This week I headed down to Dixon, California where Nigel Walker and his family are building a somewhat similar earth sheltered home as ours.  Nigel owns Eatwell Farm, (www.eatwell.com),  a CSA farm in the fertile valley north-east of San Francisco.  The 2000 sq. ft. home will have 14 ft. high ceilings and, like our house, be open to the outside at the four compass points.  Nigel is a bit ahead of us in the construction schedule, so I went down to help with the placement of the foam boards that will act as the forms for the concrete shell.  This was a wonderful opportunity to get some hands-on experience with this part of the building process before starting on ours.  Nigel and Lorraine were gracious hosts and new-found friends.  They even sent me home with some of the bounty from their organic farm, including organic eggs and chicken.

“Push Me Pull You” Nigel pushing the tie wire through the foam and I’m twisting it around the wood support to keep the two layers of foam board in place.

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