Faced with the expense (OK, and effort) of building raised beds, I decided instead to go cheap and easy: a straw bale garden. So I called up Joel Karsten, author of Straw Bale Gardens, and lead ...

If straw bales have to be shipped over a long distance, there is the added cost of transportation to consider, as well as the possible pollution of the building material itself.

Straw bale building was developed in the 1800s in Nebraska, where settlers used the resources at hand like building blocks. Some of these original homes are still in use today.

“Straw-bale or alternative building is an absolutely fantastic experience,” said David Chew. “But it’s not — I would not recommend this to anybody who wasn’t already interested.” ...

Building with straw bales isn’t a new construction technique. What the Tree of Life Nursery people did was continue a tradition that goes back a couple of centuries.

Yvon Chouinard and the architect who designed his Ventura, California, home explain why the waste material is the next step in the fight against climate change.

Straw bale construction integrates agricultural by-products into the building envelope, offering significant thermal insulation, low embodied carbon, and enhanced energy efficiency.

Straw bale buildings are energy efficient, providing relief from extreme winter and summer temperatures. VINES said the insulation will be 2-3 times more effective than traditional construction.

If you’d like to install a raised bed but don’t have the resources to build one, you can achieve the same effect by growing your plants in straw bales. It’s also a great option for those ...

Straw-bale construction was cultivated around 125 years ago in Nebraska, according to a press release from Monarch Architecture. The approach has gained real popularity in Europe over the past ...

A stack of rice straw bales sits alongside building materials and equipment inside the house owners Delayne Stoneman and Eric Brzescinski are constructing in Paradise, California on Thursday, Oct ...

Straw-bale construction was cultivated around 125 years ago in Nebraska, according to a press release from Monarch Architecture. The approach has gained real popularity in Europe over the past ...