"Foundations are the crucial first step to a durable structure. Done properly, a foundation supports the weight of your walls and roof while keeping the earth’s moisture from seeping into your home. It should also be able to handle the weather, temperatures and soil conditions of the environment it is placed in. " - MikaelFollow Mikael's blog as she journals her experience through this and every phase of the "climate" cabin construction. You'll find her own musings along with additional research that went into the various decisions made about materials, size, techniques, and more.For more information on Climate Farming, self-sufficiency and sustainable living, look for Johnny Appleseed Organic on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Stay up to date on developments at the Johnny Appleseed Organic Village by signing up for their free newsletter.

There are a few different methods that can be used when framing a structure. For the climate cabin frame, our master carpenter, Mike Shellman, chose to go with a basic wood construction. It’s a common method that makes it easy to carry each component of the house by hand and secure it with a simple nail gun — no machinery or heavy lifting required. Here is an overview of the steps Mike took to frame the cabin that are covered in this segment: Marking the bottom and top plates for placement of studs. Building the walls. Raising, securing, leveling, straightening, and bracing the walls. Cutting out and framing windows and doors. Installing porch beams and joists. Constructing, lifting, placing, and securing trusses on top of the walls.Follow Mikael's blog as she journals her experience through this and every phase of the "climate" cabin construction. You'll find her own musings along with additional research that went into the various decisions made about materials, size, techniques, and more.For more information on Climate Farming, self-sufficiency and sustainable living, look for Johnny Appleseed Organic on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Stay up to date on developments at the Johnny Appleseed Organic Village by signing up for their free newsletter.

Follow Mikael's blog as she journals her experience through this and every phase of the "climate" cabin construction. You'll find her own musings along with additional research that went into the various decisions made about materials, size, techniques, and more.For more information on Climate Farming, self-sufficiency and sustainable living, look for Johnny Appleseed Organic on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Stay up to date on developments at the Johnny Appleseed Organic Village by signing up for their free newsletter.

Johnny Appleseed Organic's Mikael Maynard and Mike Shellman guide us as they put "meat on the bones" of the "climate" cabin. Mike installs oriented strand board as the initial exterior layer of the cabin, felt roof protector, and Moisture Block protection sheeting. Then, he begins installing the reclaimed metal sheeting they picked up in Part 3 as the cabin's final roof material. Mikael will use the metal grooves in the sheeting to divert and catch rain water.Follow Mikael's blog as she journals her experience through this and every phase of the "climate" cabin construction. You'll find her own musings along with additional research that went into the various decisions made about materials, size, techniques, and more.For more information on Climate Farming, self-sufficiency and sustainable living, look for Johnny Appleseed Organic on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Stay up to date on developments at the Johnny Appleseed Organic Village by signing up for their free newsletter.

Mike installs soffit - the underside of the roof eaves - for ascetics with re-claimed hard pine. He follows that up by installing the external siding, also using re-claimed hard pine for the vertical base, as well as red cedar in a horizontal pattern just below the roof and soffit. Finally, he sands and seals the siding. The group chose Vermont Natural Coatings Penetrating Water Proofer because of it's non-toxic properties.Follow Mikael's blog as she journals her experience through this and every phase of the "climate" cabin construction. You'll find her own musings along with additional research that went into the various decisions made about materials, size, techniques, and more.For more information on Climate Farming, self-sufficiency and sustainable living, look for Johnny Appleseed Organic on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Stay up to date on developments at the Johnny Appleseed Organic Village by signing up for their free newsletter.

In this 10-minute episode, watch as the plumbing, electricity and insulation are installed in the Climate Cabin. The one thing each of these elements has in common is that each facet has an ecologically-friendly spin on a more traditional approach!Listen as host Mikael Maynard discusses her decision to go with full solar to power the cabin's electrical system. She also reviews the plumbing installation. Then builder Mike Shellman provides an overview of the sheep's wool insulation and beautiful poplar wood used for the interior walls.For other details visit Mikael's blog from this phase of the "climate" cabin construction.

In this episode, as his cabin project nears completion, host Mikael Maynard and head of construction Mike Shellman install and weatherproof reclaimed windows and doors, finish off the metal trim on the gables, seal the concrete floor and interior wood (chemical-free! ), and review tile installation.Follow Mikael's blog as she journals her experience through this and every phase of the "climate" cabin construction. You'll find her own musings along with additional research that went into the various decisions made about materials, size, techniques, and more.For more information on Climate Farming, self-sufficiency and sustainable living, look for Johnny Appleseed Organic on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Stay up to date on developments at the Johnny Appleseed Organic Village by signing up for their free newsletter.

The climate cabin project is nearly complete! In this episode the focus is almost entirely on the interior touches. Head of construction Mike Shellman runs through the utilitarian red cedar countertops, cabinets, and backsplash while project leader Mikael Maynard demos the multi-purpose shelving that also serves as a "room" divider. The duo also reveal a two reedbed treatment systems (and one overflow mulch pit), one catching the water from the kitchen and bathroom sinks and the other catching waste from the cabin's compost toilet - all through network of pvc piping. Shellman wraps up the episode walking viewers through the cabin's framed and screened porch. Be sure to tune in to Episode 9! This will be the last installment in this series where Mike and Mikael will reveal the entire project cost!Follow Mikael's blog as she journals her experience through this and every phase of the "climate" cabin construction. You'll find her own musings along with additional research that went into the various decisions made about materials, size, techniques, and more.For more information on Climate Farming, self-sufficiency and sustainable living, look for Johnny Appleseed Organic on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Stay up to date on developments at the Johnny Appleseed Organic Village by signing up for their free newsletter.

For those who have not been following along the past eight months, we've been documenting the construction of a beautiful, practical, sustainably-built cabin on the grounds of the Johnny Appleseed Organic farm in Folkston, Ga. The entire series has been narrated by project coordinator (and eventual resident) Mikael Maynard and head of construction Mike Shellman. The project wraps with this final installment, featuring a walk through of all finished amenities as well as the long anticipated disclosure of the FINAL CONSTRUCTION COST! Enjoy the last episode and, if you've missed the others, watch them all with an All-Access subscription! Registration details are below.Follow Mikael's blog as she journals her experience through this and every phase of the "climate" cabin construction. You'll find her own musings along with additional research that went into the various decisions made about materials, size, techniques, and more.For more information on Climate Farming, self-sufficiency and sustainable living, look for Johnny Appleseed Organic on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Stay up to date on developments at the Johnny Appleseed Organic Village by signing up for their free newsletter.