Cob Joe Kennedy, in Argentina, asks your natural-building advice.

[Mark Piepkorn (f.k.a. M J Epko [R.I.P.])]

	My prefatory question for anybody: What's Joe mean when he says "can
manuse"? Cow manure? Canned mongoose? Canadian moose? Cranberries?

At 09:36 PM 1/29/99 -0300, Joe wrote: 
>Dear Mark:
>All is going well here. It is summer! with a vengeance: hot and 
>humid, though we do have fresh tomatoes and watermelon. Water is 
>largely hand-pumped, electricity from a windmill, and cooking 
>done on ultra-efficient wood-burning stoves and ovens, solar 
>showers too, and composting toilets. I plan to document all the 
>cool stuff for an article for The Last Straw. Let me know 
>deadlines for the next couple of issues.
>
>I am in need of some help from the natural building community, as 
>I am not familiar with this climate. Here are the conditions: hot 
>humid summers, with somewhat drier winters. Substantial rains 
>throughout the year. Mostly need summer cooling, with some winter 
>heating. Totally flat landscape with fine silty soils (loess). 
>Lots of grass which makes excellent straw (similar to rice straw). 
>Lots of old broken bricks. An excellent (though limited) clay 
>deposit. Sand available for purchase. No stone. Some recycled 
>timber, and some trees on site which could be used for "latillas" 
>and "wattle" for wattle and daub. Lots of can manuse.
>
>Questions:
>1- Any natural building ideas considering the above climate and 
>materials availability?
>
>2- Because of the lack of stone or gravel, and the desire to use 
>as little cement as possible, would a concrete/brick/chunk/sand 
>foundation with a reinforced concrete chunk/brick/chunk grade beam 
>be feasible?
>
>3- Any non-toxic options for preserving wood against insects?
>
>4- Any non-toxic water-proofing idea between foundation and 
>planned cob walls? 
>
>5- Solar radiant floor heating ideas?
>
>Could you post the above to the various natural building lists, and 
>anyone else you can think of, and ask people to respond to me 
>directly? It would be of invaluable help.
>
>All my best to everyone. Stay warm.
>
>Joe