Workshop was a great success, we raised $5600.  Next year's fundraiser will be a 50 mile back packing trip on the Pacific Crest Trail starting at the Sierra Buttes and ending at Donner Summit.

Click for pictures of the workshop

Overview

Come Learn about Straw Bale Construction and sustainable living (Hands-on training) on 28 beautiful acres in Grass Valley California.

• Meet Chuck and Brenda Horton, whose straw bale home is currently under construction.

• Keith Robertson, of Sons building and development Co. will lead this fascinating workshop on healthy building methods.

You will see and learn from experts about the use of the following:

• Straw Bale Exterior Wall Raising, we will do hands-on building of one of our exterior straw bale walls

• Prestowall strawboard, a non-toxic resource for interior framing.  (The Horton home will be the first home in the state of California to use this material.)

• Structural insulated panels, prefabricated panel framing systems used for our roof (R-39 value)

• Passive and active solar, an energy efficient resource

• Radiant floor heating, a non-contaminant method to heat your home

• Natural cotton fiber insulation, an earth friendly insulation material

• Green building techniques and materials and much more. There will be plenty of time for questions and answers.

Cost is $75.00 a person, which includes continental breakfast, lunch and beverages.  We will also have an outdoor dinner afterwards for an extra $10.00 if you want to stay and enjoy these stunning surroundings.

Funds raised will go to Sierra Adoption Services (Tax I.D. # 68-0002878) to place a foster child into a permanent adoptive family.  Sierra Adoption Services mission is to break the cycle of abuse by providing permanent adoptive families for America's waiting children, with an emphasis on those with special needs; and to promote a climate which supports successful adoptions through service and advocacy.

Space is limited!  Make your reservation now!

Hear and read about our workshop & fundraiser:

May 06, 9:00am to 9:40am - KVMR 89.5 FM, on Think Tank with CC Myers

May 29, 12:00pm to 12:50pm - KVMR 89.5 FM, on Rabble Rousing with Chamba Lane

June 17, 12:30pm to 1:00pm - KNCO 830 AM, on Talk of the Town with Jim Kerr

June 20, 12:00pm - KVMR 89.5 FM, with Mike Thornton

Look for us in the Home & Garden Section of the Auburn Journal in June

Agenda

Volunteers and Speakers

•  Brenda & Chuck Horton - Owners

•  Keith Robertson - A builder since his youth, Keith Robertson was influenced by ideas about homesteading and salvaging in Ken Kern’s “The Owner-Built Home.” Ever since he has reclaimed materials from old buildings and reused them creatively in new ones. Keith won awards for Best Improved Rural Residential Property in Sonoma County in 1974 and Best Commercial Building in Grass Valley in 1991. A licensed contractor since 1980, he built the first permitted straw-bale home in Nevada County. Keith currently designs and builds energy-efficient passive solar homes, utilizing ecological materials, and manages an alternative building center in Valley Grass

•  Fred Stoenner, Architect - Fred has been designing and/or building homes for most of his adult life. He has extensive "hands-on" construction experience, having worked for many years as a licensed general contractor before deciding to become a design professional. . He has been a licensed architect since 1996. Fred has designed numerous residential projects, with a consistent emphasis on resource-efficient construction methods. His designs typically incorporate structural insulated panels (SIPs), insulated concrete forms (ICF's), recycled and manufactured lumber products, strawbale walls, and a variety of other earth-friendly building materials.

• Nehemiah Stone - is an energy efficiency consultant with the Heschong Mahone Group in Fair Oaks, CA.  He has experienced the construction industry from numerous vantage points.  Nehemiah was a licensed contractor for years before becoming the chief building inspector for Humboldt County.  He taught energy efficient design at College of the Redwoods, and later he worked at the California Energy Commission helping to write the state standards for residential construction.  He ran a research project to determine the R-value of straw bale walls and reported on the results to the CEC and in an international forum.  Nehemiah built his own house of straw bales to be an example of resource efficiency and energy efficiency.  While at the Energy Commission, Nehemiah and about two dozen straw bale builders and others interested in the technology started the California Straw Builders Association.  He is the current Chair of the California Straw Builders Association (CASBA).  CASBA now has over a hundred members and supports research and education in straw bale construction techniques.

• Ray Darby - Ray’s work in the energy field over the last 24 years has ranged from the “nuts and bolts” of alternative energy system installation, to design and specification, to public policy. He recently developed and managed a 24.5 million-dollar rebate program for the State of California, which will save the state approximately 48 MW of peak power – enough power to support about 48,000 homes. He has extensive experience in the evaluation and design of a wide range of renewable and energy efficient technologies. Ray has just returned to the private sector, and is providing energy consulting services to building owners, property managers and energy-related businesses. He works in partnership with other professionals to provide customers with the most cost-effective, sustainable energy solutions available, from building systems, to power systems, to transportation and sustainable communities. His web site is located at www.TheEnergyGuy.com 

• Gail Johnson - is Executive Director of Sierra Adoption Services, a nationally recognized leader in the field of special needs adoption. Since coming to Sierra Adoption Services in 1985 she has been a consistent force in successfully advocating for statewide systems change to better meet the needs of children growing up in foster care. Her innovative programming, managerial clarity and communication skills have promoted tremendous growth for the agency and have been instrumental in broad-based improvements in California's special needs adoption system.

• Dave & Michelle Anello

• We are looking for volunteers to help out the days before with setting up and the day after for breaking down and/or the day of for doing whatever we need to make this workshop and fund raiser a success.  Please let Brenda know if you are interested in volunteering.  We are also looking for sponsors to donate funds for breakfast and lunch.  Please let us know if you would like to sponsor a meal.

Sponsors - (Generous Donors)

• Barbara Horton Linn, Architect - Architect for our house ($500)

• Biondi Paving, Inc - Site work for our house ($175)

Raffle

We are selling raffle tickets before and during this event.  You need not be present to win.   Tickets are $5.00 each or 5 for $20.00, or 10 for $35.00.  There will be great raffle prizes:

Prizes

• 2 Grand Prizes - 1 Hour Flight: A scenic airplane ride over the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  Up to 3 people. Compliments of United Airlines Pilot, Robert Shea
• Dinner for two at New Moon Restaurant in Nevada City ($75 certificate)
• 1 1/2 hour massage by Melissa Silva
• Gift Basket of goodies from Sierra Adoption Services

 

Registration and Requirements

•  How to register:  Make check payable to Sierra Adoption Services for $75.00 and send to:
  Brenda Horton
  11377 Torrey Pines Dr.
  Auburn, CA 95602.
  
  This will secure a spot for you.  If you cannot make it to the workshop, we will gladly accept a donation for Sierra Adoption Services.
   

• Bring comfortable clothes to work in and some warm clothes if you are staying for dinner.  It may get cool in the evening.

• Bring work gloves for the bale raising

• We will take every precaution possible to ensure everyone’s safety, but please be advised that this is an active construction site.

• You will be required to sign a disclaimer that you will not hold anyone liable in the event of an injury or accident.

• No children allowed under the age of 16.

Accommodations

We are always happy to share our place with friendly visitors. Therefore, we are inviting anyone who is interested to camp out on this phenomenal piece of land with incredible views.    Folks are welcome to camp Friday and Saturday night.  There is running water and a portable toilet.  Please bring a flashlight.  We will have an informal gathering Friday evening for guests that are camping Friday night.

For More Information or Questions 

E-mail brendah@hware.com Or  call Brenda Horton at 916/ 201- 4000.

Cancellations

In the event of a cancellation due to weather we will reschedule the workshop and fundraiser.  If you have to cancel, we would ask that you gift your $75.00 to Sierra Adoption Services.  Thank you.

Sierra Adoption Services

Sierra Adoption Services mission is to break the cycle of abuse by providing permanent adoptive families for America's waiting children, with an emphasis on those with special needs; and to promote a climate which supports successful adoptions through service and advocacy.

Champions for Adoption

Brenda & Chuck Horton have created a Champions for Adoption team to raise $5,000+ by June 30th, 2002.  Join the team by sponsoring our workshop, donate funds, or volunteer for our workshop

Champions for Adoption is a unique program that relies on the creation of teams-teams committed to placing one child or raising $5,000 (the cost to Sierra Adoption Services to place a child into an adoptive home). A team can consist of a company or a group of individuals-friends, co-workers, families, organizations or club members-who join together in an effort to find a home for a waiting child.

 

 

Click for more information and pictures for the Horton Straw Bale House