Earthbag Building Details

Earthbag Llama Barn Building Updates

Here are all the posts relating to our efforts to build an Earthbag Llama Barn:
Day 1 of the Building Blitz
Day 2 of the Earthbag Building Blitz
Day 3 Build a  Barn
Richard's blog thoughts

Earthbags in the news!

Finally we have sun! And on this slightly warmer day,

Photo shoot

the press came to visit and get information for the upcoming story on the Eathrbag llama barn building blitz. One reporter and one photographer from the local Daily Record came out to interview Richard and get a few shots of the Earthbag building project, although there was not much there to shoot. Richard was up at dawn, digging the trench for the foundation bags, and he even managed to get gravel in the trench, and a bag filled before the photographer arrived.

The trench is dug, the gravel is ready, and the bags are layed.

The building blitz is on! We even have two confirmed participants! Maybe with the story running in the local paper Friday or Saturday, more people will show up and we can get the barn raised in three days.

Just in time. The sooner the better, since one of our newer goats, Yvette, is bullying the heck out of our three original goats, and headbutting my fat, pregnant Cinnamon in the belly. That is not allowed. Last night Cinnamon and Tres spent the night separated in the milking parlor of the barn. I'm ready to get rid of the two big ugly goats, but Richard wants to see how they milk. Well then, they simply have to be separated into their own pen to protect the others. More projects.

All the animals and people survived the cold spell here on the farm and we got a little snow out of it. The winter rye is starting to come up down in the chicken yard, so Richard spread some seed out in the new llama pasture and in the old pasture too, taking advantage of the moisture. It may not come up until spring, but it should come up. We need to get some pure, untainted, organic alfalfa seed to add to the mix.

This morning when we went down to feed the chickens, as usual I heard one of the hens barking at the feed dish. Richard says she always does that, maybe yelling at the others to move out of the way. I decided we should call our farm newsletter The Barking Chicken, so all of you CSA members stay tuned.

Repurposed feed bags

Still looking for more feed bags for the barn build and any and all interested people who want to help and learn hands on about building with Earthbags.







Details at www.greendesertecofarm.com.

Please send us a note if you are coming so we can plan accordingly. I hope to come up with some kind of a meal for each day for all participants, but if anyone wants to bring a dish, feel free, and we will do it up buffet style in our farm kitchen. It's free of course.

Let's build a barn--one that incorporates some of the proponents of the New Earth Paradigm: recycling, re-using, re-purposing, building community, teaching skills, earth friendly, passive solar --an earthen house for and by the children of the earth. We are all connected.

Building barns and community

Things are snowballing now! Richard's Biointensive gardening class for the  Canon Food Co-op was a big success, and then his local radio spot with Helene from the Co-op was also a hit, and now we are going to be featured in the local paper for the Earthbag building blitz that will take place the weekend of my birthday. What a wonderful opportunity to teach people about alternative building techniques!

I put an add out on Freecycle, looking for feed bags to be donated for the event, and got the press. Hmmm... Good. Good. We are hoping to get people in the community involved with their donations and help, kind of like an old style barn raising, but this one will be built out of Earthbags and eventually stuccoed to create a llama shelter for my boys in the new pasture. We need to move them so the goats can have the barn to birth the Spring babies.

Pregnant goat or fat goat?

Recycling the used woven polypropelene feed bags into building materials is just one example of how we can all look around and see things we might be able to use again. It will be an exciting event. Can we get a barn up in two days? Will anyone show up to help? Can we get enough feed bags, dirt, gravel and lumber for a roof? What will happen? Anticipation....

And, I've been in my crazy creative world, painting for days, working on some vision of a future utopia while thoughts float in and out of my head.

Our cats have been getting sick from the commercial cat food we bought them. This is the second time. Different food. Same manufacturer. Last time, we called the food maker and they sent us coupons for one free bag and a few bucks off two more bags. Great. We bought a different kind, choosing to stick with this brand because this is the only manufacturer whose food has not been recalled yet. But my cats are still getting sick. What's up with that? I would love to buy them organic food, but with the expense of the chicken and goat food, I can't justify buying the cats organic food too. So, what can I do? I could make food, which I may try if time allows. But this got me thinking....

As our planet evolves into a new way of living, we are going to have to rethink everything, including the food we eat and the food we feed our pets. If we can't trust the food for people to be chemical free, how can we expect our pet food to be safe? Wouldn't it be nice if someone local was making and selling an organic and safe cat food? Or dog food? Or bird food for my parrot?

I think perhaps we should all give up our fears about what the economy will look like as it all falls apart and start to think about what each of us individually can contribute. We need to relearn the old skills and discard the thinking that has gotten us into this mess...like how to extend the shelf life of foods.

I don't really have the time or interest to make cat food, but what if someone else does? There is a need for locally produced pet food, and a business waiting to be born. Other things too: a local mill where I can take my organic grains to be milled into flour. An electric car dealership and mechanic. A homestead supply store. A natural soap, shampoo and lotion maker. A candle maker. Like in the old times, pre-industrial revolution. If we are heading back into the dark ages, shouldn't we be preparing for the inevitable loss of products produced by oil? Isn't that just about everything? If my toothbrush is made from petroleum, how am I going to brush my teeth when I can't get that familiar product?

There is a whole new world waiting to be born and so many opportunities for people to contribute and be successful through clean, green, "cottage" industries. We are going to need these services as our economy continues to collapse. If we work together, we can think our way out of this mess, and maybe by not supporting the corporatocracy we can reverse the damage to our planet. What a wonderful vision.

For now, today, I'm going back to my painting...my utopia.

Don't forget the Earthbag building blitz February 19th. For more info see Green Desert Eco Farm. We need the polypropylene bags, fill dirt, gravel, lumber, shovels and extra hands. I'd love to meet my neighbors!

And the Xmas Boycott of 2011 is still on! Don't forget to boycott the shopping madness.