Using straw to build houses makes sense environmentally because it uses a renewable resource that might otherwise go to waste, or worse. “Some straw gets plowed back under” in the agricultural ...

The modern practice of straw bale building originated in Nebraska during the late 19th century, when early settlers were looking for the quickest method for temporary housing (although ...

a straw bale building consultant and author, who lives in Ashfield, Mass. Although it may seem like an unusual building material, straw has several advantages, said Lacinski, who reports interest ...

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“Straw-bale or alternative building is an absolutely fantastic experience,” said David Chew. “But it’s not — I would not recommend this to anybody who wasn’t already interested.

As first-time builders, they combined elements from various approaches ”“ a straw bale house with a gravel foundation, a floor made from second-hand pallets, a composting toilet, and a permaculture ...

But that’s what you get when you’re building a farm utility building made of straw. “Yeah, yeah. It’s going to blow away, I know,” says an exasperated but good-natured McCabe ...

Ventura County issued its first permit Friday for a straw-bale building, approving construction of a reception center at the Ojai Foundation’s spiritual retreat. The permit will allow use of ...

Since then, the county has approved about a half-dozen straw homes, county building official Tim DeVries said. The Frelixes are among a small but growing group of Americans who are choosing to ...

A family like that of Jen Frey and Joe Wirbick can find enough space to build a straw bale house or two on a windy hillside near Mount Joy. They started construction of a temporary first house in ...

AKRON, Ohio — If ever a building material has gotten a bad rap, it’s straw. Practically from the cradle, we’re told it’s unsuitable for sheltering pigs, let alone people. But Bob Perritt ...

The Biehns also use radiant heat - warm water piped through the floor. The Biehns and Alexander live only blocks apart but took contrasting approaches to building their straw-bale homes. Alexander ...