We've been running Strathmore Farm for about 7 years now. We operate a small, cosy but separate B&B cottage on the property and make and sell our jams and other preserves through our Fruits of Strathmore label. Sounds exotic, doesn't it? Reality is we run two very small businesses that keep us well and truly occupied, meeting people being active and in no way bored!
You can visit our main website here - this site is our blog which we started specifically to capture the saga (we expect it to be) of trying to build a farm shed which is a geodesic dome.
Now, while these structures may well be known and accepted elsewhere in the world, they are relatively new here in Australia and probably regarded by most as the preserve of the lunatic fringe. This would be even more true in rural Australia, but to give others due credit, the environment here is a harsh one and once something is proven, it spreads quickly and gets adopted. That's why you will find a Toyota ute on practically every farm in Australia.They work, you can get parts anywhere and plenty of people swill buy your old one.
Sheds are the same. Steel sheds are the norm. Incredibly hot in summer, nevertheless, they work, they last - and everyone knows someone who has one.
We have been facing the growing realisation that we needed to establish a new shed in order to be able to get our storage needs under control and provide a decent workshop for projects. Being retired, we always have an eye to the use of our capital and so we have been spending a lot of time researching our options. Traditional wood buildings these days are on par with and generally more expensive than steel. Plus, the idea of sweating it out in a steel shed, working either on things you don't really enjoy, but must get done - or on things you have been waiting to do for pleasure but why-do-I-have-to-work-in-this-heat, did not appeal. After all, you only live once, right?
A lot of thinking recalled '70s conversations with my father about the geodesic dome as a building type. That led to a lot of late night web searching - and so this blog was born, as we rediscovered the geodesic dome architecture and its considerable charms. It's also an attempt to provide some kind of record of the trials and tribulations of getting a non-mainstream idea approved in this increasingly regulated, conformist world in which we seem to live today. If it helps you or anyone else get your dome built, wherever you live in this vast land, then it will be worth it to us! Enjoy- we hope we can entertain you!