Pie Ranch, an agricultural education and advocacy non-profit working towards a healthy and just food system, lost its historic farmhouse center in the 2020 California wildfires. The replacement structure provides office space, as well as housing farm apprentices, displaying history, and hosting events. The new farmhouse reflects the size, form, and exterior appearance of its predecessor, while reorganizing the interior space tobetter serve the mix of uses. Place-based ecological and Indigenous stewardship informed the building systems and material selections of site harvested strawbale insulation, earthen plaster and earthen floor, and salvaged wood milled from trees lost in the fire. Curved communal patio spaces and heavy wood plank details pay homage to Quiroste round houses and Yurok plank houses; both honoring the past and connecting to a sustainable future, while supporting the current staff of the farm-based organization. 

A series of community workshops transformed humble site materials into beautiful, healthy, and thermally comfortable walls and floors, led by master plasterer Massey Burke.

Solar hot water panels provide year-round even heat in a sand bed below the earthen floors. The all-electric house will be powered by an on-site photovoltaic system.