I only have the budget to buy one rain barrel right now, not to mention the space for it. I'd hate to see the over flow water wasted, so I wanted to use that through a soaker hose to get deeper into the soil. My thought was as the plants get bigger, the ground will be blocked more. Think of a tree, the ground is less saturated under a tree in the summer as is the area just outside the tree. So, when it rains, how much of the rain will actuallt go into the soil? I also want to be able to switch the soaker hose to the spigot, so maybe implementing a T-connection to have it connected to both at the same time. This is purely in the planning stage. If anyone knows this isn't feasible, I'd like to hear. The area I will be irrigating will be roughly 20' by 4'. Originally it was 10' x 10', but I scaqled it back a bit. I am also hoping to put a few othe veggies in there as well.

Agree with the SWC suggestion as far as container growing is concerned. The container forum is a good place for info on that and Raybo is one participant who freely posts do it yourself designs that probably hundreds of folks have used with good success. For in ground gardening consider drip irrigation with moisture conserving mulches over the lines. The water only moistens the root area of the crops you want to grow and the mulch limits evaporation. Much less waste of water than other methods. You might also check with the water authorities in your area to see if water limits apply to gardens and all methods of watering them. I don't know about Australia, but in the states we have many areas that see water restrictions in the summer that make exceptions for gardens if they are being watered with a conservative approach such as drip irrigation/soaker hoses. You could also consider means of storing rain water for later use. Rain barrels and such are catching on in the states, but each one is limited to around 40-50 gallons of water. Still, it's something. Some might choose to build in ground, covered storage tanks that roof water is directed into for larger capacity. Such a system can be as simple as an excavated hole in the ground lined with waterproof material and a large board over the top to limit evaporation. One idea I have seen advocated, but never saw in person is diverting rainwater runoff from the roofs to garden areas so even minor rains concentrate water where it is most needed. You might also enjoy looking into xeriscaping. Not really a veggie thing, but a way of growing a gorgeous yard with little water through proper plant selection and techniques.

BTW, you mentioned rodent problems with open piles. I would recommend a couple of things for that (for anyone reading). 1) A relatively enclosed bin such as a plastic Home Composter, Earth Machine, etc. Lay chicken wire down first so they can't tunnel up into it. OR 2) A wire bin or wood slat bin lined with chicken wire, including a lid. "chicken wire" may also include the finer steel mesh hardware cloth in 1/4" - 1/2" hole size. Worst thing I ever got in my open piles was a few mice. They liked to tunnel in for warmth in the winter. They were around the area anyway so I don't think the compost attracts them. I live in suburbia and don't have rats though, so YMMV.

I'm no where near Raleigh, but I am totally familiar with rain barrels. When I lived in Lancaster, there always seemed to be water police every summer. I also noticed that my potted plants (all plants actually) didn't like the city chemicals in the water either. Husband and I set up water barrels around the house and were able to collect rain water for my potted roses and plants as well as water during a drought. What were the water police going to do? Charge me for the rain water? We had the barrels set up to collect any rain that ran into the rainspouts. You can't imagine how much water runs off the roof of your house, shed, barns or any buildings you put rainspouts on. The barrels collect the rain water and stores it. Right now I have about 110 gallons of rain water stored for drought use. I do have to be careful with it as I can run the barrels dry. I have room for about 4 more rain barrels should I choose to hook them up. You can pick up barrels (any will do, I use discarded juice barrels that restaurants toss) usually in a 55 gallon size and with some creative down spouting, the water collects in the barrels. Then put in an overflow pipe near the top and a spiket you can get at any TrueValue store and epoxy it on the barrel near the bottom. Set the new rain barrel on stilts or blocks so you can get a hose, watering can or whatever you want to attach to it. After the barrels run dry, and during a drought they can, I'd take the opportunity to clean them and get any silt that might accumulate at the bottom out. It just keeps the new rain water a little fresher a little longer. This is just a thought and not totally necessary. I wouldn't live without rain barrels. They come in so handy for so many reasons. Now, though I no longer have the water police, I do have a well and during a drought, I need my well water for the house. The plants can survive nicely on the rain water I have stored. Fortunately, even the latest drought I've been able to handle without emptying my rain barrels. Here is a link that might be useful: Gardening and Other Stuff