Keeping ducks watered cleanly and sustainably is an ongoing learning process.
In this video, we share the evolution of our duck water systems here at Point 6 Acre — from kiddie pools to livestock tanks — and how the nutrient-rich water gets reused in the garden.
Keeping ducks watered cleanly and sustainably is an ongoing learning process.
Watch the video here. YouTube Video.
Systems evolve slowly — one adjustment at a time.
Ducks = a lot of water —and water that gets dirty fast!
Here at Point 6 Acre, our water comes from a well and it’s precious. We use it carefully inside the house and as needed for the animals. To be honest, they get priority – and rightly so!
So what do you do with all the filthy duck water from the kiddie pools, buckets, and now a large livestock tank?
In the past, the smallest kiddie pool was tipped out daily where it sat. The medium-sized one needed emptying every few days with a bucket, and that water went into the nearest garden bed or the climbing rose. Helpful, but limited. It never reached any of the veggie beds.
That changed when we added a used livestock tank holding 330 gallons of water. We wanted to harness that nutrient-dense water.
The solution? A sump pump!
We attached a short six-foot length of hose to the sump pump to avoid damaging the threads on the pump. From there, we connect a longer hose and move the water wherever we need it.
Plants in the veggie beds benefit. The soil improves, and moisture is better retained from the mulch we use from the duck house. The ducks get fresh water weekly, and the gardens get a deep watering at the same time. We call that a win-win!
Using a system like this prevents the water from becoming too dirty or smelly, and to be honest, it makes way more sense than tipping the water out of a kiddie pool. That always felt wasteful.
On a small piece of land, this is one of the ways we make things work to our advantage.
It’s not perfect, but it works.
Warmly,
Brin
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Brin writes about the quieter lessons of small farm life – ducks in the morning, goats in the barn, and the slow work of tending a small piece of land. Between animal chores, soap making, and reflexology work, she reflects on what it means to live well, live simply, and discover what “enough” really looks like.
Small farms are never really finished.
Over time, structures are built, moved, repaired, and repurposed. Animals arrive, some leave, and systems evolve through necessity, observation, trial and error.
Looking back at old videos and photos, we’re reminded how much this little piece of land has changed.
This video is a look back at some of those changes here at Point 6 Acre.
Watch the video here. YouTube Video.
We think change and experiments are good things. It’s how the land — and us — grow.
It’s not a large piece of land, but it’s home.
Have you ever walked onto a piece of property and known it was the right one? Or walked into a house and felt like you were already home? That’s exactly what happened here. Point 6 Acre was a homecoming.
I’ve always been able to overlay what I see in my mind’s eye with the physical attributes of a place — a sense of what it could become.
This small property felt full of potential. Always up for a challenge, I pulled up my sleeves and got to work. Trees came down, bringing in light and air. Towering walls of blackberry were tamed. A five-year plan was put to paper, and I doggedly worked my way through it. Then wrote another five-year plan.
With each project completed, each item ticked off the list, my life — everything in it — felt richer and more abundant.
For a number of years, the work alternated: one year focused outside, the next inside. Slowly, after considering which breeds of animals I wanted — and how many this small property could realistically sustain — the infrastructure took shape, and eventually the land was ready for animals.
Animals. Precious, steady creatures that fill my days with quiet satisfaction. The routines, the small moments — these are what make the work feel worthwhile.
This life has never been about having more. It’s about making something of what is here. Watching, listening, and working with the land and the animals. Following instinct. Building something that feels both practical and meaningful.
On a small piece of land, abundance doesn’t come from size. It comes from attention, care, and the willingness to work with what you have.
It’s not always easy. It can be exhausting, and at times challenging — financially and physically. It isn’t always comfortable.
But it is rich. It is full. And it is chosen.
I wouldn’t trade this small piece of land, or the life on it, for anything.
Warmly,
Brin
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Brin writes about the quieter lessons of small farm life – ducks in the morning, goats in the barn, and the slow work of tending a small piece of land. Between animal chores, soap making, and reflexology work, she reflects on what it means to live well, live simply, and discover what “enough” really looks like.