What's Happening.
Welcome to the Newberry Adventure!
I have converted the site to use the drupal open source php CMS system. I have a lot of work to do yet and not much time to do it, but if you just want to look at some old photos and see the origins of gypsyfarm, then click on the origins of gypsyfarm link in the top menu. Heck, you'll even be able to see me with no gray hair!
Anyway as there will always be one more thing to do, one more thing to change and since I've been fooling with this house for 10 years now and there is only so much one can write about clay and sand. Love the stuff, don't get me wrong, but it's time to expand. One bit of new information is that most of my current projects concern interior type work. For example since the walls are mud, you can't really nail into them very well. So I have begun to work with small pine trees harvested off my land that are about the size of a 2 x 4, perhaps a bit bigger in some cases, perhaps a bit smaller in others. I'm working on some closets now and will shortly be adding some to the kitchen to be able to hang cabnets. What I do is peel the logs using a draw knife and then I basically use them in place of regular lumber.
Anyway, at this stage of the game I will be getting more into using ferro-cement to create a ferro-cement roof as well as some walls. While in all honesty, I've mostly used hand techniques in the many of my processes. I guess I've gotten to the point where I enjoy the process rather than worry about finishing. My big plans now besides the ferro-cement roof is to start building some Rocket Mass Heaters which are super efficient wood stoves. It's some information I got from the Cob Cottage Publications in a book named "Rocket mass Heaters" By Ianto Evans and Leslie Jackson. It's a great book and I highly recommend it. There is a link on the alternative building links on the right hand side of this w
I'll be adding more photos and updates as I make progress to keep you posted on the big Newberry adventure.
Pat
Stand by for more changes