A straw bale hamlet in Garmain, NSW, Australia

John and Susan Glassford run Huff 'n' Puff Strawbale Constructions in Ganmain, NSW, Australia. Their home is a collection of seven buildings connected by paths. Each of them is clay plastered and insulated in the roof with wool at less than $1/kg. John and Susan use as many reclaimed materials as they can.

John has 14 Strawbale Golden Rules all worth keeping in mind for anyone thinking of building with straw bales. Here are our top 5 from John's 14.

1. Involve your friends and neighbours in the building process.
2. Keep your buildings small.
3. Keep the straw bales at least 250 mm off the ground.
4. Never use cement renders.
5. Have strong corners at least one-and-a-half bales wide.