What makes your home a Green or Healthy Home?
24-Inch rammed earth construction, (see wikipedia for more details)is one of the most simple and environmentally responsible methods for building. The thermal shell for a house was utilized. This simple construction technique is based on compacting earth, sand and Portland cement between form-work to make a homogenous mass wall. It takes a couple of years to cure and the more it cures the stronger the structure becomes. The house is about 15 years old so the final process is much like constructing a hand made wall of solid rock that functions as a heat sink. Thick concrete tiles were used to cap off this very low maintenance home.
The water is pumped from Cow Creek to a 12,000 gallon concrete in-ground holding tank, filtered through a state-of-the-art system and sent to the house.
The Rumford-style fireplace is 30-40% efficient while a regular box-style fireplace is only 5-10% efficient or less. rumford.com
Reclaimed woods are incorporated throughout the home; some of which date back to the early 1800's.Property Description
A wiry rancher and his talented wife decided the severe winters in the Dakotas was reason enough to head South. They spent more than a decade criss-crossing the USA looking for that perfect spot. Good, clean ,fresh water is becoming an expensive commodity. A bottle of water already costs more than a bottle of gasoline. The property they found has more than ¾ mile of frontage along Big Piney Creek. The headwaters of the Piney are located in the highest part of the Ozark Mountains and flows down through the Ozark National Forest. The water from the Piney and it's tributaries have carved out a steep channel and deposited fertile sandy, organic rich soils along it's banks. Early Indian tribes lived along the banks of the Piney. Later, during the mid-1800's pioneers from the Carolina's and Tennessee settled along this creek and built their beautiful handcrafted Log Cabins, several of which can still be found in the area.
The climate in the Ozarks is moderate and has 4 very distinct seasons: warm summers, moderate winters with 2 or 3 annual snows, a glorious Spring and magnificent Fall. The annual rainfall averages 46 inches.
Cow Creek, a spring-fed tributary to the Big Piney, flows through the 134 acre property and serves as a water source for the house. The house is set back ¼ mile from the public road, and is shielded from view by native trees and flowering ornamentals. The meadow in front of the house has been landscaped with several thousand daffodil and other spring-flowering bulbs.
This handcrafted house can be viewed as a piece of architectural art. 24-Inch rammed earth construction, is one of the most simple and environmentally responsible methods for building. The thermal shell for a house was utilized. This simple construction technique is based on compacting earth, sand and Portland cement between form-work to make a homogenous mass wall. It takes a couple of years to cure and the more it cures the stronger the structure becomes. The house is about 15 years old so the final process is much like constructing a hand made wall of solid rock that functions as a heat sink. Thick concrete tiles were used to cap off this very low maintenance home. The overall outside appearance is one of a classic French or German farm house. The windows are all hand crafted and can be shuttered and latched with heavy cypress shutters. The sunroom on the south side is built over 12 inches of masonry which acts to store the winter sun’s warmth. The covered porch on the north side is designed to take advantage of the cool breezes that emanate from Cow Creek that flows by within a few feet of the house. The water from Cow Creek also serves as a water source for the house. An electric pump lifts the water from the creek to a 12,000 gallon, in ground concrete holding tank which is turn flows to a water purification facility and on into the house for drinking, bathing, laundry, etc. In case of a power failure, a propane fired backup generator will provide enough electricity to run the house.
One enters the house through massive hand crafted doors into a cavernous living room that has a Rumford-style fireplace at one end, a stunning handcrafted dining table and chairs at the other end. The Rumford-style fireplace is 30-40% efficient while a regular box-style fireplace is only 5-10% efficient or less. Thomas Jefferson had a Rumford-style fireplaces built at Monticello. Alongside the dining table is a built-in hutch and wet bar. At the end of the dining areas is a soapstone wood stove and handcrafted wooden shelves. The ceiling is a site rarely viewed even in custom made homes like this one. Some of the finest hardwoods and wormy cypress have been intricately woven into a pattern that not only is great looking but provides the utmost in structural stability for the whole house. The floors are constructed from large planks of hardwoods and pine, some take from old buildings dating back to the 1800’s. The cabinetry in the kitchen and bathrooms are all handcrafted and the workmanship is superb. The handcrafted wooden staircase is a thing of beauty. It leads to a recreation room that can serve as a whole host of activities. The massive timbers in the ceiling, above the rec room, really showcases the carpenter’s fine skills. The master bedroom, bathroom and huge walk-in closet offset the recreation room.
To summarize, the house has 1800 sq ft downstairs that includes a kitchen, bedroom, laundry room, dining room and living room. Then there is 1800 sq ft upstairs which includes the master bedroom, bath, walk-in closet and recreation room.
Other buildings include a 2-car garage overlain by a 1 bedroom, 1 bath guest house. The garage/guesthouse is partially clad in beautifully grained Arkansas sandstone. The lean-to portion of this contains the water purification system. A small shed nearby contains the generator.
The original homestead buildings include a large wooden barn and a small smoke house. The barn is being used to house the tractor, implements and ATV and is large enough to house animals, etc. About 30 acres is used for a hay field. A small pond is situated next to the hayfield.
The house has been positioned well above the 100-year flood plain of Big Piney Creek on a knoll along Big Piney Creek, a tributary of the Piney. Water from Cow Creek is also utilized to irrigate the bountiful garden and fantastic landscaping that includes more than 100 rose bushes, fruit trees, berries, muscadine grapes, loblolly pines, crepe myrtle, etc.
And what does 18 years of searching, planning, hard work and construction cost? A price that is out of reach for most of us but for those who have faired a bit better, this is a find of a lifetime. The property is offered well below the replacement cost. The offering price is $850.000 which includes almost everything in the house…………..dining table and chairs, all soapstone stoves, all kitchen appliances, washer/dryer, generator, plants, trees and shrubbery. Most of the other furniture is built-in.
We have included lots of pictures but you must see this property up close and personal in order to appreciate all the detailed work that went into making this a one of a kind property.
Neighborhood Description
The headwaters of the Piney are located in the highest part of the Ozark Mountains and flows down through the Ozark National Forest. The water from the Piney and it's tributaries have carved out a steep channel and deposited fertile sandy, organic rich soils along it's banks.Market Area
Clarksville is the nearest city with a population around 8,000. There are medical facilities, a small airport, restruants, and many other amenities, including many Antique Shops. Clarksville is also the jumping-on spot for Interstate 40 which puts you within an hour's drive to Little Rock or Fayetteville. It also puts you about 20 minutes from the premier Wine Producing area of Arkansas.School District
Location of Home or Land
Rural
Elevation of Home
Mountain
Air Quality
| Agriculture in Area | no |
| Industry in Area | no |
| Air Pollution in Area | no |
| Pesticide Free | no |
| Fragrance Free | no |
| Cleaned with Green Products | no |
Interior Environment
| Heating System | Fireplace |
| Cooling System | Conventional Forced Air - A/C |
| Ventilation System | Part of Cooling System |
| Whole House Filtration | Other |
| Whole House Vacuum | no |
Energy & Water
| Water System | Other |
| Wastewater System | Septic System |
Construction Information
| Construction Type | Rammed Earth |
| Exterior Finish | Plaster - Earth |
| Interior Finish | Earthen Plaster |
| Interior Paint | Low VOC |
| Floor Material | Tile |
| Roof Material | Other |
| Window Material | Wood Single Glazed |
| Insulation Material | Other |
Garage / Car Port
| Garage / Carport | yes |
| Garage Type | detached |
| Number of Cars | 2 |
| Garage Area | 720 sqft |
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