yankeeirishman - 1-12-2005 at 08:10 AM
Any diehards out there know where I can purchase straw bales. Within a two hour drive from Campo Ocotillo, San Felipe. Must be "block" as they are in
U.S. farms. Building a Straw bale house at Campo Ocotillo. Also...any one with knowledge of Mexicalli Home Depot (prices same as U.S.)?
Don Jorge - 1-12-2005 at 09:00 AM
Ah, straw bale house. I have a bit of experience with straw and cob houses.
Quality dry straw is essential.
Right now many fields in Mexicalli are planted into winter wheat. This is harvested for the grain come April or May, depending on if the sun shines
and the creek don't rise. The stubble, rostrojo, which could be your straw bales, is grazed and then burned.
However, if you soon drive around Mexicalli's ag lands and ask around I believe you can contract some nice baled straw out of some wheat field after
they thresh it and before they graze it. That is how I would do it. Or you could ask some contractor in San Felipe, bend over and miss the
experience.
Now, the clay, the cob, the adobe. Take your time and find the right clay. Maybe use a few different clays for different purposes. So many choices in
Baja for clay!
Good luck and keep us posted!
[Edited on 1-12-2005 by Don Jorge]
Anonymous - 1-12-2005 at 09:09 AM
You will probably have to have them trucked in from Mexicali. For a source check with one of the contractors at El Dorado.
bajajudy - 1-12-2005 at 11:10 AM
Double check all plumbing. Leaks no bueno in straw bales.
[Edited on 1-12-2005 by bajajudy]
El Jefe - 1-12-2005 at 02:50 PM
We too were going to build out of straw bail and attended classes and everything. Then we noticed a lot of houses being built out of tri-di panel. It
has similar insulation properties and goes up just as fast. And they make it in Mexicali. Something to consider. Tom
http://www.tridipanel.com/
bails
fishinrich - 1-14-2005 at 04:40 PM
Yankee---Build it out of bails of pot, readily available and probably cheaper than hay. And if the land owner ever decides to throw you out you can
have one hell of a party!!!!! fishin rich
Bob and Susan - 1-14-2005 at 04:44 PM
