I got this email from Leeann and Cody Gantz: “I am writing to you from central Montana at the foothills of the mountains. Garden zone 4b. Very high wind area. Negative 35 degrees F is very possible here.” “I wanted to share some information for anyone who may be interested. We bought a small cabin … Read more
Katie Jones and Peter Schmitt’s Uptown Strawhouse will be built on the site of their current garage using straw bales for walls, which will not only make the home energy efficient but will actually sequester carbon. “Passive houses” meet a voluntary energy efficiency standard that drastically reduces the building’s carbon footprint and requires little energy … Read more
Rammed earth is made of damp soil or earth that is placed in formwork, and then compressed or rammed into a solid, dense wall. As a construction technique, rammed earth has been eclipsed by the development of reinforced concrete, but there has been renewed interest because of its aesthetics and its perceived environmental benefits. The … Read more
The following blog post was written by Michael G. Smith originally for motherearthnews.com and I have shamelessly posted it here to further spread his wise words.A group of about two dozen people gather on a wooded hillside in Northern California. They are women, men, and children, ranging in age from three to 72. They come … Read more
At Cob Cottage Company in Oregon Kara Stiff trained in cob, an ancient technique using clay, sand and straw, with stone or recycled concrete for the foundation. They built rounded houses that seemed right out of a fairy tale, using materials that were freely available just about everywhere, non-toxic, cozy and beautiful. There wasn’t a … Read more
Emma lives in the wild woods of Wales, where she is close to nature , with no running water, electricity, or internet. For Emma, this way of life is all about building a closer relationship to nature while also creating a lifestyle where she is free of the pressures of the modern world. Her simple … Read more