A tour of two straw-bale buildings is scheduled for Saturday, October 10. The tour van(s) will leave Lincoln promptly at 8:00 AM CST returning to Lincoln between 6:30 to 7:00 PM CST. Those who wish to drive their own cars may join the tour at the Cozad site at 11:00 AM CST. An open house is scheduled at the Cozad home from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Pre-registration and payment is required no later than October 8. Fees: $30 per person for those traveling in the van(s); $10 for those joining the tour in their own cars. To register for the tour by van or drive along, call Joyce at 402.483.5135 (please leave message) or email
A $5.00 fee will be charged for those who want to visit the Cozad site from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm when the owners will host an open house. To visit during these hours, call 308.785.2193 for driving directions to the home's site.
All fees will be donated to The Green Prairie Foundation for Sustainability in support of The Last Straw, the international journal of strawbale and natural building. www.thelaststraw.org and the TLS blog http://tls.buildearth.com
The first building to be visited on the tour is a beautiful two-story straw-bale home in a rural setting near Cozad. The home features an earth-plastered wall in the living/dining area, a hearth room adjacent to the galley kitchen, a kiva in the master bedroom, two bedrooms and a loft sitting room on the second level, screened porch, patio facing the canal, wrought iron railings on the patio and stairway created by a local craftsman, and other amenities.
The second site is the 6,700 square foot straw-bale building housing the Ian Nicholson Nature Center, a favorite place for bird watching and nature hikes along the Platte River. A central lobby/gift shop and viewing room looks out to the river, and an educational wing and an administrative wing defines the shape of a bird in flight, emphasizing the connection between the structure and its purpose.
Please bring your own lunch and beverage for the van trip. Two food/rest stops are scheduled during the tour.
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