Hi Sarah! First, I'm awfully sorry about my english...
Second, as I know, it's really hard to get permissions for natural building without and architect. So first, you should find one who can work with straw, cob and wood... For example, we have an ecovillage with a big problems, as some of their habitants have been accused for this and judge is asking for 4 year prison... let me attach an spanish article
http://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20170414/421693639228/piden-carcel-y-una-cuantiosa-multa-para-seis-repobladores-de-un-pueblo-abandonado-de-guadalajara.html
Of course, in Spain we have lots of different climates in small places. Around us you can get 5 months below 0C or any day of cold days (Pirinees vs Barcelona)... in our region, we have at least 4 months with really low temperatures, and maybe 2 weeks a year below -10C. We even don't plant tomatoes since 15 May, while in other places they can plant tomatoes in february (Gandesa, by the way
)
We earn money from eco-tourism, selling eggs, chickens, vegetables, fruit, sheep & formation courses... now it's getting hard because you can find a lot of places to learn permaculture. But we keep trying!
Best wishes!
