[Cob] TAHEKE MUD home in NZ

[Dirtcheapbuilder-Charmaine]

SEE THIS WONDERFUL EARTHEN AND TILED WOOD HOME- IN NZ

   http://hokianga.com/tahekemud/

   http://hokianga.com/tahekemud/page3.html

http://hokianga.com/tahekemud/page2.html
  email: mgroom at xtra.co.nz

ACCOMMODATION
At present the house is only complete as far as the main structure is 
concerned. All systems such as toilets, water power and kitchen are 
working, but we have very little furniture, beds etc. so we will be 
sleeping on floors, marae style.
At TAHEKE MUD, we live beside the beautiful Taheke Falls, on the 
Punakitere River in Northland happily pursuing a number of objectives 
loosely under the banner of permaculture and organic living. Using 
organic earth building methods, micro hydro power generation, pond and 
wetland development associated with the power schemes we have begun to 
change the landscape from intensive and somewhat damaging monocultural 
dairy farming to a much more diverse and natural setting.
Due to the setting of the two rivers which border our farm we have the 
opportunity to greatly increase the wetland situation and use these wet 
areas for aquaculture development. Our development of the hydro power 
system has given us the experience to move large amounts of water 
around the farm, and possibly some new insights into simple flow 
turbine design for use in rivers or creeks with relatively fast moving 
water.
WE NEED PEOPLE to live here and take part in this development, people 
with green fingers (especially with an interest in aquaculture), people 
interested in hydro power systems (the do-it-yourself schemes), animal 
specialists, horticulturists, earth builders etc.
We have the space, some of the infrastructure and some of the know-how. 
If you are interested, please contact us for further information.
We are looking for people to become involved with the permaculture 
operations here at Taheke. There are two farms of approx 20 hectares 
each, and we run operations and courses together - ours at TahekeMud 
and Miriam Tyler’s organic avaocado permaculture farm, our neighbour.
Collectively we have two small three bedroom houses for rent and one 
block of land for sale. There are also other opportunities for housing 
and accommodation, anyone interested please enquire.

As I drive around New Zealand I am amazed at the lost opportunities for 
Micro Hydro power, perhaps a legacy of the days of easy cheap power!! 
Micro Hydro can vary from cheap relatively easily made simple DC units 
to complex larger AC systems with enough power for several houses etc. 
To construct such systems in many cases is not above the ability of the 
average handy man. Information on such projects is hard to come by, so 
here is a chance to rectify that at the above seminar where we have 
built our own 240V AC 4kw power system that now, after some initial 
hiccups, is running very smoothly: and we have power to waste most of 
the time.

SEMINARS  At least one, possibly two, such events mid to late January 
04.
Easter 04 …. a longer seminar based around a building of some sort, 
green house, composting toilet etc.
Future one day seminars based around such projects as Outdoor Ovens, 
Many and Various mud brick constructions, Garden Beds, worm Pits, chook 
houses and composting Toilets.
Enquire for green dollar & Student Rates.

To Contact Us phone 09 401 4700 .... mail RD3, Kaikohe .... email 
mgroom at xtra.co.nz


Charmaine Taylor Publishing
www.dirtcheapbuilder.com
PO BOX 375 CUTTEN CA 95534  USA
Tel:  707-441-1632
In the 70's it was Global Cooling fears!!  - get the FACTS
http://friendsofscience.org/ we are in a 1500 year cycle- man can't 
change that
PS:  Al Gore lives in a 10,000 sg foot house, with a $2K mo electric 
bill-as posted on CNN today