On the eve of the birth of their grandchild (Catlyn), Jay and Annie Warmke looked out over the wooded hills of Muskingum County and felt they had come home.  They bought the 38-acre tract that makes up Blue Rock Station today, and dreamed of creating a retreat for their extended family.

Annie served as the contractor and project manager for the building of the original structure, with Jay serving as the support person and weekend carpenter.  They worked on this project during summers and vacations, taking a three-year break in 2001 to move to Europe.  In August, 2004 they returned Blue Rock Station to live full time and start their business, which centers around their home, The Earthship.

The addition of a 600 square foot sun room was completed in 20010.  This year-round room has a foundation of 75 rammed-earth tires.  The walls are constructed of straw bales, beer bottles, and glass bottles.

Two other wooden buildings constructed from re-used barn structural material were constructed in 1999.  One of the buildings is used as a garage to hold tools and store the chopped wood for the winter stove.  The other building is a small barn used to house the milk goats and to brood chickens in the spring  Both of these buildings were constructed from wood taken from a deconstructed barn just outside of New Concord.  The slate on the roof of the barn and the Earthship was removed from two buildings that were about to be torn down.

The chickens live in a vaulted straw bale “chicken chalet” - designed to house ther flock of rare breed chickens.  Work is still underway (seems nothing ever is quite finished) of a vaulted strawbale “intern” chalet.  The exterior is completed at this time.

Other buildings include two straw bale tiny sleeping cottages - The Fire Fly and May Apple, designed by INSA engineering student Nans Thomassey (Toulouse, France), the Llama Lounge (also designed and built by Nans), the solar shower (The Corsican), designed by INSA engineering student Jean Phillip Buti (from Corsica), the summer kitchen (designed by contracting student Marie Baron of France), and the Dragin' Lair Cottage.

Ultimately the goal in creating buildings made out of re-used materials is to demonstrate a series of alternative building techniques, including the Earthship, straw bale structures, cord wood structures, and whatever else seems to make sense.

Literally hundreds of school children and thousands of adults have taken the tour so far, shaking their heads alternatively in disbelief or wonder.  Mostly they come away understanding there are other ways of living other than what they see on television every day.

In addition to the buildings, tours, workshops and publications, Blue Rock Station is open periodically for llama trekking around the beautiful hills of Southeastern Ohio, special events like Earth Day and weddings.