Definition: In the African prairies, houses have been made of straw since the Paleolithic times. Straw construction became popular in the American Midwest when pioneers discovered that no amount of huffing and puffing would blow down hefty bales of straw and grass.
Architects and engineers are now exploring new possibilities for straw bale construction. Modern day "pioneers" who are building and living in these homes say that building with straw instead of conventional materials cuts the construction costs by as much as half.
An excellent resource for learning the basics of building with straw is the book The Straw Bale House by Athena Swentzell Steen and others.
