From The Mirror
The ex-art teacher built the house from scratch using only natural or recycled materials… and not a single power tool.
This is the amazing Hobbit-style house an eco-friendly farmer built from scratch – for just £150.
Resourceful Michael Buck, 59, created the “cob” home at the bottom of his garden using an ancient building technique.
He now lets it out to a woman who works on a neighbouring dairy farm.
And in keeping with his green philosophy he lets her pay her rent in MILK.
Cob houses – made of earth, clay and straw – date back to prehistoric times.
Ex-art teacher Michael, a smallholder near Oxford, used only natural or recycled materials… and not a single power tool.
The floorboards were rescued from a ship and the windows came from an old lorry windscreen.
Dad-of-three Michael also carried huge bundles of reeds on his back to avoid leaving a carbon footprint and taught himself how to thatch.
Although it has no electricity the mushroom-shaped cottage has running water from a nearby spring and walls painted with chalk and plant resin.
It has a kitchen, dining area and bunk bed.
Heat comes from a wood-burning stove and thanks to the cob walls the house is surprisingly well-insulated.
A shallow well acts as a fridge and there’s also an outhouse with a composting loo.
Michael, who spent two years on the house, said he was a bit disappointed because it was meant to cost NOTHING.
He added: “With proper maintenance it could last forever, but it would also naturally return to the earth if left alone.”
The ex-art teacher built the house from scratch using only natural or recycled materials… and not a single power tool.
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This is the amazing Hobbit-style house an eco-friendly farmer built from scratch – for just £150.
Resourceful Michael Buck, 59, created the “cob” home at the bottom of his garden using an ancient building technique.
He now lets it out to a woman who works on a neighbouring dairy farm.
And in keeping with his green philosophy he lets her pay her rent in MILK.
Cob houses – made of earth, clay and straw – date back to prehistoric times.
Ex-art teacher Michael, a smallholder near Oxford, used only natural or recycled materials… and not a single power tool.
The floorboards were rescued from a ship and the windows came from an old lorry windscreen.
Dad-of-three Michael also carried huge bundles of reeds on his back to avoid leaving a carbon footprint and taught himself how to thatch.
Although it has no electricity the mushroom-shaped cottage has running water from a nearby spring and walls painted with chalk and plant resin.
It has a kitchen, dining area and bunk bed.
Heat comes from a wood-burning stove and thanks to the cob walls the house is surprisingly well-insulated.
A shallow well acts as a fridge and there’s also an outhouse with a composting loo.
Michael, who spent two years on the house, said he was a bit disappointed because it was meant to cost NOTHING.
He added: “With proper maintenance it could last forever, but it would also naturally return to the earth if left alone.”
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