When most of us hear about walls made of straw we have visions of three small pigs and one angry wolf, but straw bale housing is not a new concept in building. After centuries of use in indigenous cultures, straw bale construction began gaining popularity in the 1890's in areas of the United States that had few lumber resources, but plenty of residual material from the farming of grain crops-mainly the plain states.

After the grain crop was harvested, the remaining straw was baled and stacked like bricks, pinned through with metal or wooden stakes, and sometimes "sewn" together for strength. Windows and doors were cut out, and the walls were covered with a layer of stucco. The roof was was attached to a top plate laid over the final row of bales and secured to the foundation with metal rods or straps. Windows and doors were installed, and the house was ready! Often, the walls of a house could be raised in a single day. The Sturtz Ranch in Stapleton, Nebraska was built in 1905 by local craftsman and was inhabited by the same family until 1998. The house still stands.

Pennsylvania certainly has no shortage of lumber, so why are we using bales here? The hollow, air-trapping nature of the plant stalks, combined with the compact nature of bales provides a beneficial side-effect: insulation. Our all-natural, home grown insulation reduces the amount of energy needed not only to heat our building, but to create it.The traditional pink insulation requires high amounts of energy to be produced, shipped and sold. Our bales do the same job, just as well, but without the high energy costs.

We used switch grass, a common cover crop for hunting preserves in the area which has to be cleared periodically.The crop is sustainable, and baling reduces the chance the crop will be burned-which releases carbon dioxide back into the environment. Our insulation was grown and donated by Tom Stickle of Monona Farms, Ligonier, less than 20 miles away!

Many people wonder about the safety of using bales in their homes. The compressed bales covered with stucco allows very little oxygen into the walls. Critters find it hard to breathe and nest within the sealed bale walls.

The main concern is moisture. Wet bales can mold and decay over time.The best defense is keeping the bales dry before installation, and sealing walls completely.