Home Description

Raven Ridge fits well into its perched south-facing location. With its southwestern flair, it appears to belong in New Mexico or Southern Colorado. The home is a unique, custom-crafted, straw bale construction and is entirely powered by the sun and wind. This is a place where Nature is infused by architectural design into every living moment. The 32 acres offer expansive open views all the way to Glacier National Park while still having the feeling of being tucked away in the cozy privacy of a beautiful conifer forest.

We (the Sellers) have operated a CSA farm partially from this property for 13 years. We sold the CSA business, but what remains is a large 44'x16' greenhouse just off the kitchen has been used to start plants as well as growing space for an immediate source of veggies for cooking. A 10'x10'x8' root cellar located just out the back door provides a convenient way to store potatoes, root vegetables and other bulk food. Located below the house, are numerous large garden beds with well developed organically managed soils in terraces. Another highlight is the 10-15 year old fruit orchard that is just coming into production with 40 fruit varieties of apples, pears, cherries, apricots, and peaches. The gardens and orchard are fenced for deer.

The home's stuccoed interior provides comfort and warmth during cool weather and a refuge from the heat in hot weather. The house has beautiful exposed timbers harvested from the property and hand-crafted cabinets throughout. Both the master bedroom and bathroom are spacious with artfully textured walls that play with the changing sunlight. The 2,000 square foot open floor plan includes two lofts for extra sleeping space, reading, yoga, and an office area with a spectacular view.

Also down the slope below the house and in the orchard is another structure, a 16-foot diameter 8-sided ‘hogan-style’ also built with straw bale and stucooed. Latias and a sky-light make this space a great studio. We used this sweet little studio for guests and summer farm help. The structure is on piers, nestled into a small aspen forest, with an abundant storage area for tools and equipment under the hogan.

Over the last 5 summers, we have operated Raven Ridge as a home vacation rental. Since the house is already set-up for guests, serious inquiries would be welcome to come and actually try-out the home. Rent paid would be put towards purchase at the time of closing.

Raven Ridge is adjacent to National Forest land for quick and easy access to hiking and mountain biking. Geographically it is located at 3,600 feet near the foot of a 6,000-foot mountain 2 miles west. Nearby are numerous beautiful mountain lakes of all sizes, including Smith Lake bird refuge. And we're within 45 miles of Glacier National Park. The driveway is a 2500-foot long traverse of 6-8% grades, gravel surface, and can be challenging at times in winter. On balance, however, the view and quiet you receive makes it worth it. And, the southern exposure for active and passive solar can’t be beat.

An off-grid home requires someone act as the ‘power plant manager’. We have made a sizeable investment in top-of–the line batteries; and if kept recharged they should have another 15 years of service. The inverter, charge controller, and electrical panel were all upgraded in early 2009. The Magnum 4024 inverter provides true sine wave 120 volt AC current up to a continuous load of 4000 watts. *The seller is a solar dealer and can train the new owners in how to manage the various systems involved in operation and maintenance.

This home is for you if you want one or more of the following: to live more independently; grow much of your food; run a greenhouse starts business; work as a writer, marketer, or researcher via DSL; and want to watch a beautiful forest grow. If you feel that how you live should represent values you have to live more lightly on the earth, then living in this home will make you feel in tune with your heart. Raven Ridge is for folks who have a certain level of do-it-yourselfness as are most rural properties.

There are some details in regards to contruction and systems that are listed below, that might be confusing, so we will clarify in advance.

There is a complete septic system that goes unused. It was installed to satisfy our local health authorities. We use the grey water to irrigate fruit trees and large compost piles. Our urine diverting batch composting toilet is generally totally odorless (it is well vented) and uses only a small amount of water to rinse urine drain.

The insulation over the shed roofs of the kithcen and master bedroom have 13 inches of fiber glass(R-37),and over the main roof we used straw bales covered with EPDM roofing(R-43). The mud room is minmally insulated with R-13. In addition to the wood stove being a primary source of heat, it also heats water and stores it directly behind the woodstove. This water can be circulated under the brick in the main floor to add in radiant warmth during the cold months. The wood stove can heat enough water to provide for your domestic needs from November through April, but after that the sun starts heating the house on more days and you will find the dependence on the woodstove lessens and so you will need to relight the propane hot water heater and just use the woodstove as you preheater. I have installed 6 solar hot water systems in the last year and it may be by time we sell this house will have a solar hot water heater, which has always been a part of the plan. The only utility costs are, generator fuels used in the short dark days of Dec. and Jan. and propane. Propane is stored in 100 lb cylinders and we take them to be refilled. The range is propane and will stay with the house as will the super efficient appliances. (Pacific Energy woodstove, Staber 2000 washing machine, Conserve Refridgerator).

Finally, if this home and property seem to be exactly what you have been looking for then please contact us. Depending on your background and situation we might be able to workout owner financing. Don't let price stop you from inquiring! We have put a lot more time and effort into this property than most rural home/landowners and it shows. We want a buyer that will carry on that tradition and keep this parcel in one piece and the forest growing.

What makes your home a Green or Healthy Home?

When we designed this home we wanted it to be an example of what would defined a ‘green,’ near zero energy home. Every aspect of design and construction at Raven Ridge was given conscious effort to make the dwelling an attractive, yet functioning tool of warm, cozy, healthful and sustainable living. The home's construction consists of timbers thinned from the property, and the majority of lumber was purchased from a local wood products mill. The barley straw came from a nearby grain farm. All of the wood has been sealed with linseed oil, except the bedroom and bathroom floors which long ago off gassed from an oil based sealant. The main living room’s brick floor was sealed with an epoxy sealant. The walls are either lime plaster, tinted gypsum plaster sealed with shellac, or low VOC interior latex paint. This home is very easy to clean and maintain with no permanent rugs.

This home is very much a part of its landscape and more attached to its location on the south side of its knoll than it was to our family. We are sorry we can’t move it with us to BC, Canada.

Neighborhood Description

Rural location 6 miles from Kila on Brown's Meadow Road, a recently paved county road. Kila has a K-8 school, a Post Office, bike path to Kalispell as well as a busier US Highway 2.

Market Area

Flathead County endured a land rush over the last decade. One reason for the popularity of the area is the abundant access to the outdoors—with thousands of acres of open public land, Glacier National Park, and large Wilderness Areas providing many opportunities for hiking, skiing, fishing, boating, etc. Given the Flathead’s spectacular scenery, growth concentrated along lakes and rivers, and valley farm land. Additional reasons for this area’s appeal include the superior quality of the medical services and hospital, and a recently enlarged airport to serve various airlines.

Thankfully, and through strong community vigilance, Kila has not yet lost its rural feeling to large subdivisions and strip development. Kila has remained a place with charm. The stars still shine brightly in the night sky, and though the roads have become busier since we move there in 1993, the traffic is still light. Wildlife such as elk, deer, moose, bobcats, black bears and cougars still roam the mountains; and the variety of birds places Kila on the ‘hotspots’ map for avid birders.

School District

Kila/Kalispell

Community

Rural Kila

Home Type or Land

Single Family - Split Level

Location of Home or Land

Rural

Elevation of Home

Mountain