The £150 hobbit hole: Farmer builds a cosy cob home using materials he recycled from skips... and the tenant pays the rent in MILK

(MailOnline) By David Wilkes

It looks like something straight out of Middle Earth – and the story behind it is almost as fantastical.

This cottage cost just £150 to build, using only natural or reclaimed materials, and is now rented out for a fee of fresh milk and cream.

And with no mains electricity, gas or water, the bills don’t come to much either.  He also made the simple wooden roof frame and thatched it himself with straw from his fields. The 300 sq ft of floor space features floorboards rescued from a skip, while an old windscreen from a lorry provided glass for the windows.

With no central heating, you might think it would be a bit chilly, but he says the cob walls and thatched roof make it incredibly well insulated – and the ceiling is stuffed with sheep’s wool from a nearby farm to help keep the heat in further. Continue »

Transform your life in 10 minutes with ancient 'youthing' practice

If you need more zest and zip in your life, the secret to these states and more can be found in a set of simple (yet profound) yogic exercises known as the "Five Tibetans." Developed by Buddhist monks and brought to the West in the 1930s, Tibetan yoga is a series of five movements that improve digestion and circulation while dispelling fatigue and depression. Advocates of the practice rave about the boundless energy, clarity and vitality the short daily sessions produce. And many also believe Tibetan yoga reverses the hands of time, promoting an ageless and disease free body.

Yoga and health

Yoga in general has long been associated with reduced tension, stress and anxiety in those who regularly practice. A study in the Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health found that a single 60-minute session of yoga once per week improved feelings of clarity, energy, confidence and resistance to workplace stress after six weeks of participation. Since stress strongly contributes to the development of disease, the health implications of yoga are impressive.

Victory! Man protests TSA with 4th Amendment written on his chest—Wins civil rights lawsuit against the agency

The Travel Security Administration (TSA) isn't exactly known for its respect of the Fourth Amendment and many bizarre abuses have been well documented. Yet justice is rare where the agency is concerned. This is why the victory of Aaron Tobey in a civil rights lawsuit against the TSA is so sweet.

Molestation, coercion and other 'security' methods

The out of control search protocol of the TSA is rife with abuse, maltreatment and intimidation. Unfortunately, stories similar to that of Erin Chase are not uncommon:

Tunisian Pumpkin Soup with Spelt Irish Soda Bread

As the days turn blustery with a sharp note in the air, I couldn’t resist adding a warming recipe to our collection. There’s something about a spicy, pureed soup with fall vegetables that I find especially inspiring at this time of the year. If you need a more tame version, skip the pepper flakes—the soup is just as wonderful without the kick. I’ve also included a quick and simple spelt soda bread, which rounds out the recipe for a complete light meal—especially when accompanied with a nice smear of pasture butter. For those of you unfamiliar with spelt, it’s a wonderful, heirloom grain related to wheat, yet usually well-tolerated by those who have a sensitivity to run-of-the-mill varieties.

The U.S. and other failing economies take note: Iceland may hold the solution to financial woes

When the world first learned of the economic collapse in Iceland during 2008, many felt it would be yet another exercise in corruption, bailouts and crippling debt. News reports were prolific in those early days when it looked as though this small country would be thrown into a never-ending downward spiral. But something unprecedented occurred: The people rose up in a bloodless revolution and ousted those responsible for the crash -- namely, the corrupt banking cartel. And now, the Icelandic economy is stronger than ever. Since Iceland's recovery is an exceptional model for other struggling nations, the question begs to be asked: Why is the mainstream media eerily silent about Iceland's victory?

Can guerrilla gardening save the world? One green renegade is on a mission to do just that - a single edible plot at a time

"If kids grow kale, they eat kale," Ron Finley, a famed guerrilla gardener, asserts during his 2013 TED talk. He also believes that food gardening is a revolutionary move with the ability to change the world. In an act of rebellion against the food desert of South Central Los Angeles, he began converting a small strip of city land into a free organic vegetable patch. To most, this may seem like the simplest of feats, yet the outcome brought a community together, roused children to make positive choices and launched a new movement of renegade gardening that transforms neighborhoods and lives.

Speaking out

Persimmon Tart with Spiced Pecan Crust {Paleo, Vegan, Gluten-Free}

We are at the midnight hour for a post about Thanksgiving - almost too late, but not quite. Even though time has slipped away from me, I could not pass up an opportunity to slowdown and really contemplate the true meaning of the day.

Gratitude for all aspects of life helps to cultivate health of the body, mind, and spirit. Living from the grateful space of the heart promotes true abundance and positive outlook. Research has proven time and time again that a positive orientation to life is one of the most effective and important keys to robust health. A very inspiring website on the grace of gratefulness is found here.

Vibrant babies and children - Embrace a balanced live food diet for growing bodies

Concerned parents are questioning the dangers of a standard American diet (SAD) and exploring more nutritious options for their children. As serious childhood disease and disfunction escalate to alarming levels, researchers and parents alike begin to make the connection with poor food choices. Many have found a carefully selected raw and live food diet fosters exuberant mental, physical, and spiritual health in children.

The standard American diet relies heavily on meat, dairy, sugar, hydrogenated fats, and processed foods. This unbalanced approach creates many nutritional deficiencies and encourages serious illness such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Schizophrenia, autism, and attention deficit disorder are also linked to the consumption of low quality food. And yet, this is the very diet many children are given from a very young age, thus negatively effecting intense periods of growth and development.

An inconvenient truth about climate change - Grazing livestock may hold the secret to preventing environmental annihilation

Allan Savory is a controversial figure with a shocking message: Global warming and desertification can be radically reversed by grazing large herds of animals. The antithesis of accepted thought on climate change, Savory's solution has rubbed many in the scientific community the wrong way. But the question remains -- can his method save us from imminent environmental doom?

Standing ovation for a radical message

After Allan Savory's presentation, "How to Green the Desert and Reverse Climate Change," at the 2013 TED global conference, The Young. The Wise. The Undiscovered., he received an enthusiastic standing ovation from the audience. This was not the typical parched scientific lecture on global warming. The TED talk explored the disturbing trend of desertification, described by Savory as "a fancy word for land that is turning into desert," and the implications this holds. The devastation of habitat, usable land and waterways are the stark realities of spreading deserts. Climate change is also accelerated. Due in part to the widespread practice of burning dry grasslands in an attempt to revitalize the soil, global warming is also aggravated by the carbon and moisture loss from exposed soil. Considering the burning of a single hectare of land "gives off more and more damaging pollutants than 6,000 cars," said Savory, better solutions are urgently needed. Keep in mind that Africa alone burns over one billion hectares a year.

Discover the abundant health benefits of a traditional Native American diet

Containing many superfoods, the traditional diet of Native Americans offers great health. A diet rich in berries, roots, and nuts traditionally kept tribal members powerful and robust. As the modern diet displaced these nutrient dense foods, the health of Native Americans began to decline.

An article by the Organic Consumers Association reports on the need to combat the epidemic of diabetes and childhood obesity among modern Native Americans with a return to the traditional diet enjoyed by their ancestors.

Bea Medicine, a Native American Anthropologist, describes the change in diet:

"Traditional food staples of Indian tribes--wild game, berries, roots, teas, and indigenous vegetables--were high in protein and low in fat. That's a switch from the modern Native American diet, which is high in fat and refined starches and sugars."

Trace mineral lithium really does curb violent crime, depression and suicide

The word lithium frequently conjures images of catatonic psychiatric patients and side effects so severe that premature death is commonplace. But naturally occurring lithium is a far cry from pharmaceutical grades. Found in the soil, water and certain foods, it is an essential mineral for maintaining physical and mental health. When exposure is low, suicide rates, mental illness and violent crime increase.

Mental well-being influenced by trace mineral intake

Lithium has a long history of use in the treatment of mental disorders. However, it hasn't been until recently that scientists began exploring the psychiatric implications of naturally occurring lithium in the water supply. As stated in the article, Foods Rich in Lithium And Lithium Supplements:

"Research suggests that locations with the highest concentration of lithium tend to have the lowest rates of depression and violent crime. These studies have been conducted across the globe in different climates with different natural habits and diets. Researchers have therefore concluded that this phenomenon is fairly universal."