Comments on: Two Hooves Up: First Baby Steps In The Quest Of A Former Suburbanite To Build A Three Dimensional Dwelling That Might Actually Stand On Its Own, Say, Fifteen Years After Construction. OK, Five.

By: OrgoCowboy

OrgoCowboy — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:15:45 +0000

Stucco-covered straw sounds excellent. In terms of sustainability, I currently have probably 150-200 feed bags, and all the dirt (care of a creek bed) that I could want. For straw to be sustainable, I’d have to find a neighbor who’s done harvesting alfalfa (and I plan to grow some here in future). All this discussion is making me excited to get started.

By: Al Larabee

Al Larabee — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 03:49:18 +0000

Hi Doug;
Wow ! I was really impressed by the earthbag building in Haiti.
One of the alternate building technologies in use in n.w. Washington is straw bales that are covered with stucco. The walls are over two feet thick and super insulated. The one near me is a two story dwelling with an attic. Probably about eighteen hundred square foot total.
I enjoy your blog,as always,and look foward to when you post photos of the finished product.

By: OrgoCowboy

OrgoCowboy — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:27:07 +0000

I just checked that site out yesterday! So cool and very inspiring.

By: Eric

Eric — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:51:47 +0000

This bag thing sounds green! Here, by the way, is a site with a finished House. http://www.earthbagbuilding.com/projects/haiti.htm
Have a great day and watch out for the rain.

By: OrgoCowboy

OrgoCowboy — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 13:13:35 +0000

So the plan is to stucco the bags with adobe/earth plaster – they won’t be exposed. The matter of whether the goats would then shred that is still open to question. Knowing goats. I’ll keep y’all posted on that one.

By: Arlo Petersen

Arlo Petersen — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 06:11:30 +0000

I have a suggestion. Fill and stack a few dirt bags in the goat pen. I think you will find that the goats shred the bags. They will also be thrilled with a new structure to climb.