Our timber frame/straw bale home, under construction in 2012
I like straw bale building. I also really like timber framing. But even more than those two alone, I like them incorporated in one building design. There are numerous advantages to building a timber frame and using straw bales, and their benefits are enhanced by using the two in collaboration.
Build yourself a decent pair of sawhorses this year!
Everyone needs a pair (or two, or three) of sawhorses. It certainly helps if they are not wobbly and can stand on their own, and are beefy enough to support more than a box of matches. There are way too many subpar (or worse) sawhorses out there, and if yours look like they’ve been run over a few times… you deserve better, really.
On DIY and owner-builder construction sites, they are often the primary work surface for all sorts of carpentry work, and they are likely to be used as a ladder, table, a place to sit, a tool table… you get the point. They’re pretty essential, and if they actually work well — heck, you will likely be a more efficient builder.
I am happy to follow an existing design when I can, and these simple sawhorse plans fit the bill for our myriad building projects this summer. It’s nice to follow instructions sometimes, you know?
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If you haven’t already noticed, The Year of Mud is more than just this website. There are several ways to follow along with us and see what we’re up to. Here are the best ways to keep in touch with us and make sure you receive the latest news.
Is eating meat benign, extravagant, or something else…?
If there’s one thing that Simon Fairlie’s Meat: A Benign Extravagance reinforces, it’s just how utterly complex the issue of food can be. Especially when it comes to the meat debate. Is eating meat “bad”? Is veganism an appropriate response to decreasing our environmental impacts and greenhouse gas emissions? Just where the heck did some of these popular numbers about carbon emissions and raising animals come from, anyway? Should humans eat meat?
Fairlie does a respectable job of breaking down all of this and much, much more in his book, and though there still isn’t a totally 100% absolute answer by the end (when do absolutes ever exist?), there is definitely a sign pointing in a pretty good direction of what sustainable agriculture can look like, and what is included in it. And some folks will either be pleasantly surprised or disappointed by the message, depending on their proclivities.
The pavilion in Nacogdoches, almost completely raised and shining in the morning sun
If you’ve been following my updates about the Timber Framers Guild workshop in Nacogdoches, Texas, you’ve seen images from all the other stages of the timber frame pavilion construction — layout, cutting, and assembly. Here are my favorite images from the trip: the finished frame in all of its glory! The raising was very successful; it was safe, seamless, and the rain held out just long enough for us to get all of the main pieces up in the air. Check out the results here. The compound roof is stunning.
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Our kale in the garden, as of a couple weeks ago
It’s not often that April and I travel, but out of the last 30 days, we have been away for half or more. Since going to the Timber Framers Guild workshop in Texas, and traveling to see family and friends, we have been away more this late winter/early spring than in recent memory. I hope we haven’t missed all of morel mushroom season and the redbuds flowering when we get back to Kentucky in another day! There are many other things to look forward to once we return, too.
The Shofuso House in Fairmount Park, Philly, PA
I may never get to Japan, though I’ve dreamed about it on and off for many years now. I was, however, pleasantly surprised to find that there’s a little slice of Japan here in the states, right inside Philadelphia in Fairmount Park. The Shofuso house and gardens are an impressive little site, representative of 17th century Japanese architecture. The home is complete with authentic traditional carpentry and building techniques, and the garden features native Japanese plants. And it’s beautiful.
I thought about asking if they wouldn’t mind me shacking up there for a bit to be able to experience the house a bit more fully… Here are some photos of the house and garden.
April works on some of the last remaining joints before the timber frame assembly
I think I’ve realized that the excitement of timber framing can be represented by a curve. If the x axis on a bar graph represents time, and the y excitement, the line climbs and rises from left to right. The entire process is gradually more invigorating and interesting as you proceed on a project.
Experience sustainable living at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage this year
Well, that came up fast. It’s April 1 tomorrow, and that signals a special time of year. In a couple of weeks, the visitor season at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is about to begin. If you’ve been curious what life is like in an ecovillage or intentional community, now is the time to sign up and plan your trip for this summer.
There are a number of ways to visit Dancing Rabbit, but if you think you might be interested in living there one day, the visitor program is your best bet. Here’s how to go about setting that up.
Jacob tests out the 16″ Makita circular saw on an end cut
Things are progressing smoothly for us here in Nacogdoches. We have fairly quickly moved on from layout to cutting the joinery for the Lake Naconiche timber frame pavilion. I personally haven’t spent much time around the more specialized timber framing power tools, and it’s been a sight to see…. and an experience to use them, too.
Hi there, I’m Ziggy. In 2008, I launched The Year of Mud while building my first natural home. This blog is a collection of personal stories and experiences building with clay, straw, and wood over the past 15+ years. A few of the things that get me fired up are natural plasters, timber framing, & Japanese architecture. Since 2012, we’ve been hosting Natural Building Workshops so you can learn essential skills to build your own natural home.
