Читать книгу More Straw Bale Building - Peter Mack - Страница 12

The horse-driven baling machine, invented and introduced into the grain-growing regions of the North American West in the 1870s, had the unintentional side effect of turning mounds of loose straw into tight, easy-to-handle building blocks. The settlers of the Nebraskan sandhills, who faced a lack of lumber and suitable sod for building their new homes, were the first to put these building blocks to use. Some of these early bale structures are still standing and occupied — a testament to the durability of straw bale walls and the community spirit. The settlers’ enduring and effective homes are responsible for the bale building we do today.

1.1: The Pilgrim Holiness Church in Nebraska is one of the oldest surviving historical straw bale buildings. It’s a testament to the durability of bale buildings, and also the community spirit of this kind of construction.