Black Ankle Vineyards Tasting Room

The Black Ankle Vineyards tasting room is made of straw bales, wood, stone and clay.
The Black Ankle Vineyards tasting room is made of straw bales, wood, stone and clay.

“Our tasting room, which can accommodate 100 people, features sweeping views of the vineyards and was built using a multitude of materials grown or gathered on the farm, including wood, stone, straw, and clay.

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Straw Bale Building: DIY Wrap-Around Porch

Directions for DIY wrap-around porch on strawbale house
Directions for DIY wrap-around porch on strawbale house

“Climate and weather in the high desert of Arizona are harsh. Granted, we don’t have the severe cold of northern states, but monsoonal rains driven by 50 mph winds and intense sun that will burn skin through a long sleeved shirt can be tough on a building made of straw and adobe clay.

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Dunne Family Strawbale Update

Dunne family strawbale house under construction -- December 2013
Dunne family strawbale house under construction — December 2013

Jay sent us this tip. The Dunne Family house is progressing nicely. The roof is on and straw bales are up. Plus, they now have a blog. We profiled their project one year ago: Dunne’s Hardware Store …NOT!

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My Off-the-Grid Building Odyssey

In building a sustainable house, at 7,500 feet, out of puddled adobe, strawbales, and earthbags, Kristina Orchard-Hays ’95 drew on the independent spirit and creative thinking skills she acquired at Bryn Mawr.
In building a sustainable house, at 7,500 feet, out of puddled adobe, strawbales, and earthbags, Kristina Orchard-Hays ’95 drew on the independent spirit and creative thinking skills she acquired at Bryn Mawr.

“In the wake of both personal and national tragedy, I decided it was time to follow Thoreau’s dictum and simplify. Clearly, my life of quiet desperation had to change. As I sifted through the complexities of my daily routine, I noticed a recurring problem—my struggles to house myself.

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The Woodland House

Reviews at Amazon.com: The quaint wooden house in Prickly Nut Wood is no fairytale concoction – it is an icon of the movement to combine ecology and ethics in design. –The Guardian Ben’s approach to building his house started with the materials. He selected the poles he wanted to build with and designed around them. … Read more