Straw Bale Pump House

Started in the spring of 1997, this was the first little building to be built, or should we say rebuilt. The old dilapidated wooden structure from the previous owner was in sad shape: a leaking roof, rat and water damage, and a shorted-out electrical system with a failed pump. Nothing was salvageable but the concrete slab, so the demolition went quickly. The neighbor across the street called and had an extra yard of premix concrete available (left over from his own project). Instant forms were built for the stem walls, rebar was added, the concrete was poured and LanderLand was on its way.
Next came the load bearing 2-string bales on edge with bamboo external pining, followed by a salvaged front door from a carpenter friend. We topped it off with left over metal R panel roof pieces from a previous straw bale house project, also here in Kingston. Trim and gutter pieces were purchased new along with the ceramic floor tile, the tongue and groove pine ceiling, the interior gypsum plaster and the 3-coat exterior cement stucco. We then installed the new ? horsepower Jacuzzi well pump, set at a depth of 140 feet.
Fall of 2001 saw the installation of the 175-amp electrical sub-panel and the well plumbing. Finally, LanderLand had its own water.