Disaster Number Three: Strawbales...Worse Than I Thought...

This morning I tore down the outdoor kitchen. I set up a storage area on the pad, and moved the bed up under the roof (on the pad). Tonight we shall sleep on a bed...

Then we investigated the damage from last Saturday's storm. Much worse than I thought. The totally dry bales I set up under the roof. 28 of them.

Plus these 11 (plus 2 more not shown) bales that are just a little damp. They will dry nicely in the sun.

Leaving me with a pile of wet and soggy strawbales. Some are usable as 1/2 bales or even 3/4 bales. About 50% are totally not usable.

Most of these on the edge are dry enough to use...

The first rule in building a Strawbale house is: DO NOT LET THE BALES GET WET!

We blew it! The tarps failed. I couldn't predict that tarps sitting in the sun for three months would lose their integrity and that a freak 3 1/2 inch September rainstorm would totally drown the Homestead.

Disheartening. Well, we have plenty of mulch now. And we can use some to channel rain away from the house. And I can build a "mini-motor-cross" path for the girls.