This is the amazing Hobbit-style house an eco-friendly farmer built from scratch for just £150. Resourceful Michael Buck 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 skip 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."
Hobbit style eco friendly house built from scratch for just £150
This is the amazing Hobbit-style house an eco-friendly farmer built from scratch for just £150. Resourceful Michael Buck 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 skip 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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