Over a year has passed since we bought our little acre. And although we have not yet built our home, so much has happened in this cycle. In this year we have learned one important lesson, that, when endeavoring to build a home out of natural materials the actual process of acquiring the materials takes nearly as long as the actual building.
When we were still searching for land of our own we were also looking for a location with natural resources. In our ecosystem trees are more like spiny bushes and those that are useful for lumber are scarce and endangered of extinction. We were pleased to finally encounter this little spot, forested and just along a creek full of sand, stone, and clay.
The abundance of these three materials has determined the main building blocks to our future naturally built home. I am sure we will be ordering some wood for pillars as well as modern materials for the roof, windows, and doors. But, whenever possible we want to source our materials locally. And by locally I mean within the limits of our land and the public lands surrounding. As the terrain is extremely rocky and we are on a budget, that means that we are also using our own labor to transport the materials from the creek to the land.
During our work days I often wonder if any tourists will try to stop us and say "don't take rocks from the creek". This has not happened yet but if it does I am ready with a response;
Any house is built with something. Here in Argentina most modern building are made of concrete and bricks. So, if someone were to challenge us on collecting rocks and sand from our local ecosystem I would ask them where they acquired the sand for the cement and the clay for the bricks or the wood for the pillars and floor of their home. If they themselves didn't collect those materials, then they were from a creek somewhere else, a quarry somewhere else, or a forest ... somewhere else.
Yes, we are taking from the creek and relocating those rocks, sand, clay uphill about 50 meters. But along with the building blocks for our home we are also picking up trash and clearing the pathways for local wildlife. This process is about trying to find a balance with our local forest.
It was not too long ago that each and every building was made of the materials within walking distance, or at the most horse walking distance. Homes where built with human hands and thus couldn't be unnecessary large or wasteful. Don't get me wrong - I am not pining for the days before electricity or before modern inventions. Rather, my partner and I are looking to strike a compromise between the two: a home built mostly of local materials, cutting out unnecessary waste when possible, along with some of the modern luxuries like electricity and a thermal water heater.
Here is our little reserve of boulders that will one day be the base of our tiny clay, sand, and wooden home! It has been a lot of work and really slow going but, I can envision our future home, made with our own hands (+ the help of community) and local supplies and can tell it will all be worth it.