Dominic Oxherder

Ruth Jerome wrote:I'm planning to make lime concrete for a walkway. I'm doing it from scratch. Currently building the kiln to make the lime from local limestone. Bagged lime is rarely used in this area so it may have calcined in the bag sitting in the warehouse. So I'm making my own slaked lime and mixing it with coal slag aggregate which is ferro-silicate glass ground up into a coarse sand consistency, and sharp granite gravel. The walkway should be more durable than the adjacent portland concrete walkway. Part of the new slab is going to be covered by pots full of culinary and medicinal herbs. The soil dug up from the slab location is going to become cob for building kilns. I'm building 2 kilns and a bread oven from cob.

Hey Ruth, how did this project turn out? Really curious about the whole process!
Dominic

James, I just ordered a bunch of their seeds - so excited!!

Hi All,

Kyle and Bill, my partner and I just moved to Bear River to build a silvopastural forest farm. We have a background in natural building and ecological systems design. Would love to connect if you're still in the area! Who else is down here in Western Nova Scotia?

https://oxherder.ca
Cheers!
Dominic

Oxherder Design-Build

Hey Tammy,

My partner and I just got land near Bear River, NS with very similar intentions. I have a background in natural building and ecological systems design. The land is currently vacant and we hope to slowly build on it while developing a silvopastural/agroforestry system. Would be cool to collaborate! Where are you at in the valley?

Reach out if you like:
https://oxherder.ca
Dominic

Hi there K,

Welcome to the Maritimes!

Yes, NS building code is essentially the same as Canada's. Nova Scotia is quite progressive when it comes to tiny homes and grey water systems. Otherwise, you will be working with your county or municipality. Where are you planning to live? In any province, deviations from code (i.e., most natural building) will require an engineer. NS is lacking in professionals with a background in natural building, unfortunately. Engineering fees are usually marginal. Interestingly, cordwood building was developed in rural Southern New Brunswick, where I come from!

Feel free to reach out:
https://oxherder.ca

Dominic

Hey there Ali,

I live in Western Nova Scotia and have built with rubble trench, straw bale, slip straw (light straw clay) and hempcrete. Rubble trench is an ideal foundation for cold, wet and harsh climates as it deals with surface water, ground water and frost heaves much better than frost walls or slabs - by draining and thereby eliminating water from the foundation equation. Straw bale is also an excellent choice for up here as it's so cozy. The key for a successful straw bale build is in the detailing that keeps the bales dry and airtight. Personally, I'm a big fan of slip straw because of it's versatility and affordability. Stuffed into a double-stud wall cavity, there will be no thermal bridging. Hempcrete (or sunflower-stalk-crete) is in a class all it's own, reflected by it's associated costs.

Welcome to the Maritimes! Feel free to reach out...
https://oxherder.ca
Dominic