[GSBN] Update, question re: proposed SB code (hay bales)

[Kyle Holzhueter]

I think that an important aspect in evaluating both straw and hay is
the balance of carbon and nitrogen, which can vary by almost any
number of factors including species, variety, harvest date, soil
conditions, fertilizer used, etc.  all factors being equal, more
nitrogen results in quicker biological decay.  generally the nitrogen
deficiency of straw is one reason it is so recalcitrant to microbial
decay.  as a builder in the field, avoid bales containing green straw.

Regarding early Nebraskan straw bale building, assuming that hay is
fodder for livestock, depending on when it’s cut, baled meadow grass
isn’t necessarily hay. that is, it couldn’t be used as fodder, or at
least not in any large quantity. which goes back to the balance of
carbon and nitrogen and nutrients available to livestock.

In early 2010 I did two projects using two types of non-cereal straw bales.
1. Dried meadow grasses, cut in winter so they’re dry and brown: not
densely compacted and some seed heads remaining
2. Japanese silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis), a plant commonly used
for thatching: very dense bales and no seed heads remaining (the seed
naturally fly away when the plant is disturbed)

I’m trying to remember the story behind the bales.  The meadow grasses
were probably cut for livestock bedding, or to just clean up the hay
field.
The Japanese silver grass bales were produced in cooperation with an
organization called Biomass Forum.  Japanese silver grass was
cultivated throughout Japan for roofing, resulting in a unique
ecosystem called Kayaba.  But with the decline of thatch roofs, these
Japanese silver grass fields are following ecological succession and
returning to forests.  Biomass Forum is one organization working to
preserve these ecologically, historically and culturally important
Kayaba by finding uses for the plant.  One use is bale building.
these are the cheapest bales I’ve found in Japan, 260JPY (about
$3USD), but are often sold to farmers for mulch.  Unfortunately,
they’re produced in far western Japan which makes them pretty much
unavailable.


On Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 1:18 PM, Joyce Coppinger <jc10508 at windstream.net> wrote:
> Yes, it’s said that some of builders of the “historic” bale buildings in
> Nebraska used hay - most probably would have been prairie meadow hay,
> presumably not alfalfa hay. And prairie meadow hay as I understand it could
> be any combination of grasses or “herbaceous plants” available at the time,
> perhaps different than what’s growing in the meadows these days. I’ve read
> or have been told that wetland reeds and perhaps even cattails might have
> been used as well.
>
> We used timothy grass and a combination of wheat and timothy grass bales for
> a project here in Nebraska. The timothy grass compressed well and the bales
> were very dense. Don’t know how they are faring now but could check on it.
>
> Joyce
> Nebraska Straw Bale Lady
>
>
> Hello all,
>
> After resubmitting the proposed SB code to the International Code Council
> last week, I received their comments and will submit final revisions on
> Monday.
>
> Thank you to those who gave input re: clay plaster in the proposed SB
> section of the International Building Code.  There was a mix of opinion,
> sometimes in direct conflict.  I used some of the suggested changes.  I
> generally loosened the language (we’ll see how much vagueness is accepted
> without challenge) and eliminated any required percentage of clay.  I still
> welcome clay plaster input from those who expressed initial interest, but
> whose busy lives probably got in the way (but asap please).  Particular
> thanks to Graeme North who gave input on the entire proposed code (as he did
> in a past iteration).
>
> One other question for input:
>
> Prohibit use of baled hay?  (That’s what the proposed code currently says.)
>
> This is the conventional wisdom, but weren’t some of the first buildings in
> Nebraska built with hay bales (some still standing?), or has anyone
> successfully used hay bales (or bales with other non-straw “grasses”)?
>  Yesterday I had a discussion with a California rice farmer who bales straw
> and alfalfa hay.  He says that apart from the notion that hay is more
> subject to degradation, hay is 2 to 3 times as expensive so is much less
> likely to be used as a building material.  Regarding the notorious
> proclivity for stacks of hay bales to spontaneously combust, in addition to
> witnessing that, he has twice seen a stack of rice straw bales spontaneously
> combust.
>
> Thanks
>
> Martin (what the hay) Hammer
> ________________________________
> _______________________________________________
> GSBN mailing list
> GSBN at sustainablesources.com
> http://sustainablesources.com/mailman/listinfo.cgi/GSBN
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GSBN mailing list
> GSBN at sustainablesources.com
> http://sustainablesources.com/mailman/listinfo.cgi/GSBN
>



-- 
*************************************************
Kyle Holzhueter  PhD (Bioresource Sciences)
Nihon University, Graduate School of Bioresource Sciences
Architectural and Regional Ecological Design Studio
1866 Kameino Fujisawa Kanagawa 252-0880 Japan

カイル・ホルツヒューター　博士（生物資源科学）
日本大学大学院　生物資源科学研究科
建築・地域共生デザイン研究室
〒252-0880 神奈川県藤沢市亀井野1866

TEL/FAX: 0466-84-3364
Mobile: 080-3477-9841
http://www.cnes.brs.nihon-u.ac.jp/
http://holzhueter.blogspot.com/
*************************************************