New photos of “La Ranchita”

Our move-in time is getting close and the property looks finished.

CLICK HERE to see the new La Ranchita Photos

Eco-Friendly Cabinetry

There are many parts to a cabinet. There is the box (shell or carcass), the doors and drawer fronts, the hardware such as hinges and glides, pulls, knobs or handles and there are also the drawer boxes.  The cabinets at the Huasna Valley Ranch Barn and Stables are eco-friendly every step of the way.

For all of the cabinet boxes, shelving and drawer boxes we’re using a pre-finished FSC certified (Forest Stewardship Council) plywood that contains a “no-added urea-formaldehyde” glue (NAUF) and they are finished with a No VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) finish.  The doors and drawer fronts in Stables Office and Feed Room are in the shaker style crafted out of FSC certified solid knotty alder.  All of the drawer boxes are made with half-blind dovetails which insures strong and durable joinery.  The cabinets in the shop part of the barn are made from FSC certified particle board melamine with NAUF glues from the Collins Company.

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Spring in CA and new photos of “La Ranchita”

Spring is the green season in California.  The native grasses grow and the Oaks fill out.  We are finishing up phase one of our Ranch project, the equestrian buildings.  Soon we will ready for the landscape. 

Visit our Green Horse Property photo album to see recent photos
click here

Contractor Notes; Metal Roofing

Metal Roofing- A well thought-out and environmentally conscious decision

At the Huasna Ranch project the selection of the roofing material was a well thought-out decision based on several interconnected issues. In addition to the many issues typically involved when selecting a roofing material, at the Ranch project, the roof surfaces also function as the primary collection area for the Rainwater Harvesting System planned for the project.

Metal Roofing shown on Stables and Arena.

The selection and design of the roofing material is an important decision in any project.  Functionally, it finishes off the structure and provides water protection.  Visually, it becomes the “aesthetic hat” of the structure and is one of the most noticeable visual elements of the building.  This critical choice is a balance of many factors and the decisions made spread to other portions of the building, the project and the environment as a whole.
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Contractor Notes; Cork Flooring

Cork Flooring- one of the strongest “Green” flooring materials on the market today

At the Huasna Ranch project, Cork flooring by Infinity Floors was selected for the Grooms Quarters floors.  The flooring covers the entire second level, including the bathrooms and the stairs for this part of the building.  As one investigates the material, it does not take long to realize that this material is one of the more sustainable and environmentally sound flooring choices available today.

Cork Flooring at Staircase.

Renewable Resource

The Cork Oak Tree, typical to the Mediterranean basin area, is harvested every nine years. The harvesting process does not kill the tree.  The tree remains and the bark is allowed to re-grow and can be harvested again. Much of this is still done with hand tools.  Portugal is the leading exporter of worlds cork today.

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A few new photos in the GHP Album

We have made big progress at The Huasna Ranch!
It has been so busy there is not much time for taking photos.

original wind mill and new hay barn

There are just a few new photos in the GHP album.
to see the new photos, go to the
GHP Photo Album Link on left Nav bar

Huasna Horse Ranch Project

Paragon Designs/ Thom Brajkovich/ Architect

Huasna/ Merriewold Morgan Horse Ranch

Progress is looking good at the new Huasna Ranch for Diana Wold and Don Marszalek. There are five
new buildings being constructed with sustainability and “green” features in place. The first one to be
complete will be the Hay barn and shop.

Hay Barn & Shop: This building will also house the groom and his family. The building is constructed of
EPS, a high density Expanded Polystyrene Foam that is 6” to 8” thick. The obvious advantage of this
product is light weight but the more subtle advantage is that the entire building is generated by a cut list
via the CAD-CAM system on the builder/designer’s computer. The pieces are shipped to the site and
assembled with sheet metal and screws. It is very fast and saves in labor costs and since the roof is the
same material beam spans are longer with less material. See photo below.
   
Shop and Grooms Quarters.

2-2011!

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“Sustainable Stables” new Green Equestrian website

Sustainable Stables, Green horse farm design and management Is a new website with a wealth of information on sustainable horse keeping practices.  The website also provides a directory of environmentally friendly foundations, businesses and products.
Sustainable Stables has an area for example farms,
Merriewold Morgan’s Huasna Ranch and Green Horse Property
website was honored to be included in that list

To visit the Sustainable Stables site...click here

We are adding Sustainable Stables to our Green Resource list…click here

GHP Welcomes Linda Shotwell, Land Systems and Associates

Linda Shotwell, owner of Land Systems and Associateshas joined the Huasna Ranch project as our landscape planner and designer.  Linda has over 24 years of experience in landscape design and is particularly well qualified in the environmentally sensitive areas that are of concern to us as well.

The criteria that are important to the selection of plants and the landscape design at the GHP are: low water usage, low maintenance, native, deer resistant, and for the horses, non-toxic. 
Linda’s website is currently undergoing an extensive up-date.  But as soon as it is finished we will have a link in this post and on the left nav bar of the GPH site.

Click link to go the Land Systems and Associates information and photos of projects
http://gallery.me.com/lindashotwell
Linda Shotwell’s Professional and Educational background, Qualifications and Awards
http://gallery.me.com/lindashotwell – 100486

Progress at GHP

It’s been a long time since my last post…but I will be making up for that in the next few weeks.  A lot has been going on at the new Huasna Ranch.  The hay barn is nearing completion, the 20 acre pasture is fenced and the two run-in barns are finished.  The covered arena needs only the lights, a fence and the final footing and the stables are about 50% completed.  The big news is that we now have permits for the two homes and the foundation has been poured on the first.  In my next posts I will share the different materials we are using to be more environmentally friendly.  I will also introduce two new members of the “green team” and hopefully they will contribute to this blog.
So for now, here is a link to the GHP photo album where I have posted a few new photos.

to visit the Huasna Ranch photo album…
CLICK HERE