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a new project


I stumbled upon a website last week about low impact woodland homes, essentially: hobbit houses. Dug into a hillside and covered with earth to create an efficient and beautiful house. They are made with roundwood framing, using oak trees left whole as the timbers. Straw bales are used for insulation in the walls and under the floor. They used a natural lime plaster on the walls, recycled materials for everything possible, thrifted doors and windows. All together this husband/father and his father in law built a house for under $4000 in about four months. 



I have been blown away by the ideas and resources available on the subject. We have spent hours already discussing the outbuildings we will need in the future, such as barns, root cellars, storage sheds, animal shelters, and well we could definitely use a few cabins around. If we can utilize the materials around us in this way, it's possible for us to create an incredible farm, beautiful, efficient, and sustainable. Jonathan, my cousin Billy, and my dad are all in favor of this method of construction, with plans to make our first attempt on a car port for Dad's new car (it's not the top priority in my book obviously, but you can't win them all right.) 


Additional pictures, plans, information and resources about building natural and sustainable housing, 
as well as links to other homes created this way, are available here

Until next time,
Angela Kelly


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