Michigan Gem - 2023 Workshop

We Love Our Strawbale Home and the Community That Helped Built It

When Nayan and I decided to build our farm, we were just coming out of the pandemic. Hungry for something different, we started searching for possibilities. The farm needed to be sustainable, beautiful, and connected to community and nature. Choosing to build a strawbale home was kind of a no-brainer. Strawbale is incredibly energy-efficient, eye-catchingly beautiful, and lends itself to community building. Something so many of us are craving right now.  

Our original plan for our home was to work with a local architect. After almost two years of planning, it became clear that the architect was not capable of providing an affordable design. Luckily, we had Strawbale.com as a resource and found a design on the website in 20 minutes. It's something we can laugh about today, but at the time, we would have been lost without Strawbale.com.  

Building with the straw community was an incredible experience from start to finish. Their team is not only deeply knowledgeable about natural building, but they also foster a genuine sense of connection and shared purpose. In September 2023, we hosted one of their hands-on building workshops, and it ended up being the absolute highlight of our entire construction journey.

Over the course of that week, our property came alive with laughter, learning, and the sounds of straw being stacked. We were surrounded by people from all walks of life, all coming together to raise something lasting and meaningful. It wasn’t just about stacking bales or applying plaster—it was about building friendships, sharing meals, and supporting each other through every stage of the process.

Now that we’re living in our home, we are reminded daily of that experience. Every wall holds a memory, every corner reflects the excitement and love poured into it. Building a house can be very stressful but building a house with others can turn that stress into gratitude. We are endlessly grateful to the Strawbale.com community for their guidance, enthusiasm, and generosity. Community is a beautiful thing.

With gratitude,
Meaghan and Nayan