The worm farm for poo control

 Searching for a ‘green’ septic tank is not so easy. You may ask how to turn your poo into useful material and reducing the carbon footprint. Well - Mr I want to build a Straw bale house and I have been to a number of environmental events that showcase building material, solar, fences, and 2 types of green clean septic systems. We picked the worm farm.  The worm farm company did all the permits and yes it rained the day of installation.

 The worm farm is a huge plastic container buried underground with a compost bin on top of it – This is for all our food scraps and paper.

Oh yeh when we were investigating the worm farm, Mr I want to build a Straw bale house asked if the tank could take dead cows. The answer was I guess so, I think it was sold then.  Given we are situated in a water catchment area the sand pit had to be one of the largest the company has fitted so far. Of course this costs more money than the average system.

The green living seems as though it is triple the cost of chemicals – we need more incentives, more rebates and a greater understanding of environmental impacts of the cheap solutions.

Mr I want to build a Straw bale house and I were on site when the 1^st phase was installed and the left it up to the company to do the 2^nd and 3^rd phase in the rain by themselves. Trucks entering and digging up bits of the land caused more slush.

We have not used it yet given the trenches have not been dug for the sewage. – its still raining.  We have fed some of the worms with compost so I hope they are not drowning for we have not got the rest of the system connected for we need electricity to pump the waste through the sand pit then through the pipes to water the paddock.

Our 2nd holiday – time off to prepare

Oh dear it is raining again. You guessed it not much progress. The 2^nd week off this year for Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house and I got addicted to the series "the Wire" of course the list is not done yet.

When in doubt collect wood. Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house and his daughter Claire seemed to be gone for ages. The txt message read, " The ute is bogged Help". There is so much to do on the property it is hard to decide what to do first, so why not go into boggy territory and chop wood, to keep warm for the next few weeks, while we rent our own house. Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house, tried to get the ute out by himself and by the time I arrived the tyres were well hidden by the moist ground and the tyres were smoking from spinning so much. Mmmmmm is this a good sign?, I don't think so, the tyres dug their own trench. Maybe we should try getting the ute bogged where the trenches are going to be dug and then it could save $$$$. The ute was full of wood we peeled off the bark and put some small bits of wood under the back tyres. This worked for about 5 metres until we hit the more soft ground. Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house jacked the back of the ute for the 4^th time so we could put logs under the tyres – The ute was driven by Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house's daughter Claire (14 years of age), who mind you has only driven the ute the past 8 times it has been bogged. She hates it. We got it out another 10 meters. Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house then took over the wheel to sway side to side a further 80meters to the crushed rock drive way.

Why don't we have a four wheel drive I hear you ask. – Well we did for about 8 years. This has also been bogged a few times but the gears went and it was stuck in 4wd for a year and then one day it would not start. Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house attempted several times to fix it, once again avoiding the huge list to prepare the property. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm not knowing what was wrong with the old blue rust machine we towed it out the front of our now rental property and within 2 days it was sold.

It seems as though Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house is unable to either abide by a list nor accept any job on the list. There is post it notes all over the house. I guess packing the paintings off the walls was the priority – They do get in the way – NOT.

I do consider myself as somewhat patient; however I do lose it on regular occasions. Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house leaves the 'planning' to the lap of the gods, (even though he does not believe).

The rain sodden ground has dampened the progress of moving into the temporary accommodation of a caravan, cabin and shed set up kitchen – I don't mind for the thought of getting up in the middle of the night to crawl over Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house, (our bed in the caravan will be against a wall so will only have access to one side) step down the temporary stairs to an uneven bricked paved area to the cabin, has given me strength to rent our own home.

As anyone who has moved home would know, the house is full of empty boxes and the spider webs are getting thicker. Why clean when you have to do it when you move. I think I have used that excuse for the past 4 years now but it is a downer. Red wine seems to work.

Holidays does not equate to achievement or relaxing. Raining days means more TV. I guess a list of things to do is like studying you can always see something else that needs to be done.

Access to the property - sometimes no access available

Can we get into the property – I say no but Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house says it’s a driveway to paradise. What is paradise anyway? I wish I knew maybe I’m already there!!!n mmmmmmm I think not if you see the photos before and after it still leads to potential bog.

After the winter we have had in Victoria – boggy is underestimating the real earth moving status of the wet underlays. Like standing close to the water’s edge at the beach and stepping up and down, this sodden land we have to drive over, build on and wait for it to dry out.

The driveway has been on the list for over 2 years now. We bought a tractor with a bucket so Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house could do the driveway himself. We had a cheap quote a number of years ago and Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house’s brother was going to assist – even cheaper – But No!!! Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house wanted to do it.

We had a week off early this year and still no driveway. Heading into winter I suggested Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house could order some driveway mix. Well the last day of the holidays Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house rang and ordered 1 truck load of the cheapest gravel mix you can get. I was around on the Monday for the delivery and the truck driver suggested he could not come back until Christmas. Of course Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house thought I was joking given he never hears the responses I get from the workman.

Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house continues to think his ute is a 4wd and has been bogged at least 3 times that I know of in the house paddock. Yes even I have been bogged trying to rescue him. My family car does not cut the mustard in the slippery areas nor does it like the driveway. It bottoms out every time I drive up to our potential abode. I must admit that the ute is getting bogged further up the property.

Well I now know the quarry workers by name and number of the truck. They also recognise my voice and like pizza delivery in the city they do not have to ask me the address.

A winter to remember.

Never put off today what you think can be done in 2 years time.

Trenches

About 18 months ago we started on the getting set up with amenities for the temporary site. Mr I want to build a straw bale house thought he might start the process by hiring a dingo. The trench had to be at least 200 metres from the electricity supply to the shed. Instead of going in a straight line, Mr I want to build a straw bale house created a trench that had at least 2 right angles to run along the house fence line. Well for a 900mm trench and the cost of $315 hire for the dingo it took a day to sort of dig the trench. At one of the right angles there was so much rock that there is no way the trench was an adequate depth to pass standards.
We had the electrician already set up to lay the cable the next weekend. Mr I want to build a straw bale house was ill and was unable to finish the trench to the depth that was required. The day the electrician came Mr I want to build a straw bale house had been to the doctors, who suggested he needed to go to hospital for intravenous antibiotics. Before going to hospital we waited for the electrician who was concerned about being paid. Driving out of the property taking Mr I want to build a straw bale house to the hospital, I assured the electrician that I would return with cash. Mind you the electrician did travel at least 50km to get to our place and he was not keen to come back. Mr I want to build a straw bale house was admitted and in between the hospital and picking up my step daughter (14 years of age) from a party 90km away, I managed to get cash to the electrician.
Given my faith in Mr I want to build a straw bale house I guess because I love him, I also had arranged the phone guy to install cabling in the same trench 2 days after the electrician had laid his cables. – We did not get the okay from the electrician for the depth of the trench was inconsistent and did not meet the standards.
We then had two cables to work around. Mr I want to build a straw bale house hired the digger again and laid the cables to the side of the trench while he got stuck many times and tipped the dingo over at least twice. I think it was more than that but the diplopic Mr I want to build a straw bale house
suggested more than once.
Of course the cows had been investigating the trench and there were a number of cow pats that Mr I want to build a straw bale house found inches from his body when the dingo fell over / fell in the trench. After another day attempting to dig the right depth Mr I want to build a straw bale house returned the digger a little worse for wear but still got the deposit back.
Third time lucky - we paid an excavator $300 and the job was done. The electrician returned to complete the paper work (after at least 4 phone calls pleading by the 4^th). The electricity company came and went. They did not pass it for the trench was not filled in – nobody told us we thought they would want to inspect the depth. Oh no – I got on the phone and gave them a couple of verbs I am unable to put in writing and arranged for the company to come back and connect the power.

I write this as an observer for I purposefully distanced myself from the hands on action trench digging for I have always an opinion.
The power was connected in June this year. You may think I am a patient women – I do not think so. I have lost it many a time but my glory with the trench was set by the cost of the excavator being the same cost of the hire of the dingo. It ended up 1/3 of the cost to get the trench completed to regulation.


It is good to find out a quote prior to doing it yourself. – Got to love professionals!!!

Living arrangements for the next few months is something to I am going have to endure. Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house, and I bought a 24 foot caravan and a structured annex that had windows and a solid floor. We picked it up in 2 goes and delivered caravan home, so we could work on it and the annex went straight to the property.

Well within days the cows had trampled the new toy in the paddock. Smashing the windows and re-structuring the sides including the roof of the aluminium structure that was packed ready for erection. Well to say that we could not use the annex is an understatement. I think some of the annex bits secured by tyres.

Making the caravan liveable was a huge job. Going to garage sales for bits of paint, a friend gave us litres which was very thick and the dregs from our shed. After we put the draws back together and new knobs on everything after the cupboards were painted, I started on the ceiling and walls. I left the caravan doors open to air while I had lunch. Getting back to it I found 2 cows inside the van. Cows you may say are very inquisitive animals. Lucky they had not damaged anything or poohed inside.

Moving the caravan to the property was another adventure. First of all the tyres were flat, so a trip to the service station to get air in a can. We attempted to pull out the caravan with our 4 wheel drive – It got bogged and could not shift anything. We unhitched the van and believe or not we started digging near the tyres filling them up with crushed rock. With me standing on the at the back of the van lifting the back of the van with a huge post the van slightly moved. Edging closer to the seemly impossible the van moved and we were on our 2 km journey around the corner.

We sort of put the van in position and talked about what we would do when we move over to the caravan, shed and cabin. It only took 2months for I want to build a straw bale house to hook the caravan up to the tractor and put in the position we wanted to. Is was frustrating for me to wait another month or so for the van to be levelled. No it was not Mr I want to build a Straw bale house that put the van in place it was his friend. We were talking to the plumber like for ages meanwhile our friend and his son had secured the van.

We can now get into the caravan for it is ready to fit out. It sits next to the cabin that I bought on ebay which will be used for a lounge and has a shower and toilet. The old annex floor has now being replaced by bricks. – not sure what we are going to with the unsafe slippery floor base. – Any ideas? I told you we used tyres as foundations.

I can wait to move but I can't wait for the house to be built.

Its all about tyres

This will set up some sympathy votes- Tyres. You may wonder why I am going to talk about tyres when we should be on the way to building a house of straw. Well!! Mr I want to build a straw bale house, likes all things that cost 'nothing'. Neighbours had horses and were moving and just before they moved they offered us some tyres that they used for a horse ring. They were for nothing, free, no cash and no delivery costs either. Mr I want to build a straw bale house thought tyres!!!! - there is 101 things you can do with tyres, and they are free (more incentive). He got so excited about the neighbours tyres - he arranged a couple of extra truck loads to be delivered - yes for free!! Not just car tyres there were 'TRUCK' tyres amongst the hundreds.

A chook shed was built  by staking the tyres in a step like fashion. The huge truck tyres not only housed chooks but snakes were also comforted by the warmth and security that tyre bring. We ended up having to collect the eggs with very long tongs and during snake season, kids were not allowed near the make shift chook. I wonder why we started breading mozzies as well.

The following uses of our tyres so far:

• Chook shed
• Fence to direct the cows into the stock yards
• garden bed in front of the house set up to stop cars running into the house - (It hadn't happened before but it might happen - It was our cars though mmmmmmmmmm)
• rows of truck tyres to protect bee hives from the cows
• holding down tin (so it does not blow away)
• getting stack stuff off the ground.
• hay
• tin
• wood lengths
• garage bits
• windows 
• anything really
• fill the truck tryes with crushed rock and have them as the foundation or maybe the floor of the shed

When we were going to sell the property a clean up had to happen. Many trips of tyres were made to the new property. Lines of tyres at different fences now appear on our lovely fresh 110 acres in the country. You may ask why do you still have them? - It costs $25 to take a car tyre to the tip, not sure how much for a truck tyre. Moving the tryes is tuff work, dirty and often you get wet from the water that has been sitting in the rims. The truck tyres are extremly heavy and weigh even more with water, rocks or dirt.

When we bought the land, and after the success of the leaking and dangerous chook shed, Mr I want to build a straw bale house, first thought a house of tyres would be great. (so we got more). We have shifted hundreds of them more than once. For me I do not like double handling but Mr I want to build a straw bale house thinks it is character building to move things double / triple / ...... up to 3 squared (9). times - I remind myself that  its not over yet.

We made a vegie patch using 5 truck tyres stack on top of each other - There was a row of 6 sets of tyre stacks. We had to surround them with chicken wire so the chooks didn't eat the vegies. This was in front of the house so it was a great look. Mind you we sold the house before we took away the tyres but the chicken wire was removed. I guess that was the seller!!!

I just want to talk about one of Mr I want to build a straw bale house's idea for the flooring of our new shed on the property. He thought instead of a rock, dirt or concrete floor for the shed he was going to fill up truck tyres with crushed rock. The idea was to cover the space with the filled tyres and possibly top them with concrete or more crushed rock. After several heated discussions he thought better of it and now we have a smooth concrete slab.

There are so many tyre stories I could tell  but I am sure I am now losing your symphony. Workers that have delivered our containers - foundation is tyres and having the bungalow delivered with the 6 tyres not well placed the workman did not think we were serious. I had to gather up concrete blocks and bricks to sit on the tyres before they would unload the cabin. I offered to take photos for them. The quick response was "don't worry, we will never forget this day, we have not seen anything like this before in our 35 years of delivery buildings."

I must say that Mr I want to build a straw bale house is never around to hear any comments. I am the messenger and is often shot.

Free things are not necessarily good things or worth it.

Setting up has been a nightmare

After we purchased the land we decided to sell 10 acres of our existing property. We had it drawn up and put the permit into the council. After another year or so we then decided to keep the clear 10 acres and sell the house and the shed. More paper work however procrastination was the word of the last few years I am getting so use to. At the beginning of this year 2010, we decided (well my partner I want to build a straw bale house) thought some more and we started the paper work to sell the house, shed and all the land. We were to live on the 110 acres while we build so why not sell everything. mmmmmmmmmmmm.

We finally got around to invite the real estate in - On the way out he put up a for sale sign out the front. 3 weeks later we accepted an offer. 3 months settlement - It would be in the middle of winter. We negotiated a further 2 months on the settlement now due on the 28 August 2010.

This morning after a heated discussion, I want to build a straw bale house, rang the new owners and suggested that we would like to rent for a further 6 weeks. It has been the wettest winter for ages so the fact that we can not get the full length of our drive way on the 100 acres is a factor. I want to build a straw bale house thought the drive way is fine. over the weekend both our cars got bogged and he pulled his car out by the tractor.

I am greatful for the new owner of our house to say yes to us renting. It will save at least my shoes and maybe our relationship.

Always put off doing new things in Winter.


cheers Marg

Buying the land

It started with a phone call, my partner (Mr, I want to build a straw bale house) rang the real estate and made an offer over the phone. Within 2 minutes the offer was accepted. Mind you I did not find out until, he then made a lesser offer which was accepted. 2 -3 weeks down the track the bank had agreeed we could borrow money to purchase 110 acres, with pen in hand to sign the contract Mr I want to build a straw bale house, asked if the vendors would accept a lessor payment by $5,000. They said yes and we owned 110 acreas 2 kms away from our 20 acrea property. This was 4 years and 10 months ago now and we are finally moving next weekend. Scary!!!!!!

The house is still an idea at this stage. Like grand designs it all starts with a thought.

This blog is hopefully going to cathartic for me for I want to share my lows and lows with readers. It has not all been roses to date however the adventure continues.

We went to some display homes taking our muddy boots off to enter. This was to get some idea for space and layouts. An idea! well all Mr I want to build a staw bale house did was to pick up the nick nacks and see the price tag underneath and cringe. He thought the idea was of these houses seemed very sterile and quite plastic. In his mind  our house had nothing in common. He is right but it was about the space, layouts and ideas that I thought should be absorbed. I did attend a few by myself each time getting the layouts.

I cut out the rooms from the plans to plan our house. Ensuring all the wet areas are on one side and handed them to a drafts person. We had the plan set out.

We have had fun (frustration) with the council and have spent a hell of $$ on permits so far.

Display homes have there place but creating your own space is ideal.

Marg