The Hemp Vardo

Like a lot of people, I had been toying around the idea of a mini house for quite sometime. As a single parent and nurse, raising my children was often done in adequate but substandard housing.

Though, I could turn my diet and wardrobe to organics. The few affordable rental or even sale houses available to a single earner, often have issues that can contribute to health concerns.

With having an active interest in hemp and with the then upcoming and eventual passing of the Farm Bill in 2018. A measure which allowed hemp to be grown agriculturally. I started planning to build a mini house on wheels out of hempcrete and with a goal to use as many local and USA made products. Making a demonstration project to share with others that a small scale hemp building can be done on a moderate income and with quality and local products.

After much online research and discussion with interested friends, and businesses that shipped pre fabricated hempcrete panels. The decision was made to design the hemp vardo with a canvas over an aerodynamic, covered wagon style, redwood framework.

Fortunately, around this same time, hemp wood was just about to be made available publicly from a company in Murray, Kentucky. Since my process for funding is my own paycheck. I was finally able to purchase the hemp wood in their 3rd year of production in 2021.

Adventures include a visit to the Hempwood production plant.

We even had the basic finished Hemp Vardo at the Montana Cannabis and Hemp Festival.

Since then, the hemp vardo has had some interior water damage from moisture seeping from underneath. That we are working on remediating right now. With the cabinets and walls intact. I am considering botanical print tiles for the floor areas that need replaced or a different sealing approach for the underneath trailer base.

The hemp canvas covering is made from imported hemp fabric as this type of fabric is not yet made in the USA. The canvas has had low VOC fireproofing solution applied then multiple attempts at low VOC waterproofing. Resulting in the decision to paint the canvas with a water based latex. This seems to be keeping the moisture out completely.

The wood stove from the Tiny Woodstove Company in Idaho is just about installed.

We have a sink and water container with outside fill ports.

There is much more to this vardo when the sleeping area and work station are finished out with an additional variety of hemp products to display as part of the build.

Donations are always appreciated. If you make a donation and leave your contact info; A small token of appreciation will be sent. We Stand for the Trees products are available for sale at the Dixon Mercantile, at special events and with custom order. Future shop updates in the works.

Thank you for viewing, and have a best day! Kindly, Frances De Forrest BSN, RN