Project Journal First Part of October 2008

View when the project started September 08,  and then the months that follow until the project is completed. Early October08,  Late October 08, November 08 and now that spring is here, April 09

 Oct 1st  Got yet another load of urbanite.  Shannon, Leighanne, Izzy, Michael, Noah, and Emily  came out and helped finish the cross supports. We also unloaded the truck, sifted, and washed, the crushed urbanite and built up the foundation and floor. Izzy and I tried and figure out the free recycled side door, and the free recycled slider door, so framing can begin.

 Oct 2^nd  Got the final truckload of Urbanite, unloaded, sifted and washed. Filled in void spaces under frame with the Urbanite, and used the pee gravel and dirt to build up inside floor.

 Used a waste solar pool cover to fill in the void from the ground level inside the frame, to the top of the plywood not only for insulation purposes, but for additional support.  Went to local landfill and got wine bottles to make windows. I also picked up free drain tile that is needed for the trenches, and laundry bottles to put straw in for insulation in between the footer frame.

 Oct 04 Went back to landfill and got more bottles, and drain tile

 Oct 05  Leighanne, Izzy, Bronwinn, Michael, Noah, and Emily came out and finished unloading the truck. They helped fill in the frame more with insulation. Everybody learned the Millers knot for tying mini and custom bales. We also made some bale needles.

Oct 06 Picked up another solar cover in Fenton to use in the rest of the frame. Also stuffing sealable containers with straw.

 Oct 07  Finished insulating footer frame with recycled solar pool covers. Also attached the plywood and nailed the roofing tar paper over all of the footer frame. The lower frame is now done. Framing began on the side door entrance, and Dawn and I finished framing in the front slider door.

Oct 08  It rained most of the day, I cleaned up the gravel in the yard, and covered the bales with a tarp predicting rain.

 Oct 8-16^th  This week was spent stacking and retying  bales, framing and installing the side door, and making window boxes for two of the 4 windows. This week we also made top plates for the 4 strawbale walls.

 My family came out October 13th and helped. Mom, Dad, Josh Julia, and Dawn, all took part in the mud hut fun.

View when the project started September 08,  and then the months that follow until the project is completed. Early October08,  Late October 08, November 08 and now that spring is here, April 09

Free drain tile from the local landfill

Sealing the tar paper and the 4X4 frame with caulk

2009 Schedule

• March 1, 2009 - Finish roof either by creating a living roof, or a traditional shingle roof.
• April 1, 2009 - (Weather permitting) Start applying adobe/cob mix to finish the interior and exterior walls. Also possibly add lime putty plaster to water proof the exterior walls
• more ...

Taking a break to appreciate the little things that surround us.

Goldfish to watch when the mud hut is done