Amazing Couple Builds the Applegate Cottage on Whidbey Island
I met Paul and Sara in 2015, long before they moved into their very own Applegate Cottage, at my seven-day, hands-on workshop in La Grande, Oregon and was immediately struck by what an awesome couple they are. They had a work ethic like I’d not seen in years, and were always full of smiles and […]
BIPOC Straw Bale Workshop Scholarships
To the Black, Indigenous, and people of color in our straw bale community, I recently received a very powerful message from an African American woman educator in which she shared how important it is for us to clearly state that Black, Indigenous, and people of color are “welcomed and wanted” at our workshops. It became […]
Standing Up for Racial Justice
By now you have all likely seen the horrific footage of George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis. Gabriella and I are filled with grief and anger, as I imagine you are too. Adding to this pain is the fact that his murder is one of far too many similar deaths that continue to take place in […]
Straw Bale LEED Certified Quebec House For Sale
This unique and ecological Quebec house for sale is situated at the end of a quiet, secure and very private street in Grenville-sur-la-Rouge. This is a Canadian municipality situated in the province of Québec, in the MRC of Argenteuil in the area known as the Laurentian’s. Grenville-sur-la-Rouge is situated north of the Ottawa River and […]
Tell Me What To Do…An Opportunity To Get YOUR Questions Answered
It’s not every day that I suggest that tens of thousands of people tell me what to do. After all, I try hard to stay ahead of the game and get valuable information out to you via the blog and our newsletter; however, sometimes, it’s best to ask YOU, the readers, exactly what you’re looking […]
Fire Resistance of Straw Bale Walls Outperforms Conventional Construction
The fire resistance of straw bale walls is superior to that of conventional construction. Learn why that matters and how it’s possible.
Affordable Straw Bale Retreat Opportunity!
Andrew and I were recently in Eugene, OR getting our kids settled into the University of Oregon (go Ducks lol!). During our week up there, we had the pleasure of staying in the Dharma Suite at Dharmalaya and can we just say “WOW!!!”? We are sharing some information about this incredibly affordable straw bale retreat […]
Adding Shingles to Gable Walls
Adding shingles to gable walls may not seem like a straw bale specific topic at first glance. That doesn’t mean it’s not an important skill for you to learn for several reasons. First and foremost, a lot of straw bale houses use shingles on the gable end walls. They do so to add a complementary […]
TinyHousePlans.com is Live!
We’re excited to share that our brand new website TinyHousePlans.com is live! Have you ever considered the size of your dream home? Have you ever considered that it may be far more than you really need? Have you considered how you might spend the vast amounts of money saved from building on a smaller scale? I’m here to […]
Lead Straw Bale Builder Needed for Nonprofit Straw Bale Project
Y Innovations is looking for a lead straw bale builder for a nonprofit housing project in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. They are building straw bale homes as affordable housing for low-income families in need.
Please Help Support Martin Hammer and the National Straw Bale Code Efforts
If you have not heard about the work Martin Hammer has done in developing the national straw bale construction building code, then you have missed out. Martin has worked tirelessly, and continues to do so, for all of us. He co-authored the code which was approved in the 2015 International Residential Code (IRC) and has […]
Wildfires and Straw Bale Construction: Four Case Studies From California
The recent wildfires in California have created massive devastation across the state; however, they have also given us an opportunity to see, first hand, just how well straw bale structures perform in wildfires.