Three Little Pigs

It would have taken too long to continue building stone walls up to the roof of the house, so we decided to build the second floor and library walls with straw bales. Don't worry - once the bales are placed and the walls prepared, we'll cover the walls (inside and out) with plaster. We'll cover the stone with plaster as well, so the outside will be uniform. I know what you're thinking - straw will attract rodents & bugs, it's a fire hazard, what about insulation, etc. Not to worry. The plaster cover keeps out any critters, and the bales are packed so tightly in the walls there is no oxygen present to fuel a fire. Wood homes are much more flammable. Lastly, straw is very dense and consequently has an insulation value of 42 (the standard home's insulation value is 18-22). Building with straw bales is actually not a new technology - there are homes made of straw in Europe that are several hundred years old. Since the straw is dead and covered from the elements, it won't deteriorate. So, now we are officially the three little pigs, living in a house made of straw, wood, and stone.