“The larger you build your pit greenhouse the more efficient, as the temperatures inside of a small greenhouse can fluctuate quite quickly.
A 2800 s.f. straw-bale insulated solar greenhouse. Whole tree supports made from site-harvested black locust, which is fast growing and extremely strong and rot-resistant, and abundant throughout Wisconsin.”
Source: Whole Trees.com
These are the same folks who are world famous for their use of whole trees in architecture: Whole-tree Building and Rustic Whole-tree Timberframe The same whole-tree building methods are used on their greenhouse to create a structure at ultra-low cost. If I remember correctly it’s straw bale insulated.
How much did it cost you to build your greenhouse?
You’ll probably have to go to their Whole Trees.com website and contact them directly. I see they are still doing great work. The greenhouse was made quite a few years ago.
Roald’s methods are illuminating. His grocery store project in Madison, Wisconsin, is under way. https://sourceable.net/turning-whole-trees-high-value-building-materials/#
I love the mojo of his small structures, but think the potential of his approach to big box buildings is unparalleled.
Great find. Thanks for contributing Steve.
To search our blog for more information, use the terms roundwood or pole building. That’s what I usually call this building method. It’s one of my favorite methods because you can often get poles for free from the forest.