In Groundwater Facts, The National Ground Water Association, headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, states that more than 15.9 million water wells serve all purposes in the United States. A portion of these wells, according to the U.S. Geological Society, provides about 15% of the country's population with drinking water.
Indeed, many home and farm owners up and down Tennessee's Sequatchie Valley rely on water wells to supply water for our homes, livestock and more. On my farm, I also make use of wells to supply fresh drinking water to my livestock.
For the past 20 years electrician, Jarvis Wooten of Jasper, Tennessee, has helped my family and other area families with repairing their wells. A friend who serviced wells provided Wooten with his start when he asked for his help in pulling and troubleshooting well pumps, and Wooten progressed from there. From this vantage point, he offers advice on installing, maintaining and troubleshooting wells.
Installing a Well
"The first thing people need to think about is what the well will be used for," Wooten says. "Will it be used for people, animals, irrigation or some combination of these."
Once you have determined your needs the next step is deciding on where the well be located. For example, some farmers with livestock will use a gravity-fed system with a large reservoir located at the highest elevation on their farm.
Wooten advises talking to your neighbors to see what they are doing as a good place to start. This can help you to determine where to locate your well in addition to providing you with a rough estimate as to the depth of the well you can expect to dig. Based on their experiences in your area, professional well-drilling companies can also help. If you have several to choose from in your area, which isn't always the case, shop around and get estimates to compare costs and availability before deciding which company to hire.
Denne historien er fra November - December 2022-utgaven av Hobby Farms.
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Denne historien er fra November - December 2022-utgaven av Hobby Farms.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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The RISE of Opportunist WEEDS
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LIVESTOCK Health
Prepare yourself for how to spot symptoms of illness in your farm animals so that you can get them help before it's too late.
CUT FLOWER Farming
If you're considering growing flowers for sale, brush up on these five key things to know before diving in.
WINTER Survival
Keep your land, animals and yourself in good shape this winter with this helpful advice.
COVERAGE CONCERNS
Avoid common insurance mistakes for rural and hobby farm businesses.
FARMER'S GUIDE Berries
Set the stage for tasty strawberries, blueberries and brambles with these soil-boosting garden tips.
Preconditioning CALVES
Follow our step-by-step guide to get more money for your calves.
Soil Conservation
Often, outside of having a specific problem that needs to be addressed, soil conservation isn't something every farmer readily thinks about. Yet conserving the soil should be at or near the top of every farmer owner or manager's list of concerns because absent the prevention of soil erosion, we have the opportunity for another dust bowl.
Year-Round Lettuce & Salad Mixes
It's easy to think of salad greens as just a spring- or fall-garden crop, but it's possible to enjoy freshly harvested lettuces, mustards and more from your own garden year-round.
Barn Improvements
Days are never long enough for a farmer. From dawn to well into the night, tasks arise that often require immediate action. Having to search for tools or equipment is an enormous time waster and incredibly frustrating when you can't find what you need, especially when you know you have it.