World, meet Rebecca…

Rebecca is a Colorado native who currently resides in Carbondale, Colorado.  Her wide-ranging administrative support roles in education recently led her to a 9-12 experiential learning based boarding school in Carbondale, where she serves as the Executive Assistant to the Headmaster.

She became captivated with straw bale home construction after visiting and staying in one in southwest Colorado when she was in her 30’s.  Further interest developed after visiting a retreat center in California and doing volunteer work on a structure for four days.

Rebecca stated, “For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been happiest and most fulfilled when working with my hands and building things; whether that was a garden, a stone patio, or a dinner for 20.  Being part of a workshop team will be my next step in putting the puzzle pieces together for a new career I’m building for myself.  The opportunity could not have come at a better time, and I’m thrilled to be this month’s winner.”

CONGRATULATIONS REBECCA! WE ARE SO EXCITED TO GET TO MEET YOU AT A WORKSHOP!

Just a quick note to let you know that I only have one spot left in the class. Scratch that…the class is now full.

Space in Remaining Classes:

June in Ashland, Oregon: 3

July in Taos, New Mexico:  FULL (You Can Sign Up For The Wait List)

August in Florence, Montana: 10+

September in Meadville, Pennsylvania: 10+

October outside Sacramento, California: 10+

It’s not everyday that people come together and build with each other. Not in these “modern times” at least; however, that is precisely what happened this last week outside of Little Rock, Arkansas. More than 40 people came together to learn, connect, have fun, and share in the experience of building a 5,300 SF Eco Solar Learning Center at the Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center. With a common goal in mind (to bale and plaster the Eco Solar Learning Center), the group put out an amazing effort to bale a space that will help teach both adults and children about living green, getting power from the sun, and the effects of our actions and inactions on the earth we all walk on together.

People from different walks of life and different countries came together to work side by side. What we received was far more than an education in straw bale construction. We connected with each other and gained friendships that span across borders to Mexico and across the seas to the UK. We learned about different religions from Prespatarian Christians to Buddhists.  We worked side by side with young adults volunteering their service through Americorps, as well as with retired men and women, architects, builders, and many other individuals: again, all inspired by a common goal.

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THE HOUSE THAT JACK (AND NANCIE, AND THE KIDS, AND THE FATHER, AND THE NEIGHBORS) BUILT

“When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream.” –Paulo Coelho

Jack has always had a strong desire to use his own hands to build his and his wife Nancie’s forever home. But, for most of their married years together, they were fulfilled and busy with raising their three kids and supporting the family. Nancie shares that to have built their own home when the kids were younger would have taken too much of their precious time away from raising the family.

The kids are now all grown, living exciting and wonderful lives of their own. The large home in which they raised their beautiful family no longer meets Jack and Nancie’s needs and, in fact, poses several challenges to them. A one acre parcel of land that they fell in love with and purchased in 2007 has been calling to them more and more over the years. That calling has finally culminated in their realized dream of building their own home.

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For those of you looking to connect with other like-minded folks in the straw baling world, the CASBA Spring Conference is coming up April 12-14, 2013. I will be teaching a straw bale workshop in Arkansas, so won’t be able to attend, but I strongly encourage those of you able to make the event to do so. I went to one years ago and it was a blast! This year, David Easton of Rammed Earth Works is the keynote speaker, and many CASBA founders will also be present. There will be tons of natural building discussions as well as a great opportunity for networking.

They have extended the Early Bird Pricing to tomorrow: Friday, March 15, because of some website issues earlier in the month. Click here to get registered right away and to save some dough in the process.

Like many of us, Ryan (a 7 day straw bale workshop graduate) held a deep desire to build his home using his own two hands. After all, growing up in a family in which his father had built three (the last of which Ryan was heavily involved in), the concept was familiar and natural. While attending a green building conference circa 2002, Ryan was introduced to the concept of straw bale construction. Being an environmental consultant, the merits of this technology made sense so he proceeded to create a multi year plan to build his own house using straw bales.

A plan of action, timeline, and goal are incredibly useful tools when bringing big dreams to fruition. They serve as guideposts when we feel overwhelmed and give us perspective on what the next step is.  With these tools, it doesn’t matter how far into the future your goal might be or how many actions will need to be taken to reach it. As long as you continue to follow each step, in time, reaching your goal is inevitable.

For Ryan and his wife, their steps included selling their condo in the city, renting a cottage in the area they wanted to settle in, and then waiting patiently for the right piece of property to show up. For three years they waited. And when their dream property showed up on the market, they didn’t hesitate.

Ryan was already experienced with Auto-Cad (professional architectural design software) so he undertook the 2,000 sqft home design process himself. He also did all of his engineering calculations. Before turning his plans into the building department, he had them professionally reviewed and stamped by an architect and structural engineer to make certain that the residence was well designed. Though he navigated his way through the whole design process successfully, he wishes that he had enlisted professional help earlier on to simplify the whole process.

The actual building process was an adventure. For Ryan, there were “a million ups and downs”. Some days felt easy and perfectly on schedule. Other days he felt defeated and would ask himself, “What have I done??” Peace of mind was re-established each time doubt came in by reminding himself to just take things one step at a time. During the build, he made it a point to break down each task into manageable bites so that in general, none of the jobs took more than a day to complete. He also quickly realized that it was much more productive to spend time in action rather than spending too much time thinking out every single step ahead of time.

Obtaining a loan and insurance for his straw bale home posed no obstacles for Ryan and his wife. He shares the secret to his success was in his approach. He arrived at all of his meetings with as much information as he could, answering questions before they even had a chance to ask them. He went to all of his meetings with a comprehensive business plan and presented himself professionally. Ryan’s efforts paid off without a hitch.

When I asked Ryan if he has advice to anyone building their own straw bale home, he shared (wisely) that as tempting as it may feel in the moment to cut corners not only in craftsmanship but also in materials, that it’s extremely important to stay committed to the values of safety and creating a house that will last for generations. One of the big pieces of the success and beauty of his build is that he stayed true to his commitment to build the best house that he could.

When Ryan first informed his father that he was going to build his house with straw bales, his dad thought it was the craziest thing he had ever heard of. He could not for the life of him understand why his son would build with straw. I am pleased to report though that his father now “gets it”. It’s so important that those of us who are passionate about building a straw bale house do so even at the risk of having others deem us insane (even if just temporarily). When others see the process and the end result, they can’t help but see the light. We are the ambassadors for this technology and the more of us there are, the more available safe, beautiful, energy efficient and green straw bale housing is to those around the world.

We want to congratulate Ryan on doing a beautiful job on his home. It is wonderful to see past workshop graduates go out there and build their own dream straw bale homes. We hope to see you at a workshop sometime in 2013!

We are having a sale on everything in our store including workshop tuitions (up to $200 off!), all of our How-To DVDs, my new book: “A Modern Look At Straw Bale Construction,” and two sets of professional construction plans for small or tiny houses. You’ll even discover that I have created discounts on the three most popular ways to work with me directly. You can get my help with a construction plan review, have me come to your site and train your baling crew for three days, or get both of those plus a year of consulting and more. Please visit our store today to get in on the sale and learn all about what we are offering.

Here’s a look at the 2013 workshop schedule for those of you interested in learning hands-on in the coming year.

April 8-14 in Little Rock, Arkansas

April 20-21 in New York (Comprehensive Design Seminar)

May 13-19 in Wheeling, West Virginia

June 17-23 in Ashland, Oregon

July 8-14 in Taos, New Mexico

August 12-18 in Florence, Montana

September 9-15 in Meadville, Pennsylvania

Sept. 30 – Oct. 6 in Sacramento, California

I hope to meet many of you this year at a workshop or by helping you on your own project. I love the experiences I have both with consulting and with running workshops. I truly love my job and I hope to share that enthusiasm with you soon!

Happy Baling!

-Andrew

Erin is our most recent winner in our Free Workshop drawing. Congrats…we are really looking forward to meeting you in person! World, meet Erin, a cowgirl poet… (by the way, this beautiful photo was taken by her partner Matt Main www.MattMain.com)

I am a farm girl by default, born and raised on a homestead in Nebraska, but given to the beauty of the mountains.  College took me west in search of bright lights and big city, but the wilderness and grandeur of the places I’ve lived keep me here in the Rocky Mountains.  Travel, horses, and the trail ahead kept me moving in the last years. Seasonal work – car packed and on the road almost every 6 months to experience new communities, jobs, relationships, and self exploration has been both an asset to my development and a challenge.  For work I’ve done almost anything you can name, but consistently have worked as a wrangler, guide, and outdoor educator.  My path points to education and continued wilderness study.  I’m certain that horses will be a part of the mix as well.

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We are excited to announce our 2013 workshop schedule this coming Friday, November 23rd at 9am Eastern Time (our Pre-Launch Sale kicks off Thursday, November 22nd at 9pm Eastern Time. If you’d like to sign up for that, please click here.). We have some great locations and projects set up this year, and I trust you will find the perfect option. So the question then becomes: when and where will I get to meet you? You may think that depends on where you live; however, I have seen people travel from great distances to workshops for many different reasons. Some come for the location, and others for the project. What will make you travel? Let’s see what the workshops have to entice you…

I’m not going to give away locations or dates yet, so you can just have some fun with the general feel of each workshop. I guess this is an exercise in intuition. Feel into the short descriptions below and see what resonates. This may not be the class you end up attending, but then again,it just might be. So, in no particular order, here are some details to get you moving.

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Last weekend in Denver, Colorado I held my first ever 2-day Straw Bale Design Seminar. The evening before the workshop began, I joined my friend Jim at the hotel bar for a beer. I met Jim last year at the Brownsville, Oregon straw bale workshop. While he and I caught up with each other another workshop graduate named Julie from the class in Crestone, Colorado, walked up and gave me a hug. She was too tired to hang out, but seeing her smiling face was enough to bring a smile to my own. Shortly after that, Susan (from the Missouri and North Dakota workshops) walked up and joined me and Jim at the bar. I realized in that moment just how much I truly love what I do. My job is one that allows me to meet amazing people from all over the world and to continually grow my circle of friends.

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Every month, during our workshop season, we have the very fun task of selecting a winner to receive one of our free 7 day straw bale workshops.  The idea of the workshop giveaways sprung about four years ago and it’s been an enormous success since.  We calculate that we have been able to provide free spots to at least 25 winners and each and every one of them has been a delight and a wonderful addition to our workshops.

Now, you might think that finding the winners for our free workshops would be a piece of cake.  After all, each person that signs up on the list, we assume,  has done so out of their own accord and in hopes of winning a free straw bale workshop.   But, here’s the thing; for every person that responds to our email about winning the free workshop, there have been an average of 3 failed attempts to make contact with a selected winner.  So, for the 25 or so people that have received a free workshop, we’ve attempted, with no success, to make contact with about 75.  When I put on my marketing hat I can see that, realistically, despite our best attempts to select wording that doesn’t flag our emails as junk, most of the winning notifications most likely became jammed in spam filters.

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When I arrived at the Perth workshop site in Calingiri, Western Australia last week, I was amazed. Before me stood our workshop home, a beautifully built, roughly 5,000 sqft structure, surrounded fully by 10’ verandas, and capped by perhaps the largest residential roof I’ve ever seen. What the hosts had been able to accomplish before the workshop, with some help, was extraordinary. And as though getting the structure ready for the workshop, organizing all of the materials, and preparing their land to host 35 people hadn’t been enough, Geoff and Sarah, the hosts, had decided to ad a couple extra items to their To-Do list:

1. Hand brew copious amounts of beer in several different flavors for the workshop.

2. Hunt and butcher several kangaroos for the menu.

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TransMineral USA is hosting a plastering workshop this fall, October 11 and 12, 2012. This is a great opportunity to learn the material from some of the best. Keep in mind that TransMineral USA is the sole US importer of Natural Hydraulic Lime, so they know their stuff. I don’t know exactly who will be leading the workshop, but I imagine he or she will be top notch and I expect Michel, the owner of TransMineral USA will be there as well. I highly recommend you attend this workshop if you can make it.

Here’s what they have to say in their workshop announcement:

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Have you caught the bug? Are you interested in building a tiny house?  If so, I suggest you attend a hands-on workshop to learn how to do it right before you jump into your own project. In line with that, I have a great opportunity for you, but first, I want to talk a little bit about the insanity of living in a large home.

There is no question that we, especially here in America, have built our houses too big in the last 50 years. The last 20 years especially have been the worst in terms of super sizing our homes. We have gone over the deep end and for some reason, we continue to build houses that have enough space to shelter 30 people and yet only 2 or 3 actually live in them. The amount of resources necessary to build and maintain these homes is immense and the impacts, both environmentally and financially, are huge. You’ll likely be shocked to know just how much each hour you spend awake in your home actually costs!

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Teresa, the host for the Sam’s Valley, Oregon workshop, gets to do something most of us wouldn’t have the courage and stamina to do year after year…teach at a youth correctional facility.  Helping the local troubled youth is something she loves and is passionate about.  Kids come in as young as 12 years old and up to their 20s with a wide range of struggles (alcoholism, drug addiction, anger management issues, etc…).  When they first arrive, they are angry and uninspired; however, she shares that it is typically that after just a month or so in the facility, she sees pretty amazing transformations in these kids.  Their faces start to soften and they start to act more like teenage kids.  Watching this change is something that warms her heart.  Based on experience, she has no question that these kids have the capacity to change and to live very happy and prosperous lives.  It’s great that there are people like Teresa doing the day-to-day work to help our youth make their way through the tangled mazes that sometimes come along with growing up.

Teresa is really looking forward to her straw bale house build.  The house will be a 1,200sqft home with views of the Siskiyou mountain range.  She draws a large part of her inspiration to build her house from memories of her mother.  A vibrant and savvy woman who made it a point in life to not take “no” for an answer, but rather to ask “why not?”, Teresa’s mother led her own home build at the age of 70.  Tired of living in their small house with her daughter and husband, she single-handedly secured financing and oversaw their new construction project in Roseburg, OR.  Teresa’s mother lived in the field of possibility and never believed anything was impossible.  This outlook in life left a lasting mark on Teresa and today she is living out her own dream to build a beautiful and energy efficient home.

Teresa feels that her journey, the process of building her house, is being guided by an inner knowing.  As obstacles arise, clarity shows up and Teresa knows what the next step is.  This guidance has helped her fully accept and embrace the challenge of financing and building a home. She is a woman with a gentle heart and we really commend her for stepping outside of the box and embarking on this endeavor to achieve her dream.  This workshop is a great opportunity to help make Teresa’s dream of building a home come true.  We are glad that we get to be a part of it!

To find out more about this workshop, please click here.

The winner of this month’s free 7 day straw bale workshop is…Jesse L.!

Jesse is an artist and writer inspired by the natural world of Vermont.  She is also an herbalist and last year was certified in Permaculture Design.  For the past two years she has not had a home of her own but instead has been employed by going house to house, caring for people’s gardens, plants and pets. In that time she has written a book, a manuscript of poems and a children’s story.

Jesse has dreamed of building an earth friendly home for years. She sees using her homestead as a small permaculture herb farm with fruit trees and creating an outdoor classroom for art and writing as well.  She looks forward to joining the strawbale class, learning skills, working with a team and getting closer to the reality of building a place she can call home. This will also give her family, children and grandchildren a place to visit.

She also looks forward to bringing her acquired knowledge and skills into her community to assist others in creating strawbale and permaculture dwellings.  Jesse will be joining us in one of our Oregon classes.

Congratulations Jesse!

Sometimes in life things may seem so bleak and desperate that it’s hard to find hope or reason to go on.  As grace would have it though, even at these darkest moments, there is an opportunity to surrender and find hope that can be so transformational that it can alter a person’s life and outlook forever.  Renee Ainlay, the host of the April 16-22 workshop in Missouri, is a living and thriving example of what can happen when this transformation takes place.

Renee, not long ago, was sent home by a team of medical experts to die.  She was suffering from a long list of illnesses and diseases which left her so debilitated that there seemed to be no way out of her crisis.  Over $1 Million dollars in medical bills and 14 years of treatment had bought her no relief or even solid explanations as to what was happening to her body.  This was an extremely painful period in Renee’s life and to this day, it brings up a lot of emotion when she talks about it.  She confides that when things were bad, they were really, really bad.

Fortunately, surrounding this wonderful woman was a family of support.  Her husband, John, and their 6 children did everything they could to help Renee as she went through this period.  By divine intervention they were introduced to the principles of a raw food diet and the more they learned about it, the more it all began to make perfect sense to them.  John explains that when we get out of the way of polluting our bodies with additives, preservatives and give our systems raw living food in the right balance and proportions, our bodies can start doing what they are intended to do, which is to heal, release toxins, and to support a person to thrive.  Once the body is receiving the nutrition that it is intended to receive, everything changes including one’s mental outlook and clarity.

Renee was so inspired by what she learned that she dedicated herself to changing her approach to food and began to see food as the healing medicine that it is.  Her detoxification process was intense but by this point she was so filled with hope that she stuck with it and the results were miraculous.  In short time she had energy again, was able to get out of bed, and start taking part in life in a way that she thought she never would again.

Renee attributes a large part of her health transformation to the amazing healing powers of raw coconut cream.  This cream, which one ingests, acts as an internal cleanser, ridding the system of toxins while replenishing the body with vital vitamins and antioxidants.  In the beginning of her healing when she had no extra energy, John would make coconut cream by hand for her.  As time went on and friends of theirs began to see the transformation in Renee’s health, word quickly spread of the healing powers of the raw coconut cream.  Orders began trickling in at first but in short time they had to move from their converted garage manufacturing facility to a small warehouse and today, they are moving into a 10,000 square foot facility to keep up with the demand.  They are now co-packing the product in 4 different flavors through a company with the Brand Name “Coconut Secret” and it will be offered in over 2,000 stores, including Whole Foods sometime in late June .  Until then you can go to www.originallivingcoconut.com to purchase the regular coconut cream product and have it shipped to your front door.

Renee has also become a master in the field of raw food preparation creating dozens of her own recipes ranging from breakfast to dessert and everything in between.  She prepares raw food for clients and even ships full meals to most locations in the US for those that live a distance from their Missouri ranch.  Renee shares that she feels amazing now.  In the last 6 years she has spent at the very most $3,000 on her health.  The physical healing she received was simply through the use of food as medicine and the raw coconut cream.

Today, John and Renee are living their dream.  They have bought a 200 acre piece of land in Missouri and are full steam ahead creating a wellness center which will incorporate everything that Renee and John learned from her health struggles and triumphs over the last 14 years.  They have just begun construction on their dairy parlor and have 30 cows that will provide the raw milk to create a wide array of dairy products.  Their home will be completed around April 1^st.  They are setting up a 35’ tall, 1,800 square foot dome with space to grow 70,000 plants vertically.  This dome will also incorporate an aquaponic system which will yield about 10,000 pounds of tilapia per year.  Their ranch is being modeled around permaculture principles under the guidance of a top permaculturist.

At the epicenter of their vision for the ranch is a wellness retreat center that will provide a full network of support for guests to come and learn how to heal their bodies through the use of food.  This center will offer consulting services as well as an extensive array of classes, exercises and support to ensure the highest level of success as one makes the shift to eating optimally.  There will be cabins (some straw bale and some domes) for guests to stay in during their time on the ranch.  It will be a healing/learning center unlike any other.   I for one hope to be one of the very first people to get to go once they open up in Fall of 2012.

John and Renee are really excited about straw bale construction and in hosting the Missouri workshop.  They feel like straw bale is a vital part of their vision for a wellness center that incorporates principles of permaculture and healing.  John was a building contractor for the majority of his adult life but didn’t know about the existence of straw bale until a year ago.  Now he’s sold on the concept and plans to have several straw bale structures on the ranch.  The house we will be building during the workshop will be for one of their sons.  To their absolute delight, all of their children have joined them in the creation of the wellness center and are in the process of building homes on the ranch.

When I asked John how he sees their lives now, John stated emphatically that he has no question that they are living the lives that they are intended to live.  They feel completely guided and supported through this major process and endeavor.  Anytime there is an obstacle, the solution shows up effortlessly.  Their enthusiasm for life, their vision, and for everything they are creating is contagious.  I so enjoyed my time speaking with them that I was ready to jump on a plane and go join them in their vision.  This workshop is going to be a knock out one and it will be a privilege to help them.

For information about this workshop please visit:

http://www.strawbaleworkshops.com/locations/missouri/

For information about Renee and John’s products please visit:

http://www.originallivingcoconut.com/

p.s.  Although the menu during the workshop will be comprised primarily of cooked foods, there will be the opportunity to try some of Renee’s delicious raw foods as well.

I am really excited to make this announcement. I have created an entirely new workshop focused specifically on the design aspect of straw bale construction. It’s really easy to miss key details during the design process that end up coming back to bite you during construction. I can show you how to avoid those issues and how to design your dream straw bale home with success.

Here are the general topics that I will cover during the 2 day workshop. Keep in mind that these are just the general outlines and that each topic has many sub-topics within it. For example, when I say “foundations,” that includes concrete slabs, raised floor foundations, basements, pier foundations, rubble trenches, earthen slabs, radiant floor heating, and more. To check out the full description of this workshop, please click here.

• Advantages of Building with Bales
• Mortgages and Insurance
• Foundations
• Framing Systems
• Engineering
• Electrical and Plumbing Considerations
• General Layouts and Design Considerations
• Working with subcontractors
• Material Selection for Your Floors and Walls
• Green Your Home Top to Bottom

I have heard from many people over the years that they need help designing their straw bale projects. I have worked with enough people and with enough sets of plans to see a common thread in mistakes and omissions. By focusing on the details necessary for quality design and by combining that with my years of experience in designing, building, and teaching straw bale construction, I have created a comprehensive workshop that will teach you everything you need to know about straw bale design. This is not to say that I can teach you how to be an architect or designer in two days, but I can teach you how to fully understand the impact of straw bales on your design and how to get the most out of your project.

This workshop will be held in Denver, Colorado October 20-21, 2012 at a Denver International Airport area hotel. This makes for easy access to the site from anywhere in the world! The hotel will provide shuttle service to and from the airport as well as a discounted room rate for those choosing to stay with us at the hotel. Breakfast is provided by the hotel to those guests staying with us. Lunch will be provided on both days and is included in the course fee. There is a restaurant in the hotel for participants to purchase dinner or they can choose from a number of area restaurants. The cost for this workshop is $399. Here’s the link to learn more about the workshop or to sign up today.

One more exciting detail about the workshop is that you will receive a copy of my upcoming book: A Modern Look at Straw Bale Design Details, co-authored with straw bale designer Chris Keefe of Organicforms Design. This book is not yet for sale, as it is brand new and still in production. Those attending the class will be among the very first people to receive a copy. The book is full of design elements and sections described clearly and drawn in detail. Discussions of critical aspects of the design process are also included. I hope you can join us in Denver and start designing the home of your dreams.

Congratulations to Sarah L. from Nova Scotia, Canada for winning a free seven-day, comprehensive straw bale workshop! She will be joining us in Eld Dorado Springs, Missouri in April. Here’ s alittle bit about Sarah in her own words.

Jill Plumer and David Clark were married 10 years ago and soon after the joyous occasion, began dreaming up plans for the home in which they planned to spend the rest of their lives.  They decided on a beautiful timber framed house design and eight years ago, the construction process began.  David is a carpenter, and for those years, the couple tenderly built their home, even felling their own trees to create the timber, while living in a trailer on the property to be close to the build.  The home was nearly done and they planned on moving into it this fall.

Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans in store.  On April 27, 2011, the tornado sirens seemed to go all day long.  In Chattanooga, where Jill works as Human Resources Director for the YMCA, there were 5 warnings and staff spent much of the day shuttling members down to the tornado cellar.  Jill made the decision to stay on site for the night to help remaining, rather than drive the 45 miles home to their property.  Upon telling David this, he agreed whole heartedly, noting that it wasn’t worth the risky drive to make it back to their land.

Meanwhile in their trailer home, David lay down to sleep, unaware that life as he knew it was about to change.  To say that David’s survival is a miracle is an understatement.  In fact, no words can truly describe or explain what happened that night.  As a mega EF4 tornado barreled down on their property at 9:28pm, David found himself at the mercy of fate and the paper-thin walls of his trailer.  In no time, the roof and walls tore away around him, flying into the surrounding woods and landing as a tangled web of twisted debris.  In the end, the only remaining unharmed object was David.

The tornado passed and David found himself outside in the pitch black of this horrific night, cold and battered by the driving wind and rain that consumed the landscape.  During the tornado, David’s emergency flashlight had been tossed into oblivion, leaving him with nothing but the sporadic flashes of the lightning storm to light his way.  He was disoriented by the darkness as well as the devastation of his property.   He turned in circles, looking for the house they had spent the last eight years building.  To his disbelief, he finally realized that he couldn’t find it because it no longer existed.  The home lay in complete collapse.  The next day they would see that the tornado had been so powerful that it had flung the four principal trusses, each weighing 1.5 tons, up to 50’ from the structure’s original site.

Sadly, others weren’t so fortunate, and that night Jill and David lost not only their dream home but also friends, neighbors, and some of their alpacas.  Jill shares that she and David have been affected greatly by this sad turn of events.  Going through this experience has been a major turning point for both of them.  They are touched and moved by the outpouring of support they have received from people in their small community; people with nothing extra to spare, showing up at their property, chainsaws in hand asking, “How can we help?  Where do you want me to start?”  They are deeply grateful for how embraced they have felt and are not taking an ounce of this generosity and kindness for granted.  They are even more committed now to rebuild their dream home as soon as possible so that they can start giving back.  David and Jill have no intentions of moving away and plan to remain in this amazing community for a very long time.

Since the tornado, the couple has been moving from place to place, staying with friends while they figure out how to rebuild on their land.  Recently they stayed with an artist friend, Frances McDonald, in Chattanooga, who is the first person to have built a straw bale home in the area.  Jill and David were so taken by their experience of staying in the straw bale home that Jill says, “There’s no way I can build a conventional home after living in a straw bale for a week!”  They love the look and feel of straw bale construction and are amazed that during their stay, when it was so “beastly” hot outside, whenever they came into the bale home, it was like stepping into a “cool, dry cave.”  They’ve been bitten by the straw bale bug and recently contacted us about hosting a straw bale workshop to build the Applegate Residence on their beloved property, which we will do from September 22-28.

There remains a lot of clean up on their land, once heavily forested and now littered with fallen trees.  Friends and family are still coming in from out of town to help in the clean up process and slowly but surely, things are getting done.  Stories such as this remind us of the fragility of our lives here in this beautiful and sometimes harsh world, where have no control over the elements and can only rely upon the generosity of friends and neighbors in times of great need.  We wish Jill and David all the best and look forward to being a part of their rebuild.

To read a newspaper article that was written up shortly after the tornado about David and Jill’s experience, click here.  To find out more about the workshop to rebuild a home for them with the Applegate Residence, click here.