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Earthship Tours
Give a gift that lasts a lifetime. Our Earthship tour is perfect for holidays, birthdays, appreciation presents and much more!
Note: As of 2022, we have moved to a very limited open tour schedule. We are trying to cut back a bit and smell the flowers. Afterall, this is all about sustainability. We will accommodate a limited number of group tours (see below).
In the meantime, join us online for a virtual tour (free). Not the same, but our number one priority is for everyone to remain safe, healthy and enjoying life.
Tentative 2024 Tour Dates (all Saturdays):
September 14th, 2024– (Harvesting)
October 26th, 2024 – (Sustainable Holidays)
Tentative 2025 Tour Dates(all Saturdays):
To be announced
What you will see:
At least 14 buildings made of repurposed materials, a solar array, a wind turbine,
gardens, greenhouses, and more.
A portion of the Earthship – the 2,200 sq. ft. homemade of tires, cans, bottles,
salvaged lumber, mud, sand, sweat and tears. We will explain the various construction
techniques and how the building uses the earth and sun to provide a comfortable place
to live.
-The vaulted Straw Bale “Chicken Chalet”, which houses our rare breed chicken (you
may even get a chance to feed them). It is built with a pounded tire foundation, straw
bale walls, beer bottle front and back walls, and a mud plaster finish.
-The straw bale sleeping cabins with living roofs.
-See the various innovative water collecting systems.
-The plastic bottle greenhouse, made of over 1,000 2-liter plastic bottles
-The solar shower, heated by the sun and powered by gravity.
-The rocket stove, an amazing, wooded heater that incorporates a pizza oven, a
sleeping bench, and an under-floor radiant heat system into this inexpensive and very
effective heating system.
-Rare breed chickens and discuss the changes in American agriculture that have led to
the near extinction of many common and popular farm animals from the past.
-The rain garden.
-The “under $5,000” Tiny House project
-Our solar array, new 2014 and expanded in 2019, which provides electric power to
Blue Rock Station.
-The wind turbine tower, new in 2016.
You Will Learn:
-About natural gardening. First, we will explore various creative and common-sense
gardening methods. Secondly, learn to work with nature, not against it, and discover
how we keep our plants growing year-round in our wetlands and pop-bottle
greenhouse.
-Some neat good old common-sense practices like composting, cooking in a solar
oven, weaving fences from brush, making maple syrup, or whatever else we happen to
be doing at the time.
-Discover how inexpensive solar generators can help you through those annoying and
potentially dangerous periodic power outages.
-Homestead milk production, making cheese, yogurt, and other healthy natural
products.
-Ideas on how to create a sustainable way of life or marvel at the various construction
techniques.
-In conclusion, enjoy the tranquil peace and pleasant feel of Blue Rock Station.
Open tours:
When people heard we were building a house out of tires, many wanted to see it for themselves. Literally, hundreds of people showed up at all hours, making it hard to get any work done. So, we set specific hours for public visits to keep things organized.
Well, literally thousands of people have visited (we estimate about 40,000) and to tell you the truth, it became a bit overwhelming. So, we decided to cut back and offer only infrequent tours or group tours by appointment. We believe this is necessary to retain our sanity.
What’s new in 2024:
In 2024, we plan to offer only 4 open day tours, each limited to 25 people. These tours will include a visit to the Earthship and various other sustainable buildings and features of Blue Rock Station. We will also explore specific issues related to the time of year/season. Several times a year, we will be open to the public (sign up for our newsletter to receive notice of these other dates or check our site periodically). Other than these rare occasions and occasional workshops, you will need to schedule a private group tour to see the first Earthship East of the Mississippi (and we don’t plan on doing many of those). One foundational building block of sustainability is the ‘philosophy of enough’, so we are trying to practice what we preach.
What’s new in 2025:
Tours for 2025 TBA
Open day tour fees are $20.00 per person (infants and toddlers under 5 are free but this is really not an event intended for children). Tours take about 3 hours (sometimes longer if there are lots of questions) and will include some light refreshments. Tours begin promptly at 1 p.m.
Open day tours are limited to 25 people (we can handle larger groups for a private group tour but really would rather not). Please ensure you will be able to go on the tour before purchasing your ticket. Most tours sell out well in advance and if your plans change and you can’t make it, let us know so we can give someone else a chance.
If you have questions about tour availability or problems registering, call us at 740-674-4300. Ensure your spot by registering through the date link above.* Tours begin at 1 pm and usually end around 4 pm.
$20.00 per person (children 5 and under free, although this tour is not designed for children)
(* by registering, you agree to the terms outlined in the Waiver of Liability)
Blue Rock Station, repurposing for the future from Jorge Castillo-Castro on Vimeo.
Blue Rock Station, repurposing for the future from Jorge Castillo-Castro on Vimeo.
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