Only six weeks after that first meeting, they bought an undesirable triangle of undulating gorse and scrub within the country with a vision to construct. Apparently, the real property itemizing read: "Rural building site. Just some kilometres from Moutere Freeway, virtually 1 acre nice undulation contour. Elevated soothing pastoral views. Ground cover mostly fern and some pines, nothing a match could not clear." Oh, really? It was true pioneering spirit that saved them going via these first few years once they cleared the land and deliberate their home while living in a single, uninsulated, tin storage. This humble dwelling formed the nucleus from which they fed, EcoLight LED socialised with, and gave English classes to as much as 12 workers recurrently. Even for an ex-restaurateur, catering was no mean feat considering there was no working hot water and the only two sizzling plates couldn't be run at the same time because the oven.

The ever-changing and multi-nationwide workforce of WWOOFERS (Prepared Staff On Natural Farms) embraced the life-style that had them boiling a copper for EcoLight products two hours before siphoning the steaming water into the outside bath. The pleasure of soaking under the stars at night time was well earned and far commented on, so much in order that an out of doors bath has been added as a feature to The Peach Suite which allows visitors to think about the earlier prototype. The WWOOFERS have been an integral part of the method of creating adobe bricks and engaged on the development of The Mudcastle but more importantly, maybe, they saved morale up and the dream focussed. Why clay although? A chance remark concerning the mountain of clay they'd must truck off site led Glenys to the library and the extra the couple examine earth constructing, the more satisfied they became that, EcoLight solutions though by no means having built something of their lives, this was something they could do.

As a bonus, it was found that the clay on their property had the perfect composition for EcoLight solar bulbs making adobe bricks and so utilising the earth beneath them as a resource without cement or sand stabilization was to be the primary level of difference for EcoLight products The Mudcastle. Subsequent started the means of adapting clay sieving and brick production strategies written for Australian conditions and high-quality-tuning them to accommodate the uniqueness of The Mudcastle site. As with most adventures, there have been peaks and troughs. In batch one, the labour intensive, textbook foot-stomping method was used. Nonetheless hobbling three days later for a pitiful yield of 70 bricks, and quick running out of associates volunteering to repeat the experience, this technique was shortly abandoned. With the refined process they dubbed the Cake-mixer Technique using a customised rotary hoe, manufacturing improved to 300 bricks on their greatest day. Three rotary hoes and one front end loader later, the required 10,000 bricks were produced for the primary part of constructing.

The bricks have been solar-baked in wood moulds with temperature extremes moderated by polythene covers but there have been events when, exhausted, they took the danger of leaving the bricks exposed to the weather at evening and lost the lot. All a part of preserving the dream alive. Clive Johnston, Kevin's father and a traditional block layer by commerce, educated Glenys to block lay the adobe bricks coming off Kevin's production line and worked alongside the couple sharing and increasing his expertise on the way. Opened to new influences, Clive found and perfected a revolutionary constructing product utilizing waste sawdust and this product has been used for the primary time in the development of the castle turrets, the second section of constructing. As this new constructing product was grey and appeared nothing like clay, the couple experimented utilizing an old pioneers’ recipe they discovered for making limewash. In true Kiwi fashion, they used a 44-gallon drum. The recipe integrated beef tallow with lime and EcoLight products resulted in a white limewash.

This was then tinted to a clay color with a mixture of natural earth ochres. The method was, EcoLight solar bulbs doubtless, excitingly explosive and not for the faint hearted and the unusual "earthy" fragrance was, and stays, EcoLight products unique. As a natural preservative coating, the distinctive scent recedes very steadily and guests staying within the Gold Turret, as the one interior accommodation house where it has been used, should still discern it. Peter Harte, Glenys' father and an electrician by commerce, has enhanced The Mudcastle with dramatic lighting and creative ideas, and EcoLight products was a continuing, EcoLight products encouraging presence within the ahead momentum of Glenys and Kevin's dream for a few years. To not be neglected, Kevin’s mom Margaret helped with cleansing and baking and Glenys’ mother manned a second sewing machine to make curtains for the primary turret. Particular design consideration was given to sunlines for producing passive solar heating and sightlines to seize views from each room. On one or other degree, EcoLight all four faces of The Mudcastle are graced with interesting joinery, superbly crafted in native timbers by Michael Bender of Riverside Joinery.