from one of our partner locations.

MONEY BACK FOR BARRELS!

Some jurisdictions are offering rebates for making green upgrades to your home. Some offer money back for barrels, conservation gardens, green roofs and other green practices. We do not handle rebates. Please contact your jurisdiction directly if you have questions. Please email us if you have additional rebate information for your jurisdiction and we will gladly add it to this page.

Montgomery County is offering rebates through their RainScapes program. The 2010 RainScapes Rewards program for the County is a $200 rebate for 200 gallons (must capture 200 gallons) for Single Family homes and $100 rebate for 100 gallons (must capture 100 gallons) for Town  homes. There is also a rebate for small cisterns, rain gardens, and other watershed-friendly actions. Visit the Montgomery County, Md., RainScapes webpage. Download the application. Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , RainScapes Program Planning Specialist at 240.777.7759 with questions about the RainScapes rebates.

The City of Rockville is offering rebates to city residents (city residents do not qualify for Montgomery County's rebate). The RainScapes Rewards Program began March 1, 2008.  Projects completed prior to March 1, 2008 are not eligible.  At this time, financial rewards will be granted to residential properties for the installation of rain barrels. Residential properties are offered a financial rebate of $50 per rain barrel for up to four (4) rain barrels.  If you are interested in obtaining and using a rain barrel, please download the application and agreement forms. For more information, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it at 240.314.8877 or visit the city's Rainscapes page.

The City of Gaithersburg is offering rebates to city residents (city residents do not qualify for Montgomery County's rebate). The rebates are offered to single family residential property owners who install rain barrels on their property. Rebates will be in the amount of $50 per barrel with a maximum of four barrels per household.

Rain barrel projects completed prior to March 1, 2009 are not eligible.  Complete eligibility requirements and design criteria are included in the rebate application.

• Rain Barrel Rebate Instructions & Application (pdf)
• Rain Barrel Rebate Application (pdf)
• Rain Barrel Rebate Reimbursement Form (pdf)

For more information, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it at the city's Rainscapes program or visit the city's Rainscapes Rain Barrel Webpage.

The District Department of the Environment (DDOE) is offering to install 132 gallon rain barrels to District of Columbia homeowners at a reduced cost of $30 per rain barrel.  The rain barrel installation is a part of a larger program through the DDOE called RiverSmart Homes.  This program offers incentives to homeowners interested in reducing stormwater pollution from their properties.  Homeowners receive up to $1,200 to adopt one or more of the following landscape enhancements:

- Shade Trees

- Above Ground Cisterns/Rain Barrels

- Permeable/Porous Pavers

- Rain Gardens

- BayScaping

For more information about this program, visit ddoe.dc.gov/riversmarthomes or contact Jenny Guillaume at 202-535-2252. Download the fact sheet.

Questions?

If you have questions about rain barrels, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it at 301.984.1908 x 109. If you have specific questions about the rebate programs, please contact the rebate program administrator for your jurisdiction.