I meant to drain the rain barrel last fall. But we were still using it, and every time I let the water run out Mark came along behind me and closed the spigot. I never remembered to tell him that it's good practice to leave the rain barrel empty for the winter, and at some point I just shrugged and let it ride.

And here's the deal --- nothing froze and broke. Now I'm wondering if winterizing the rain barrel is just one of those tasks people tell you to do that aren't really necessary. In fact, we enjoyed having the easily accessible outdoor winter water for goats, chickens, and for the aquaponics setup. So maybe next year I won't even put that task on my to-do list.

How about you? Do you drain your rain barrel for the winter? If not, have you had any problems as a result?