At a farm conference in the winter of 1995, Farmer Al and Becky became inspired to build housing for our farm-workers using straw-bale construction.

After digging around and connecting with groups like Out On Bale, we hooked up with architects Dan Smith, Bob Theis and Kelley Lerner of Dan Smith and Associates in Berkeley, California. In the winter of 1996 plans were drawn and construction began the following April.

Workshops were held here on the farm that were taught by DS&A and by John Swearingen and Janet Johnson of Skillful Means Builders.

People came from all over California to learn about this sustainable and ecologically sound method of construction.

Our employee Humberto, his wife Berta and their daughter Yesinia moved in the house in February of 1997. We hope to build more strawbale houses for our employees in the future.