A Hot Tin Roof

Perhaps one of our more adventurous cats will find him or herself on this hot tin roof someday, but for now, we're just happy to see it! By the way, did you know Tom Williams (you may know him as "Tennessee") attended the University of Iowa. It's true!

Leon and crew made great progress today, and anticipate finishing attaching the standing seam metal roof to the Yum Yum Farm house tomorrow, save for some trim pieces. This type of roof is a more expensive option than the more common asphalt shingles, but judging from all the old standing seam roofs on old houses in Iowa City, it should have a very long lifespan. It also works very well aesthetically, which you will see when the siding is attached to the house. We are asked frequently if this will be noisy in the rain. While this is definitely the case in pole buildings with metal roofing attached to steel purlins, ours is attached over a thick plywood substrate, which is over a thick layer of insulation, which will be enclosed by drywall, and finished with maple plywood. Don't think we'll be hearing many raindrops.

Here is an excellent view (if I do say so myself) of the method by which the standing seam roof is attached to the building. I think it speaks for itself. Nevertheless, I'll keep commenting. The manner by which the panels interlock and conceal the seams makes a very durable and long lasting seal. It will not require maintenance for a very long time, and should not require replacement in our lifetimes. Unless there are some very significant medical breakthroughs.

A Great Cover Up

We've been cautioned throughout the entire building process that when the drywall goes up, the house will feel smaller. Au contraire! (I think that's how it's spelled) The Yum Yum Farm house feels bigger to us, and we think it has to do with the various spaces being partially obscured, but still apparent enough to know they're there. When we were able to see the entire building, it felt spacious, but we could see everything. Now the spaces are defined, and you need to move around to see them, and when you do, you find yourself having a very different perspective. This is a view from just inside the front door, looking to the southeast. We're not sure if the steel structure on the left is permanent, or not. Plenty of room for our music collection, I suppose.

This photo is taken from the point of view of the kitchen sink. Do you suppose a kitchen sink could actually have a point of view? If it does, we hope it enjoys its perspective on the living room and loft areas. The loft will soon be encircled by a built in desk and bookshelves, which will be the office area. The sloped ceiling area is to be finished with maple plywood, in a beautiful pattern which will speak for itself in an upcoming post. The remaining un-drywalled area is the bedroom, which will have its own special wall treatment, also to appear in an upcoming post. The suspense is killing you, isn't it?

Shelter From the Storm

One of the most dramatic elements of the Yum Yum Farm is the view of the sky. Since it sits at a high point in the area, there is a dramatic view of all things celestial. On clear nights, the Milky Way looks close enough to touch, and deer scatter when Orion the Hunter comes into view. This evening a warm front and a cold front were doing an energetic dance over the farm, but fortunately, it fizzled out into a cool breeze. Certainly, it's obvious that we are gushing about this project, but when we get to experience the interaction between the land and the heavens, it's truly transcendent. It makes us feel like giants and atoms at the same time!

Now we're really having fun! This is where the Modern part of the Yum Yum Farm house is becoming apparent. This picture is taken from the kitchen, looking west and up toward the loft, and the small storage area to the north of the loft. Soon, the ceiling will be finished with beautiful maple plywood, with slight reveals reminiscent of a barn roof. We anticipate drywall to be finished tomorrow (except for taping), with the standing seam metal roof being installed concurrently. This is getting so exciting, we need to get the blood pressure monitor out!

Dems Endorse Yum Yum Farm in '08!

Indianola, Iowa-On this picturesque farm field in south central Iowa, six presidential candidates, Iowa's junior senator, and his wife pledged their enthusiastic support for the Yum Yum Farm. That's how we interpreted it anyway. We had a wonderful time at Senator Tom Harkin's 30th annual steak fry (despite our vegetarianism) with 15,000 of our closest friends. Joanna's parents (Pat and Steve, introduced in a previous post) had the opportunity to shake hands with their senator, and presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton. We thought it would be appropriate to make some mention of the second biggest story in Iowa, and wanted to share a photo of the six candidates with all of you. In all seriousness, we are among the many Iowans that take a great deal of pride and honor in the process of the Iowa Caucuses, and I will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of my first caucus (where I supported the late Illinois Senator Paul Simon--and his bow tie) this January. Or December. From left below: Senator Barack Obama, Governor Bill Richardson, Senator Hillary Clinton, Ruth Harkin (Mrs. Harkin serves on the Iowa Board of Regents), Senator Tom Harkin, Senator Chris Dodd, former Senator John Edwards, and Senator Joe Biden. We think they should be campaigning at the Yum Yum Farm. If you agree, please let them know your vote depends on it! And we'll be careful what we wish for!

Start Spreadin' the News...

Ok, I know that song refers to New York City, but Joanna's family is from the same state, so, close enough! We were delighted to have our New York (Syracuse) relatives pay a visit to the Yum Yum Farm. Our nephew Gerard enjoyed his first visit to Iowa, which included a visit to historic Kinnick Stadium, where his team, the Orange (shouldn't it be the Oranges? Or perhaps something that you might actually find in Syracuse?), found themselves down 35 to 0 at the end of the game. Nevertheless, a good time was had by all. Enjoying a picnic dinner below are, from left to right, Steve, Joanna, Geoff, Gerard (now a Cubs fan, apparently), David, and Pat. Note the installed windows, and east deck, which has already been the site of many toasts to the Yum Yum Farm house, now entering the detail stage!

Here's an interesting detail. This is looking up toward the roof from the entry porch. We know this as the bluegrass porch, 'cause it looks like the kind of place where a jug band might sit around playing bluegrass music. If any bluegrass bands out there would like to play on our porch, please let us know! The dark gray things that are situated between the insulation and the plywood create channels where air can circulate and keep the space dry. Brilliant!

Here's the view through the east window from the loft. The corn is beginning to dry, and will be harvested very soon. We've seen a whole corn growing season on the blog now, and it looks like a record harvest this year. The growing season for the Yum Yum Farm house is a little bit longer, but this week, drywall and the standing seam metal roof are under way. It won't be long now!

We All Live in a Yellow Yum Yum Farm, Yellow Yum Yum Farm....

The Yum Yum Farm house is bundled up for the cold weather, which has paid an unusually early visit to our area (global warming? What global warming?). The ample space between our rafters has allowed a nice thick layer of insulation to retain warmth during those chilly Iowa winters. 2x6 framing not only strengthens the house, but allows for more insulation in the walls, which should help to reduce the amount of energy necessary to heat our house in the winter, and to maintain comfortable temperatures in the warm weather. Next up, drywall (or sheetrock, or gypsum wallboard), and the rest of the interior details.

Variation on an insulation theme: This is a view of the insulation in the basement mechanical room. The plastic covering over the insulation is present throughout the lower level, and though we've not specifically asked why, we imagine this has something to do with keeping moisture away from the wallboard that will cover these walls. If we're wrong, feel free to post a comment saying so. But do so nicely--we're sensitive that way!
This is, perhaps, the most important insulation in the house. At least as far as our feet are concerned. This is the underside of the dining porch, which will allow this room to be a four season room, rather than a three season room. And with Joanna's amazing cooking, it will be a well-seasoned four season room! Concealed behind the yellow fiberglass bat insulation that you see here are four heat ducts that will carry warm air into this room. These ducts are also individually insulated, so heat loss will be minimal as the air travels to the heat registers in this room. Additionally, this room will experience substantial solar gain during the winter months, as it is oriented to take advantage of the sun's low trajectory across the southern sky at that time of year.

Evenflow

This is water coming out of a hose. Big deal you say? Darn right it's a big deal! While our well was completed last year, and set up for temporary use at that time, we've not been able to access our free water until now. Our pressure tank is now in place, and we are ready to have the necessary water treatment equipment installed. The University of Iowa Hygienic Lab tested our water for E. coli, fecal coliform bacteria, and nitrate levels, and all were within acceptable levels. In fact, there was no trace of any of these undesirable things. Further testing by water purification businesses revealed that our water is hard, which means we'll need to don helmets while showering. Just kidding. It means there's a fair amount of lime (like limeSTONE, not the kind in your bottle of Corona), and a small amount of iron, which means we'll have a softener, and a reverse osmosis (this is where I get lost) system to keep deposits from forming on our plumbing fixtures, and to make it taste good. The good news is that the water doesn't have a sulfur smell or taste, and the flow is strong. Stop by for a drink!

We're all decked out! Deck the halls! On deck--our new deck! These are all stupid ideas I had for titles of this post, which is why they didn't get used. If you have any ideas, I'll revise the post. In any case, this is the east deck and sliding door off of the living room that we've been so anxiously awaiting. We anticipate spending a lot of time here--coffee in the morning, contemplative moments for lunch, and stargazing at night. This deck is sheltered from the prevailing winds by the house, and affords a beautiful view to the south and east. We'll be enjoying soothing music from exterior speakers concealed in the overhang over the sliding doors.

Windows 2007

The long awaited and much anticipated (you were anticipating them, weren't you?) H Windows are now in place, bringing the lovely Iowa countryside into the Yum Yum Farm house. This view is taken from the southwest, looking up to the dining porch, bedroom, bathroom, stairwell, and, up above, the loft. Despite the many lovely, sunny pictures we've posted, it's actually a muddy mess around here. In fact, the lower level windows are now in place, but it's raining like a...it's raining a lot right now, so we'll have to take and post those pictures later. We're grateful that our home is based on a "lakeside cabin", which it may be if this weather pattern persists. In all seriousness, we could not be happier with these windows, and the way in which they bring outside in, and lend an expansive feel to the modest footprint of our home (way to go John!). The placement of the south dining porch windows will allow substantial sunlight to warm the living space in the bitterly cold Iowa winter months, but, as you can see, minimize the amount of direct sunlight during the dog days of summer. Woof woof.

This is the view from the dining porch, looking to the southeast. Ours are awning-type windows, which open out from the bottom, pivoting at the top. The larger panes on top are stationary, so they don't have screens--a deliberate decision which permits a (nearly) unobstructed view to the valley and bluff beyond. This location can be very breezy, so the lower opening windows permit sufficient, but controlled airflow into the house.

Although these two professionals are making it look easy, they're hoisting a window into place that weighs something north of 400 pounds. These are the framing subcontractors who've returned to install the fenestration (yes! I've been waiting to use that word!). Jensen-Sedlacek construction from Parnell, a suburb of Williamsburg (stop laughing--I could've said it's a suburb of North English) did a superior job framing the Yum Yum Farm house, and we're very happy the Amelons chose them for our project. Nice job!

Superior Lake, Superior Windows

The long awaited journey to pick up our H Windows has finally arrived! Ashland, Wisconsin, is located on the southern shores of Lake Superior, about an hour or so east of Duluth. About 20 miles to the northwest is the small town of Bayfield, where we took a ferry to this location, Madeline Island. Madeline Island is part of the Apostle Islands National Seashore, and is beautiful. We will certainly return! Located just south of Bayfield is the Big Top Chautauqua, a 900-seat tent at a ski area that this year features artists such as Willie Nelson, Bela Fleck, and Iowa's own Greg Brown! Perhaps you've heard broadcasts from the Big Top on NPR.

The H Window Company, Ashland, Wisconsin. I think I should've been closer to the sign.

Our windows, ready to be loaded on to the really big rental truck, in the parking lot of the H Windows factory in Ashland. Not only do the people at H Windows make wonderful products, they're very friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. These windows are gorgeous, innovative, and built like tanks. Very pretty tanks.

Embryonic windows galore inside the H Windows factory, awaiting delivery to delighted homebuilders around the country! For those of you in Ashland reading this--we made it home, and thank you for your craftsmanship, and sharing the process with us. Your windows will have a good home!

Future Farmers of America?

Anna gets a laugh at someone's expense. Our niece is enjoying her first visit to the Yum Yum Farm house, and certainly appears to be enjoying herself. If she laughs much harder, she may fall backwards onto the partial wall where the large sliding glass doors will stack up when the dining porch is open, and the media cart will be located. Late afternoon sun is flooding the dining porch behind her.

Our Ohio relatives enjoy a picnic dinner on the east side of Yum Yum Farm. Our rainfall is unusually high this year, and the corn seems to be very happy. From left, Greg, the author, Maddie, Anna (dressed more comfortably now), and Brooke smile for the camera. They have contributed the beautiful pedestal bathtub that will reside in the lower level bathroom, that appeared in an earlier post. FYI--our skin is not actually the color of Oompah Loompahs. It was a colorful sunset reflecting on our faces.

The Comforts of Home

We were pleased to see that this shiny new water heater has the highest energy efficiency in its class (if that's the right way to put it). Ours is an electric water heater, which is good, because one of our mid-term goals is to add a wind turbine, which generates electricity, not LPG. The various PVC pipes you see serve a few different purposes. At the top left are the venting pipes that connect to the furnace, and, I think, have something to do with venting exhaust fumes, and bringing fresh air into the house. I'm not quite certain how this happens. At the top right are drain pipes from the upstairs bathroom and kitchen. There is also one in there somewhere that vents radon gas out of the house. Whatever.

This is the north wall of the main floor bathroom, located directly above the previous picture. The small, flexible pipes (or tubing) are the means by which water is transported these days. On the far left, they will be supplying water to the shower, and to the right, they'll feed the big old sink shown in a prior post. The small white circle in the floor is the location to which the toilet will attach. We're hoping the plans will ultimately make this room a bit more private than it is now. The stairwell to the basement is visible through the wall framing.

Calgon, take me away! We have lived for some time without a bathtub, so we are especially thrilled to be including two in the Yum Yum Farm house. This is the Zuma tub in the main bathroom. It may not be clear in this photo, but this is deep enough to drown in. The bright spot to the right is, you guessed it, a window, looking to the west. Pardon me, but I'm starting to daydream--about a long hot soak on a chilly autumn night...

Norm Abram, Eat Your Heart Out!

Dan from Heartland Custom Woodworking shows off the kitchen island in progress in his workshop. Dan does beautiful work, and is in the midst of creating all of the cabinets, closets, etc., that will provide storage space in the Yum Yum Farm house. If you Google "Heartland Custom Woodworking", you'll find contact information. We are delighted with his craftsmanship, and his embracing our use of different materials and styles. Needless to say, he has our highest recommendation!

Remember the earlier post "Hunt for Red Finn Form"? This is one of the locations where the Finn Form is being used. This is a side view of the entry hall closet, which will be located just inside the main entrance. The visible side here will be against the north wall, and the open area below will have a rolling cart to sit on when removing shoes or boots, and it will open to contain gloves, scarves, and the like.

Down the Drain

"We're #1 in the #2 Business". So proclaims a local business that will clean out the tanks in the photo below. Yes, these are the septic tanks, and this is the place to where all the dirty business will flow out of the house. The next step in this process is to create the leach field, which is a series of tubes (much like the Internet, according to Alaska senator Ted Stevens) set in gravel and sand, which will allow liquid flowing from the system to slowly percolate and be cleaned by some sort of bacterial magic. We're in the process of determining what will be the best plantings to place over the field. Here's what we know so far: trees and other things with deep moisture seeking tap roots can plug the perforated tubes that comprise the field. And, we don't want to be operating heavy equipment frequently over this area. I'm thinking a bunch of Little Bluestem might be a nice way to cover the area. Any feedback from botanical experts, or anyone who's had experience in this area?

The Heat Is On

Here is our new high efficiency furnace. That's what it says anyway. It's a Heil. The Energy Guide that comes with all appliances places this unit very close to the most efficient in its class. We'll let you know how that goes.

One of the questions most frequently posed to us when others discover we're building a home goes something like: "are you doing anything green?" Fair question. There are a lot of things, some obvious, and some obscure. We'll start a list, and add to it as the project progresses.

1. Reclaimed flooring (we've touched on this one earlier)
2. Reclaimed bathtub. The lovely refinished pedestal bathtub from our beloved family in Ohio will soon be placed in the lower level powder room.
3. The master bath sink, we are told, was from a University building, possibly the biology building on Iowa Avenue. We don't have positive verification of this, but it sounds plausible. Anyway, it's old, beautiful, sturdy, and it came from somewhere not too far away!
4. H Windows. Stay tuned for more on H Windows. Or Google them--ours are being manufactured right now. We'll be picking them up in Ashland, Wisconsin, on the shores of Lake Superior, in a couple of weeks.
5. Standing seam metal roof. Our roof will outlast us, we're told.
6. House siting. Our house is oriented to the sun such that its heating effect will be limited in the summer, and maximized in the winter.
7. Not a McMansion. Easy to maintain, but with freedom of movement, accomplished by an open floor plan, and generous utilization of "outdoor rooms". High quality, energy efficient windows will bring the outside in, but will keep it out when necessary. A small footprint disturbs as little of the land as possible. Saves excavation costs. And looks really tall if you lay on the ground outside the basement.
8. Highly efficient and clean burning (mostly) Lopi wood stove. A lovely Modern fan will distribute the heat in each room thanks to the open floor plan. Except the bathroom. We don't really want that one to be too open.
9. Energy efficient kitchen appliances.
10. The best contractors in the area. A tight, well constructed, well insulated home will last for many years requiring minimal maintenance. That's why we chose Amelon Construction!
11. Hardie Panel cement board siding. The siding on the Yum Yum Farm house will look like barn siding--vertical boards and battens, but will be comprised of long lasting cement board (or whatever it's called--Google "James Hardie" for more information, if you want).
12. That's enough for now--I'm using a lot of electricity trying to think of what to put next. I'm going to reduce my carbon footprint and go to bed. Good night.

I'd Like to Thank...

Twenty years ago, the young man on the right conducted what has turned out to be the most important job interview of my life. It went something like: "You like to mow lawns? You like to work hard? Can you start this afternoon?"

Twenty years later, Dean and his mom enjoy a warm, sunny afternoon on the entry porch. Both have been great resources for us as we've developed Yum Yum Farm, and become familiar with the community in which Joanna works, and we are about to live. Dean graduated from the local high school, which can be seen way off in the distance to the east (not in this picture though). We owe so much to the generosity of this family, and continue to learn so much from them. Can't wait to have them over for dinner, which will be served in the lovely room with a view at the top center of the photo.

Fields of Opportunities

Here we are enjoying a picnic dinner at Yum Yum Farm with our dear friends Anne and Bishop. We are saddened that they are moving to the Puget Sound area, but thrilled that we are able to share this experience with them. They, too, are building a new home on a beautiful site in Washington, and they currently live in a home built by the Amelons. It's gorgeous, and, of course, very well made! This photo is looking east, adjacent to the raspberries that we got from our dinner guest's garden a few years ago.

The sun sets on Yum Yum Farm as the dinner party winds down. Alas, tomorrow is another work day, and we must take our rest. Sunsets out here are nearly always a soft, fluffy pastel drawing. Weather permitting, of course.

This House is Soooo Rad!

Upon setting foot inside the Yum Yum Farm house, Joanna's cousin Paige immediately began to alert architectural impresarios around the world to what was happening in our little town. Actually, I think someone called her. In any case, we were honored to have Paige visit our new home, where she became the very first person to sleep in our house. We haven't even done that yet! Paige enjoyed a comfortable midsummer night's slumber in the loft, while we slumbered in our truck-top tent. The picture below is taken from the future back yard, south of the dining porch, looking up, obviously. Paige and Joanna are inspecting the fine craftsmanship of the newly framed house. Paige is a writer, travel and otherwise, and you can find out more about her and her subjects at http://www.paigerpenland.com/.

Here's that comfy loft we were talking about. Joanna will market her company's products from the office located here, and guests who don't mind ascending a slightly steeper than usual staircase will enjoy sleeping up here. The loft will feature a nice big window looking to the west, though it's covered for now, pending arrival of the windows. Speaking of windows, they are being manufactured as we speak (or type) in Ashland, Wisconsin, on the shores of beautiful Lake Superior. They are called H Windows, and you can learn more about them here: http://www.hwindow.com/

Worth a Thousand Words (to us, anyway)

E-L-E-V-A-T-I-O-N

Our framers finished the eaves today, which are constructed of cedar. This is the west elevation of the house. This thing is getting pretty tall, and it looks like these details might have been somewhat scary to construct. That's why I'm a gardener.

This is a closer view, taken from the northwest corner, showing the entry porch roof and eave details.

A Room With a View

We've now walked around the loft for the first time. Joanna is especially taken by the space--and it's a good thing, as this will be her office! This wonderful room will also be a guest room when necessary, and will feature some storage space. Joanna is looking to the west in this picture, and there is a matching window on the east wall which affords a beautiful view into the long valley beyond.

And here's that lovely view to the east now! The boards that obscure the view out the window are temporary bracing, and will be removed. This is the view that one will have when sitting at the desk in the loft. Just slightly less colorful at certain times of the year. We might even get to watch some fireworks through here!

This is now the full skeleton of the house viewed from the west. This shows the finished shape, so scroll back a bit to see the architect's drawing, and you can fill in the blanks. This should all be covered soon, then on to the inside!

Gimme Shelter

This is really starting to take shape. The roof joists have been placed on the south elevation, and the trusses cover the dining porch. This photo creates the impression that the 3 joists on the left are supporting the rest of the roof. In fact, there is a very large ridge beam, supported by the structure above and below the window openings on the top (loft) level. This beam was featured in a previous post. It appears to be very heavy. We ate breakfast on it.

Here's an interesting detail of the window on the east elevation that will sit above the living room. While we had a great deal of trust and respect for the individuals involved in the design of this dwelling in the conceptual stages, each phase of construction awes us with the knowledge, creativity, and intelligence involved in putting this project together. Kudos to John, Curt, and everyone else involved!
This stage is really fun from a photography standpoint. We could continue posting cool pictures of framing and shadows ad nauseum, but we'll leave it at this! The photo below shows that there will be a flat ceiling above the dining porch, which will continue into the living area for a short distance. This is a feature that draws the gaze out toward the view, and, when going inside, adds drama to the high space in the main living area. This is a Frank Lloyd Wright kind of thing. For those of you who've visited Wright's Cedar Rock, the feeling entering the Garden Room was very inspiring to us. If you don't know Cedar Rock, Google it, or ask us to take you there!

Good Moon Risin'

Had we been sitting at the dining room table last Saturday night, at the right time, this is the view we would have had out the window to the southeast. Though we don't have a lot of experience with moon rises at the farm, we're hoping this is par for the course.

This is where you'll be entering the Yum Yum Farm house. This is the framing for the main entry porch, on the north side of the house.
This very sturdy looking beam, or collection of beams, will support roof joists, and sliding doors that will enable the dining porch to be closed off from the rest of the house. This requires a crane to hoist it into place. The beer bottle at the lower right helps to put the size of the beam in perspective. Or something like that.