Strawbale Getaway – Crestone, Colorado

Exterior view of the Strawbale Getaway in Colorado
Exterior view of the Strawbale Getaway in Colorado

“This strawbale home was designed to relate to the surrounding environment and serve as a welcoming retreat for friends and family. The multinational owners, wanted to uphold the inherent character of the majestic site – located at the cusp of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the San Luis Valley floor – throughout the process and in the final result. Designed to merge into its natural setting and link occupants with the outdoors, this Colorado home was also constructed to be energy efficient, sustainable and green in all aspects of the process.

Read more

Colorado: Off-Gridders Forced back on the Grid, Camping on own land Illegal

Is Costilla County, Colorado Banning Off-Grid Living? There is a battle brewing in Costilla County, Colorado.
Is Costilla County, Colorado Banning Off-Grid Living? There is a battle brewing in Costilla County, Colorado.

“It’s something we’ve reported on many times in the past – government agencies trying to regulate Off-Grid living out of existence. Throughout the country, local zoning officials have made it impossible for people to go off the grid, in many cases even threatening them with jail time for not hooking into local utilities.

Read more

Zen Ranch: A Colorado Straw Bale Home

This sustainably-built sport ranch brings an Olympian snowboarder peace.
This sustainably-built sport ranch brings an Olympian snowboarder peace.

After living in a tipi on his 42 acres for a year, Thedo Remmelink wanted an east-facing entrance and rounded corners on the home he built. Builder John Randolph used local wood and stone and straw bales from the nearby San Luis Valley to implement architect Todd Young’s design.

Read more