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I received a request from a woman in Central New York for help starting a straw bale support group. If you live in or near that area and are interested in being a part of this great venture, please respond to this post. Having a group of like minded people focusing on a common goal is very powerful. Not only will it be a resource for you when you start your own project, but the energetic strength of focusing your intentions in a group setting will start to remove potential barriers before they even show up. I have seen this work in my own life and support this type of connection whenever possible.
Do you have an intention to build with straw bales?
Do you live in or near central New York?
Do you want to connect with others who share a similar dream of living in a bale house?
Do you want support in your dreams and to support others in theirs?
This is the place to start creating that support. I hope you are inspired to join and make something special together.
About the Author
Andrew Morison is a specialist in straw bale and green construction. He has shown thousands of people how to build their own straw bale projects through his comprehensive series of instructional straw bale, concrete foundation, and plastering DVDs. You can check these out at www.LearnStrawBale.com..
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April 24th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
I would be interested in joining this group. Please pass my info. along.
April 28th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
I have property between Route 22, and Southern Lake Champlain that I would love to build some Green Straw Bale buildings. People that work with me in this process could gain some valuable experience as well as enjoy a wonderful part of the courntry in the process. Please let me know more about this group, and if you would like to know about my property email me at SoutheasternADK@aol.com
April 28th, 2009 at 7:03 pm
Sounds like a potential workshop site for net year. Let me know if you are interested…
April 29th, 2009 at 1:46 am
I’d like to hear more about being a potential workshop site next year.
May 4th, 2009 at 4:07 am
I live in Southern Madison County in Central New York State, about 25 miles south of Utica. I have 40 mostly wooded acres of my own, adjacent to 13,000 acres of NY State forest. This is dairy country, so locating sources of straw bales ought to be relatively simple, but so far I have not found this to be the case.
We need to mount a joint effort in this area to get anything started, much less done.
Jeanne
June 2nd, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Hi my name is Lucille, and my mother has 5 acres of land near Pulaski, NY. My mother is allowing my husband and I to build a straw bale home on the property. We want to start our project next spring, however we dont know the building/planning codes for NYS. What kind of permits would we need if we were going to build the home ourselves? Im not sure where to start in that area. If you have any important info I would be greatful! Please drop an email at werecat8189@hotmail.com Thanks for all the help,
Lucille
June 3rd, 2009 at 8:34 am
Hi Lucille. Your message is very timely. I am about to release a training program called the be your own contractor training that will address the issues that may be holding you back from immediate action and success with your project. Stay tuned to this site for announcements about the training. I imagine it will launch around mid July and space will be limited in the class. In the meantime, contact your building department and ask them directly what their first step is for you to attain permits. You’ll need plans of course, so you may want to start there.
June 20th, 2009 at 8:53 am
While I do not live in Central NY, I’m more than interested in participating in a NY or New England group. I’ve done a fair amount of research on SB and have the intention to build a SB house in the Catskills within 2 years. Also, please count me in for any SB raising projects.
July 2nd, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Yes, I am interested. I have property in Springfield Center, near Richfield Springs.
July 4th, 2009 at 11:38 am
So, let’s talk.
Can we set up some kind od discussion group at least? I don’t know how to do this. I only know that it’s needed.
Jeanne
July 16th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
We built a straw bale house in Ulster County NY. Just below the Catskill state park in Marbletown. Sign me up to be part of your support team!
Our home is 1200 SF, passive solar and unlike most straw bale homes, is very modern with 16 foot ceilings. Our house is working very well. We were able to turn our heat off mid February which is unheard of in our area. The house feels air conditioned through the summer.
We love to talk and share our experience as owner builders. You can see a small photo of our home at our website Bahkoconcrete.com More posts to come about finishing the interior.
Contact me through Bahkoconcrete.com and I will happily answer any questions and share our progress photos.
July 24th, 2009 at 3:36 am
I live in Butternuts (20 min west of Oneonta) & would like to join the support group. I have Andrews load-bearing wall sb dvd and hope to build a small cabin on my land.
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:33 pm
I am currently living in the Central New York area near Otisco and Skaneateles Lakes. I recently returned from 7 months in South America where I got hands on experience building straw bale and other natural building techniques while volunteering on organic farms.
I’m scouting out property in this area to build a straw bale house and know from experience that this process is easier and much faster when a community of like-minded and dedicated people are involved.
Please keep me posted as this group develops and please email me Sadrahs (at) gmail dot com if you are looking for some extra hands as you build your house. I always welcome more experience in this area!
September 13th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
I am going to be returning to the area this up coming spring and I have been trying to research all the info I can get my hands on. I really want to build my own home in the near future. I most definitly want to be a part of this group.
September 14th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
I would like to find out more about a support group. I am looking to return to the area (madison/Chenago county) this spring and I am all abut building a straw bale home.Please contact me with any info on this group. I am looking to take part in any workshops as well as offer my labor to any one building a home, I am hoping to gain knowledge and experience in raising a straw built home. I also have 12+ years as a cabinet maker/finish carpenter and am willing to help anyone in these areas of there homes.
September 16th, 2009 at 9:21 am
I just read something very interesting at http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/09/14/strawjet/ that may interest this group.
September 16th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Hi Lynne. I know the folks at StrawJet, in fact, we live in the same town in Oregon. They have been working for years on this machine and I believe they have something cool to share. I don’t know if they are fully ready to move out and perform with the material yet on a large scale, but they might be. It has been a while since I was in touch with them.
December 9th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Yes, I want to join this group to help my brother who lives in Central/Eastern New York and building a straw bale home. It is taking him Forever. I am helping him remotely by financing, but he needs help to realize his dream!
December 12th, 2009 at 6:40 am
Anne – Where does your brother live? If it’s near me I’ll come give a hand for sure!
January 2nd, 2010 at 5:47 am
Lynne – to not reinvent the wheel, I’m very interested in discussing with you how you successfully jumped building permit hurdles … as well as seeing your house which would help with my own creation. Should I call you on your business # found on your website? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Cheers!
January 8th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
Have a small buildable lot in kingston will be building a small 400 sq foot home late summer
January 9th, 2010 at 5:41 am
Jery, Call me any time 845-401-4276 Edward, where is your lot? We are in Marbletown but have a Kingston address, just curious because if your working with Marbletown building dept you should not have any problems. Jery, we were lucky to not be the first straw bale house in the area and the building dept was very helpful and pleased with our plans which we had engineered locally. Also, we found a bank, First Niagra in Hudson NY, who was willing to give us a construction loan (this was the hardest part). Our house was appraised high because the only comparable sale they could find was a nearby earth sheltered home which sold after a bidding war – the bank realized there was a high demand but small supply for green homes in our area. Finding comparable sales was a challenge because people who build straw bale homes tend not to move from them!
January 19th, 2010 at 8:57 am
My partner and I are just beginning to explore looking for properties with the intention of building a straw bale home. We currently live on Long Island just outside New York but would like to have a home somewhere north of the city. That could be a model home that we would also grow into over time and bring the in-laws to in retirement. Would love to talk to you!
December 20th, 2010 at 9:43 am
We would love to join this group, we live in the southern tier near Rochester and would like t build a straw bale home.
January 4th, 2011 at 12:40 pm
we have land in Alma,NY would also like to build a straw bale home.
March 16th, 2011 at 12:28 pm
Sorry for the delay in posting your comment. I hope you find help from your fellow New Yorkers! I am working on securing a workshop location in New York this year. That would be a good place to start for you. Hope to see you there. Stay tuned to http://www.StrawBaleWorkshops.com for updates.
April 5th, 2011 at 8:45 am
I’m located outside of Albany and very interested in learning straw bale construction/ participating in a straw bale home building project. I haven’t found many resources in my area. Looking for someone to point me in the right direction.
April 13th, 2011 at 3:54 am
I am hearing a lot about the use of concrete, which is hight toxic, and I’m wondering if people are using cob with their straw bale and if anyone has had success getting such a structure approved in NY.
April 13th, 2011 at 8:34 am
Indeed concrete is a highly intensive product. It is actually the Portland cement in the concrete that makes it so. One can reduce the amount of Portland cement that is used in the batching by adding a percentage of fly ash. Most concrete yards will only allow you to substitute about 20% fly ash (at least where I live), so this certainly does not take care of the problem entirely. The fact of the matter is that concrete and cob are nothing alike. Concrete is considerably stronger than cob and the reinforcement required in concrete these days only makes it stronger in a way that similar reinforcement in cob would not do. As such, most jurisdictions will not likely allow cob to replace concrete in most applications. One exception is an earthen floor (not really cob, but somewhat similar, at least in concept). To that end, earthen floors are a great option for reducing concrete usage while maintaining the benefits of the thermal mass it provides the homeowner. In terms of structural usage, I don’t see that happening and I personally would not advocate replacing concrete with cob in such situations. I believe that concrete is the best material for use in structural situations when you look at the big picture: environmental impact, long term durability, structural safety, thermal properties, resistance to decay and erosion, and simplicity of use.
April 25th, 2011 at 7:30 am
I would love to join this group, and be involved in any building efforts close by to where I live now (western Massachusetts) or where I will be moving to (Adirondack region) and ultimately hope to build an SB home. I have been studying up on SB, but would really love to volunteer on someone’s project to get some hands-on knowledge and experience for my own future home. Any help needed anywhere this summer?
April 25th, 2011 at 8:52 am
Hi everyone. Is there any update on this group being formed? I hope things are moving forward for you all. I want to let you all know, if you don’t know already, that I’m coming to Cuyler, New York September 12-18 to teach a seven day straw bale workshop. I hope that you can all join me for the event. It will be a blast (as they always are) and you will certainly learn a ton. The house we’ll be working on is large and has lots of details that you’ll want to know about for any structure you might have plans for in the future. You can learn more about the workshop here. Again, I hope you can join me.
Please let me know how the group formation is going and if I can be of any help in facilitating the growth of the group.
June 18th, 2011 at 9:57 am
Hello everyone. I am in Jefferson County NY. Would love to join the group. Just like Sara, I have been studying up on SB, but would really love to volunteer on someone’s project to get some hands-on knowledge and experience for my own future home.
Andrew Morrison, do you have more info on your workshop in Cuyler, NY?
Thank You
June 26th, 2011 at 4:51 pm
Hi Todd. You can find out more about the workshop here. Also, consider joining us at http://www.PlanetStrawBale.ning.com for networking with folks around you. It’s a great new Straw Bale Social site that my wife has created.
July 11th, 2011 at 8:19 am
I just recently bought a large lot in clayton, ny and I am very interested in doing a SB house. Biggest thing I would guess a problem is 1. Getting approved by the township, and 2. Getting a NY stamp on prints at a reasonable rate. If anyone has any advice from this area please let me know. If anyone needs a hand within a reasonable distace, let me know as well. I am currently deployed but will be home within 5 months.
Email is rob_010105@yahoo.com
July 11th, 2011 at 9:36 am
You may have really good luck by joining our free social network http://www.planetstrawbale.ning.com and then joining the North America group and posting your questions. It is an active list and you can do an advanced search under members for people living in NY and contact them directly as well. We look forward to you being home!!
January 6th, 2012 at 5:29 am
We have a land property in the Adirondacks and we are very interested to build a strawbale cottage. I would like to join this group and also volunteer where strawbale home is going up. I would like to find out about code in NY. I will also join the link above by Andrew Morrison.
January 11th, 2012 at 6:05 am
Hi, We’re in Adams Center, NY and have a small sb cabin under construction. I need 350 bales of suitable straw for this project…plus volunteer help to install and coat the bales. Anyone nearby interested? Does anyone know anyone with straw bales for sale in my area?
Thanks, -Jim-