How to Host a Wall Raising for a Straw Bale Home

The building of a new home is a joyous occasion. When you raise the walls of your straw bale home, invite others to be a part of the experience. Think of the barn-raising scene in the movie "Witness;" while your straw bale home may not be as large a structure, the experience can be as much a gathering of the community.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Plan ahead. Make sure you have all the building materials you need on site, and purchase the necessary hay bales for your home--local farms could help in this regard. Make sure you have enough lumber for framing and fasteners--nails and screws--in hand. Have plans for the home and make copies so that those who attend the wall raising for the straw bale house can refer to them during the build.
2. Get plenty of tarps for the day of the build. No matter the weather report, you should always be prepared for the possibility of rain. Straw is vulnerable to water and tarps will be necessary to throw over your straw bales in case the weather turns.
3. Send out invitations to attend your wall raising of the straw bale home. You could send out invites to friends and family, as well as to neighbors. If you want to invite more people and make it a community event, post the date of your straw house wall raising at country fairs, and even on the web. Ask for an RSVP so you have some idea of how many people will be attending.
4. Get a general idea of the number of people who will be attending and start assembling a menu for a feast. To save money, you could ask that people bring one dish to share with all, and you could choose to provide beverages, plastic silverware, napkins and sundries.
5. Set up tables on the day of the event. These can be as simple as plywood sheets set up on saw horses which you could--if you wish--cover with sheets for tablecloths. You can either rent chairs from party rental stores, or let people sit on the ground. Choose to rig tents from tarps and rope strung between trees to provide shade, or a place to escape from the rain, should it dare to do so on the day of your straw bale home wall raising.
6. Ask people to bring tools, but be sure to provide some as well.
7. Have fun and send thank you notes to those that attend. If many people attend, you can post a thank you online.

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