Animal Farm

by Cas & Gita Vanwoerden

A Bit of History

Animal Farm was born to satisfy our desire to get out of the city and be close to nature. In the Summer of 1991, we started our quest for a piece of land no more than one hour's drive from our primary residence in Houston, where our three Children went to school. Several months later, we purchased seventy beautiful wooded acres in Cat Spring, sixty miles West of Houston. The property is located just five miles south of Bellville, where the scenery begins to roll, in anticipation of the Texas Hill Country. At the end of a three and one-half mile winding dirt road, bordered by absentee owners and a spring-fed creek we started to build our new paradise in the Summer of 1992.

The House

The house was designed by a friend, who, apart from being an architect, was able to identify with our wishes to build a house which blends in with the environment, uses (mostly) natural materials, and would be self-sustained. The hot and humid Texas climate was the largest obstacle in designing a comfortable homestead without forced air movement and artificial heating and cooling. Renewable energy as the sole electric power source ruled out the use of conventional energy-hungry equipment, such as electric heat and air-conditioning compressors. A cooling tower design would not work either in such a humid climate. The result was a house specifically designed to overcome these obstacles.

The main living area is raised eight feet from grade level to maximize the beneficial effect of the prevailing southern breeze. The "core" is the living room with open kitchen, that measures 20 ft. x 30 ft. A total of eight sliding glass doors covering all four walls—with double pane glass—form the basis of a prime living space, which fulfills our demands in all seasons:

• Lots of light. The eight sliding doors, including the fixed panels, leave only 25% of exterior wall space without light penetration.
• Lots of air flow. During the Summer, all sliding doors are open, allowing maximum airflow through the house.
• No direct sun (in Summer). The "core" is surrounded by a deck, which measures
  50 ft. x 60 ft., shaded by an impressive roof structure, with split slopes to obtain an optimum mounting surface for the twenty photovoltaic panels.
• Quick and abundant heat in the winter. By using double pane glass, and super insulated walls and ceiling, a wood-burning fireplace is doing the job in all but the coldest days.

The result of all this needs to be seen, and felt, to believe that living in Texas without air conditioning is not only possible, but provides a quality of comfort which cannot be equaled by mechanical means. The closeness to nature, the serenity of the surrounding, and peace it brings to our hearts have all contributed to an enriched and happier life for our children and ourselves.

The Support Systems

• Twenty photovoltaic panels on the roof, providing 1 kW of power for most of the sunny Texas days
• Thirty-six kW of battery capacity keeps us going for more than a week, if the sun decides to take a vacation
• Five kW inverter power provides enough power to start all electrical tools at once, and still have power to spare
• Solar panel and battery controllers, which ensure that all components are used to their full capacity, without limiting the expected lifetime

• An eight cubic foot refrigerator is quiet and economic, using only two gallons per week
• A tankless water heater provides endless hot water, without wasting energy keeping a buffer storage warm
• A gas oven and stove fulfills all the culinary needs of our family

• A 180 ft. well with a very efficient nine gallon per minute submersible pump
• An autonomous solar power system, 48 V, 9 A, with a 440 A/hr battery bank
• Pressurized storage tanks for the house, stables and bird feeders
• Fully automatic drip water irrigation system, proving 900 gallons per day for our organic fruit and vegetable garden, using battery operated timers

• Horse stables for our Arabs, and a Quarter horse
• Goat pens with Nubians.
• Chicken runs for fresh eggs
• A pond with ducks and geese
• An extensive organic garden which supplies the finest restaurants in Houston

• A pair of Emu’s

• A retreat center, to share what we have learned and enjoy
• A Learning Center to provide ongoing workshops and courses, from Organic Gardening, Straw Bale construction and Earth building to Renewable Energy and Eco-Design courses

Future Plans

Animal Farm Permaculture Center
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