OK guys, let me preface this with a few things. I have built and taught natural building and underground construction for quite some time. Timber framing and log building are all we do here these days.
Would you guys like to follow along as I build our new house on the mountain? It will be a version of Mike Oehlers designs, featuring a 40x40x8 underground structure with 20x40 above ground clear story with an integrated green house.
I am starting with digging an 8 ft deep hole in the ground 40x60'. It's challenging as this mountain is pretty much solid limestone rock. The ripper teeth on my 755 track loader crush it into gravel and I scoop it all out to use elsewhere. Digging here takes time. THis winter I put about 16 large trees on the ground for the the vertical load bearing piers of the house. That's where we start.