Dave Keck

Not sure which area of the forum is best for this post so am happy to move it if this isn’t the right spot.

I’m looking for people who’d like to learn about permaculture and spend a week, month, or year on my 7 acre north Idaho property. I’ve built a small Strawbale home and have put in swales a pond and some trees. The garden area is fenced composted and mulched. Part of the property goes into a draw with a spring and seasonal creek. I’m developing that as well as putting in some sites for hip campers.

I’d like help doing this and am willing to do work trade as well as pay the right people. I’ve been through a pdc and internship with Geoff Lawton. I’ve also studied with the bullock brothers. So now I’m putting that knowledge to use and would love to share what I’ve learned with others who would like to learn about rural off grid living

I’m 38, and live here alone but my girlfriend comes up sometimes and helps out.

If you’re building a home yourself start with building a shop. Keep your tools in a designated place.  Have shelter for materials you are gathering so that they don’t end up being damaged by the weather, and be able to store the free stuff until you can use them. I ended up spending twice the time needed to build by moving materials around the house as I was building.

Hi I may be selling my Idaho property with 7 acres and an off grid Strawbale cabin. It's near the town of Clearwater about 15 miles NE of grangeville. Email me with more details davemrk@outlook.com

Hi I may be selling my Idaho property with 7 acres and an off grid Strawbale cabin. It's near the town of Clearwater about 15 miles NE of grangeville. Email me with more details davemrk@outlook.com

Looks like I will be wrapping the bales with tyvek. I read that Andrew Morrison from Strawbale.com recommends this. I was going to use builders plastic but tyvek should let the water vapor escape. My other concern is with my lime putty freezing. Does anyone have experience with lime putty that has frozen? From what I've read the putty is ruined by letting it freeze.

Maybe catch the water at the base of the greenhouse? You'd need a buried tank or pond for this to work though.

So I've made some progress on the Strawbale house. The bales are in but it looks like the weather is going to be too cold to plaster. My plan was to put a lime plaster on it but I've been informed that freezing weather will ruin the plaster if there is moisture still in it. My question is how should I protect the bale walls through the winter? The good thing is that a have a covered porch all the way around that gives me a 6' overhang over an 8' wall. The rain would have to be blown pretty hard to hit the walls. I'm mostly worried about rodents trying to move in but also weathering of the walls. Any ideas are appreciated. Also I may stay in it and finish the inside through the winter so id be operating a wood stove to keep warm. I'm also concerned about burning the place down because the unplastered bales are very flammable id imagine

Has anyone heard of this product? It is reported to stop soil from absorbing water. Which in most cases isn't what we want, but in the case of road building would be a very good thing. No gravel is needed just the native soil. They say it's 100 percent organic and non toxic. Thoughts?

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0fyzOKci68E

Good point R Scott. I picked up some 2" recycled rigid foam insulation for the floor. That will give me r13, but I'd like to get it up to r 30 plus to be comparable to the bale walls. I was thinking rigid foam under the floor boards (2x8's) and then fill up with loose cellulose insulation. Is this only for ceilings or will it be fine in the floor boards?

Thanks Tim I am indeed going to go "Nebraska style" with my building! I found some trusses and free metal roofing so the carport idea is out. I'm excited to get started I will post pick of my progress as I go along.