Hello again! I hope you’re doing well. I’m overdue for an update. People have been asking, and I have found it hard to find the time to actually sit down and write. Generally, this is my favorite time of the year. This year however I feel the speed of winter approaching like no other. The pressure is on. Our deadlines are tight.
I look forward to living in a straw bale home. They definitely are a very labour intensive way to build a home. The work is fun. It is very enjoyable building. There is work for every skill level. A combination of this being a unique way to build a home, as well as our budget means we are personally building every step along the way. I can guarantee we would not even have a chance of living in our home by winter if it weren’t for all the volunteers who have helped us along the way! So… THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU!!
We have made a lot of progress since my last blog post. All the post and beam structures are standing. Windows and doors are framed. Second floor truss’ are installed. Rafters have been raised, placed, secured. Tin roofing is nearly finished. Tyvek and blood lath are being attached where needed. The chimney has been partially framed. Earth has been leveled. That is an extremely brief and fast summary of hundreds of hours of work that have taken place. There are stories to tell at every step of these processes.
I threw together a short video for you.
Every time I drive up to our home I am always surprised how grand it looks! When we planned our home out on paper the idea was to build a smallish home that was large enough to entertain. The square foot print of our home is 900 square feet. Along with additional space in the loft which is not a full second story. It has been shocking to see it evolve in real life. Every step along the way it seems larger, grander and more spacious than we had imagined. It is elevated up on a hill which adds to the impression. The steep vaulted roof line also contribute to it’s grandness.
The straw workshop we had planned fell through. I will admit I was relieved at the time. We officiated a wedding the Saturday before the workshop as well as a wedding immediately after when the workshop should have been. Our straw bale instructor tore his Achilles tendon and had to undergo surgery. The notice for the work shop was extremely short which contributed to nobody signing up. All factors combined it was pretty clear and easy to cancel the event. It was important to us to have a roof on before the bales came. Any increased risk of moisture in the bales is something we strongly want to avoid.
Currently we are on budget and at least a full month behind schedule. The time is not possible to make up on our own. We are beginning with bales as soon as it has dried out again (possibly tomorrow???). Before we stack the bales wire mesh is attached tightly to the outside of our home. We then stack the bales which includes retying and cutting bales to fit exactly. We stagger the placement of the bales as they are stacked. After this the bales are trimmed on the interior walls to make a smooth level wall. Conduit wiring is inset into the bales before they are sealed. Wire mesh is attached tightly to the interior walls. At this time sewing begins. My Grandpa Friesen has hand made bale needles for us. At least two people are required for this time consuming job although we have enough supplies for sixteen sewers. One person stands in the inside of the home, one person on the outside of the home. Using bale twine and the bale needle we sew the entire wall (bale, interior and exterior wire mesh) tightly together. After everything is tightly secured stucco can begin. The lime stucco needs to be applied prior to frost. It requires two full days frost free to cure properly. September was originally the month we had hoped to be applying stucco, giving ourselves a month to complete this job.
I am in love with this homestead. It is so peaceful and beautiful here. I can’t wait to begin using this space to host and entertain again. We have already enjoyed having groups of people here as they help us build. On a side note, my baby starts kindergarten this week!! That’s all for now. We welcome all help. We appreciate all your support. Feel free to share your thoughts and questions with us.
livingsimplylovingdeep 