The Second Straw (House)

One hour and forty minutes east of the first pioneer in the state of Connecticut, a second straw house is now in construction, making history in Eastern Connecticut.

     Two weeks ago, I received an e-mail from a friend, an invitation to attend a straw bale raising at the site of her young family's future home in Lisbon, CT. It was going to take place over the weekend. Children were welcome. We could drop by any time of day; we could stay for as short or as long as we desired. We could raise one or two bales or simply come to check it out. There would be a tent with food. Whatever the activity was, the upbeat invitation sounded like a fun time with families. More importantly, it offered me and my family a chance to experience something unique.

     Originally from New York City and a resident of Waterford for the past ten years, I was naturally curious and welcomed new experiences. My mind was filled with many questions. I wondered if straw bale raising had something to do with those giant marshmallow-like white masses that periodically appeared on the field near the north-bound Interstate 95 ramp in Waterford. Was it a gathering of people who will do heavy work together to make it lighter work and socialize at the same time? I did not want to appear clueless by asking, so before responding to the invitation, I did a quick Google search on straw bale raising. My search led me to words like "environmental building," "people stacking bales like building blocks" and "new material for modern construction."

     This past weekend, my family experienced the joy of community and the courage of green living at our first straw bale raising party. We brought along another family we knew who were also into nature and the outdoors. More people meant more efficiency and multiplied cheer. We were blessed with perfect weather, bright skies and radiating warmth, so it was easy to convince the kids and our friends to spend time outdoors learning about something new together.

     The first thing that struck me when we arrived at the site on Saturday morning was the many cars parked at the foot of the property. There weren't any pick-up trucks or contractor vans. These were family sedans. The wood frame and roof of a one and a half story home currently under construction was alive with activity. To the left of the structure, there was a long truck filled with two-string bales of straw. One person's job was to toss the bales from deep inside the truck to someone waiting on the ground, whose job it was to stack them neatly for the next person, who was operating a chainsaw to trim the bales until the edges were smooth and firm like brick. Once trimmed, these bales were then raised above the cement foundation and passed to the person waiting in the frame of a doorway to the house who then stacked them neatly in the middle of the structure. Two people, who clearly knew what they were doing, were stacking bales against the wall, between two window openings. They aligned and secured them to the wall. Other people were gathering loose straw and placing them into jumbo trash bags; these would be used to make straw plaster later on.

     "How can we help?" I said, ready to plunge into the activity.

     My husband and the other couple we brought along were also all ears, ready to pitch in. The kids were already exploring the early stage construction, mesmerized by the sight of a house's skeletal joints and ribs. They had never before had the ability to see through a floor or through walls to the outside of a home from inside. They climbed the open steps up to the loft to admire the view of the landscape behind the house and then down into the dark basement space.

     "I'm really beat," said Benjamin Shiling, one of the homeowners and leaders of the project onsite.

     It was Day Two of the straw bale raising. He and his wife Jennifer, their friends and family had been working non-stop since the day before.

     "Now is a good time to take a break. Let me give you a quick tour."

     He showed us where their architect had planned the living room, the dining area, the bathroom, the two bedrooms and loft. The house will be insulated by tightly compacted straw bales and the interior as well as exterior walls would later be constructed from plastered straw walls.

     "We purchased the land over four years ago and attended a straw bale building workshop in Vermont for several days," said Jennifer Shiling.

     I was under the impression that Ben built homes for a living. But his day job was supervising technical support at a community center and she was busy homeschooling her preschoolers and caring for her infant. They hired an architect to design and contractors to build their new home. Their contractors paused work on the house to give Ben and Jenn the opportunity to install their straw bale insulation into the home. They were coached further onsite before the straw bale raising project's start by one of their straw bale workshop mentors.

     "What made you decide to use straw bales for your home?" I inquired.

     "The material is natural so it's non-toxic and it is more energy-efficient for heating and cooling than typical insulation material," she said.

     According to Andrew Morrison, founder of Straw Bale Innovations, LLC and designer and builder of both conventional and straw bale homes, a typical straw bale wall is roughly three times as efficient as conventional framing.

     "Over the life of a typical thirty year mortgage, this superior insulation can reduce energy costs by up to 75%, saving money and vital natural resources," states his company's website at www.strawbale.com.

     His website also states that straw bale homes are fire-resistant because "due to their tight compaction, bales contain very little oxygen and thus resist combustion."

     I was very impressed. Not only because the Shilings had given great thought to the use of safer, more energy-efficient and sustainable material for their home, but because they committed themselves to researching and learning how to lead and implement such a massive, time-consuming undertaking.

     "What can I do to help?" I said, ready to exert effort.

     For the next couple of hours, my family and I became part of the community that had come to help move, trim, stack and secure straw bales. My husband moved straw bales out of the truck to the stacks waiting to be trimmed. My son and I moved the fifty-pound trimmed bales that were sitting in the middle of the house to what would eventually become a bedroom. Jenn felt that this room's straw bale walls needed to be completed before moving on to other areas of the house.

     We took a lunch break and then it was time for my family to move on to our next agenda item that day. If we weren't expecting visitors from out of town that day, I would have liked to stay for the rest of the day to help the Shilings some more. I felt like I was more of a tourist and did not accomplish enough to help them out.

    "When we first brought it up everyone thought we were crazy," said Jenn to me as we said our good-byes. "Now it's really happening. Thanks for coming...for the moral support."

The Shiling's home is the second straw bale home to be constructed in the state of Connecticut, according to http://sbregistry.greenbuilder.com. For more information about straw bale houses, check out www.strawbale.com.

Leapfrogging Spring

Ah, how positively inspiring the sun's rays are when their warmth penetrates our eager souls.  Weary of the non-existent winter, folks around town have embraced what's next, as moody Mother Nature gives us a taste of spring and summer this week in Southeastern CT.  It is so bazaar to be enjoying the same weather in New England that my sister has in San Diego, CA!

Last Thursday was the first sign that true change was in the air.  As I rounded the neighborhood with my dog that morning, I was struck by the warmth of the sun on my face.  I had to pause and just stand there to face directly at the sun, soaking in the rising degrees.  As we continued our walk, I realized I was clearly the most over-dressed person on the road.  I had on my long down coat and my knit ski cap and gloves and thought nothing of it at first, attributing my lack for warmth as a daily thing.  After all, I'm originally from the tropics, so even if the weather forecasters say that the high will be in the 60's, I pack on the layers out of habit. There have been enough days when the morning started off in the 30's, much to my chagrin.

There were many signs in the environment that we were clearly beyond the big thaw.  First, I noticed my neighbor's tulip and crocus sprouts, green and purple tips poking through the hard ground at the edge of their lawn beds.  Next, I saw a runner in shorts and a T-shirt.  Alright, I thought to myself, the ski cap has to go.  It's just embarrassing now.  And put away the gloves too.  I shoved them all in my pockets.  Next, I heard new bird songs tweeting in the air.  It was time to refill the bird feeders again.  I noticed a red blob sitting in the heart of a bare bush.  I checked for any movement or sign of life.  Was it a red cardinal just sitting there, mocking me as well?  Yes, it too, was enjoying the sun and his impulse was to stay put, to soak in the rays.

Over the past few days, more signs of the next season have emerged.  My dog interrupted his own play to look around in response to very loud squawking overhead; it was a flock of over 70 seagulls flying in V formation, announcing their return from the South.  In Waterford, it's nice to see groups of dogs being walked by their pet parents and friends not only in the morning now, but in the late afternoon as well.  These doggy parades take place around the neighborhood and at special destinations like Harkness State Park.  Kids are outside at the playgrounds again, riding their bikes and playing basketball at the end of their driveways.

Outdoor establishments are also taking advantage of the next season's earlier arrival this year.  Bobby's Place, a cute little lobster roll and clam shack in Niantic, was serving customers outdoors last week.  Apparently Frosty Treats, also in Niantic, has already opened for business.  DQ's website says they will open for their 60th season this Saturday, March 17th.  In New London, Fred's Shanty and Captain Scott's Lobster Dock are already open as well, taking advantage of Lent observers looking for a good fish lunch.  My favorite sign, of course, was spotting several convertible cars zipping around town with their tops down, in March!  Very entertaining.  What a coup, to enjoy the double whammy of warmth and a light breeze lifting your hair in the wind.  I couldn't help but wave to them in cheer.    

One more clear sign Spring is here; when my daughter got off the bus the other day, she begged, 

“Please, Mommy, can I do my work outside on the deck?  I just have to be outside.  It's so beautiful out.”       

She sat on a deck chair, with a folder on her lap.  She closed her eyes, crossed her legs, placed her clasped hands on her lap and held her face high toward the sun's rays, sighing in satisfaction.  Now that's a true picture of Spring.

Good bye shovel, hello rake!