The question of food

I feel one of the most important pillars of my dream homestead is food. More on the pillars later, but this post is about food. It is well understood that growing the majority of my food is desired, but equally important in that is storing my food in a "green" fashion. To that end I would like to incorporate a fairly extensive cellaring network on my home. Discussions have brought about many types of cellars, but here are some that I feel are important: damp root cellar (most food stores require this), dry vegetable cellar (these are used for squashes, pumpkins and other vine vegetables), and luxury cellar (this would be for wines, cheeses, beers). All of these cellars should be accessible from the kitchen, and the dry and damp food cellars should be accessible from outside as well for easy stocking. A lovely thing would be to have the luxury cellar live up to its name. I would enjoy creating a small room with built in wine racks and storage shelves, tile floors and perhaps even a small cafe table for tastings. It all would look something like this:

Green Counter Tops

RECYCLED PAPER
What it is: Recycled paper in a resin base. Available in thicknesses ranging from ¼ inch to 2 inches; integrally colored in many hues. Heat- and stain-resistant with honed-surface look.
What makes it green: Uses postconsumer recycled paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, and nonpetroleum, formaldehyde-free resins, some made from cashew nut shell liquid. Can be cut and shaped with standard woodworking tools.
Cost and contact info: Low- to midrange cost and easy-to-work-with characteristics make it ideal for the budget-conscious home craftsman. PaperStone, Hoquiam, WA (pictured; from $30 per sq. ft.; 360/538-9815).

RECYCLED GLASS
What it is: Colorful recycled glass mixed into a cement, concrete, or resin base. Counters can be integrally colored or stained for more variation and color coordination with cabinetry or painted surfaces. Note: As with all counter materials, labor and installation can cost extra and vary by region.
What makes it green: Diverts used glass from the waste stream. The cement in some counters is mixed with fly ash, a waste product of coal-burning that would otherwise end up in landfills; this also reduces greenhouse gas-producing cement manufacturing.
Cost and contact info: It's pricey. EnviroGlas Products, Plano, TX (from $50 per sq. ft.; 888/523-7894); Syndecrete, Santa Monica (from $80 per sq. ft.; 310/829-9704); Vetrazzo, Richmond, CA (pictured; from $55 per sq. ft.; 510/234-5550).

Great Craftsman Home

Found a great home plan today:

Specifications
Square Footage 4,174
Total with basement: 6,168

Main:2,182

Upper:1,835

Monitor Deck:157

Basement:1,994

Screen Porch:253

Footprint: 72' 6" W x 47' 5" D
Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 3.0 Master suite: Upper Floor
Energy Efficient
Exposed Timbers
Passive Solar
Wood/Stone Interior
Sunken Livingroom

Description
Inspired by the Arts and Crafts houses of Greene & Greene as well as the Adirondack Camps of the 19th century, the Stone Craftsman House is actually a high-performance green building within its historic design. This very spacious home is designed as an advanced passive solar, energy-efficient structure with a strong emphasis on the design of the building envelope for minimal heat requirements and total passive cooling.
The original house, built on wooded acreage, made use of local stone and locally harvested heavy timber structural frame. Both the stonework and the timber roof and upper floor frame are exposed throughout the home. Walls are generally standard 2x6 wood frame but feature a "rain screen" venting system between the shingles and sheathing for excellent moisture control and uninterrupted thermal insulation. Massive masonry walls act as thermal storage stabilizing the interior temperatures by storing daytime heat and heat from the fireplaces, then slowly radiating it at night.
Entry into this beautiful home is into the large sunken living and dining room area, with its wood floors, high timber frame ceiling and stone veneer walls. A line of double French doors opposite the entry, lead to a partially covered wooden deck. These well-placed windows also bring in abundant healthy natural light, draw you into the center of the home, and make this already large area feel even more spacious, yet warm and inviting. The kitchen and breakfast nook area is also large and features a walk-in pantry, built in refrigerator and freezer, plenty of island and countertop space, and built in bench seat. A two sided raised hearth fireplace can be enjoyed from either the kitchen/breakfast area or the screen porch. The main level also features a guest bedroom, full bathroom with sauna, outdoor sun shower, and a large office that could also serve as a bedroom if needed.
The upper level of the home contains the spacious master bedroom, with its woodstove, master bath, and private balcony with its own spa. The two additional bedrooms on this level share a full bath. An upper sitting or reading loft overlooks the wood and stone of the living room below. The high ceilings of the living room are more than just architecturally interesting. Combined with the open center stairway in the middle of the home, these high ceilings allow for warm internal air to rise and escape through the remotely operable windows of the monitor room above the stairs. This thermal chimney effect cools the home passively, eliminating the need for expensive air conditioning in almost all climates. In cold weather, the monitor can be closed and sealed to prevent heat loss, and keep the upper level cozy and warm. The monitor is full standing height, allowing it to be used as an observation area, reading room or quiet meditation space.
The basement, if it is built, is roughly the size and shape of the kitchen, office and living room areas of the main level. The home's laundry and mechanical rooms are near the base of the stairs. The rest of its layout is largely left open, though provisions were made for a large workshop, game room, wine storage and general storage.
The roof is a unique, massively vented system providing passive cooling for the home. Named the "umbrella" roof system for its inherent shading qualities, the system is a simple and unique application of currently available building technologies. The roof is comprised of rigid insulation panels with a bonded foil radiant barrier under a recycled metal roof. Throughout the entire structure, the roof is completely vented in order to dissipate summer heat to the exterior. The heating system is a highly efficient boiler with a combined radiant floor heating system and traditional cast iron radiator distribution system. The house features two fireplaces and a wood stove designed to be used as significant secondary heating if desired.
The original house was sited on a wooded hillside overlooking a narrow valley and is designed to integrate naturally into this type of site, though it would work equally well in many more spacious suburban settings. Old stone walls that criss-crossed the original site were the inspiration for the extensive stone used inside and outside the structure. Porches, sleeping balconies, trellised decks and terraces bring the house directly into the site and provide a wide variety of exterior environments.
Construction materials used in the original home were locally harvested Eastern Hemlock for the structural frame, regional stone for masonry walls, and white oak for the interior trim, stairs and rails. Gypsum wallboard, soapstone, glass tile and ceramic tile were primary finish materials.
Floor Plans
(click to enlarge and view measurements)

http://healthyhomeplans.com/home_plans/home_plan_detail.php?plan_id=154

http://bialeckiarchitects.com/arts_crafts/Stone_Craftsman/index.shtml