I’m mad when he was talking about packing the walls with earth he said “ and it’s dirt cheap “ and she didn’t even laugh at the beautiful pun. 😂

When an old person dies, another Library burns. Rest in peace Mike !

I had the honor of spending a few months with Mike at his place in Idaho in the Fall of 1995. My son and I got to be guests in the original $50 house, stayed in the tiny red house home, and helped butcher a bear. What a year! Thanks for everything Mr. Oehlers. Namaste

I'm 36 years old and I've struggled to make ends meet while taking care of my family. One thing I always wondered is what someone could accomplish in a lifetime of hard work,for one's self, and not the daily hampster wheel alot of us are living on.

I come back and watch this alot because he reminds me of my grandpa. Like exactly like him. The way he talks. His witty remarks. His genius. Gets me choked up. I never thought there was another man like my grandpa.

"We were biting off more than we could chew, but what we could chew was wonderful." Love it.

This dude won me over with the bbq window. He deserves a Nobel Peace prize.

How many of us live at work so we can pay for a house we're hardly ever in..this guy has the key to happiness I think. I love this! ❤️

Reasons to build underground: 1: Warm in winter, Cool in summer. 2: Half the building materials 3: Build it yourself with hand tools 4: Less taxes. "What for this hole in the ground?!" 5: Aesthetically pleasing 6: Can be built by anyone 7: Camouflage it so it can't be found 8: It's defensible 7: Takes up none of earths growing surface 8: Radiation resistant 9: Tornado Proof

Dang, the guy died only months after this was published. RIP to a great minds

YES EXACTLY! I was a partner in a construction company, I designed an underground house and tried to convince my partners to build a prototype. Could not get anyone to go for it. For my own houses, as a single person I built houses with apartments in the basement, separate power meters for main floor and basement. I live in the basement apartment and rent out the main above ground house. Just make sure if you build a house for that purpose the main separating floor needs to be sound proofed concrete, not wood. In other words you build a concrete house underground, then build another house on top of it to rent out for extra $$$$ :)

10:48 “we were biting off more then we could chew, but what we could chew was wonderful” I remember reading his first book when I was a kid. It has been an inspiration to this day. RIP Mike 😢

Wow, what a great video. My name is David Fairall and I and my family lived at Mike's for over a year helping him get his last book The Earth Sheltered Solar Greenhouse Book published. I was one of the artists and did all the computer work to put the book together to send into the printers. In that book Mike wrote a very nice tribute to my contributions to it but really it was Mike who did that great and wonderful book. I learned so much from him and have tons of funny and crazy stories. I just found out Mike passed on this year and I am so sad. Mike was one of a kind. It was my building school group who built, roofed and put soil on top of his disaster room he shows off on his hillside. Later working for Mike I helped supervise several building school teams save and improve his Ridge House. Great experiences living and working with Mike. I don't know if anyone knew this, but Mike deeply cared about people and always sent free books to people in prison who asked for a copy. He was also a very very good cook and his homemade soups and grilled steaks were famous with his building schools and guests. I will always love you Mike and our family of four me, Jill, Ian and Hannah say farewell old friend.

I'm grateful that you caught this man on camera, especially since now that he's gone, I can come back and see him again whenever I want

I love this video, I've watched it a few times and only found out today he had passed away a few years ago. Rest in peace Mike you are truly a great guy.

Thank you for making this film, Kirsten. Warms my heart to see your kids there and Mike rocking the hammock bed. A true hippie, he lived the hippy ethic fully. I was gifted the '$50 and Up' book when it first came out and spent hours dreaming of and sketching inexpensive, earth-bermed house designs. In the end, I went conventional as practicality and economic conditions warranted it for me, but most of Mike's concepts are reasonable, if modified for modern application. RIP Mike, back to the earth, buddy.

“I can’t guarantee it’s not gonna collapse on us.” 😂 I love him. What a great guy. RIP Mike. Thank you for your contribution. 🌿💙

This man was a Saint. It is sad to hear he passed away, but he lived an honest life. He treated the Earth as if his mother. A beautiful soul.

This just popped up on my YT feed and I'm glad it did. This guy was a genius with underground house design to get as much natural light as possible while keeping drainage at a minimum. Thank you so much for this. I've been planning to make a home of my own and this definitely gives me some different ideas.

Reminds me of the sod houses in Iceland. They know a thing or two about keeping warm.

I'm sad he passed. What a nice and brilliant man

"Its dirt cheap" ahahaa, good one dad

I just bought his book. this man was truly inspirational and i hope it helps his family as well. rip friend :)

Underground houses don't burn very well....lol genius!! Old timer intelligence they don't teach in school.

A man ahead of his time. Thanks for sharing.

I always dreamt of marrying a smart, funny guy like him. RIP Mike, man like you are what makes the world wonderful.

I've always wondered why people didn't build houses like this, or Hobbit houses, in areas with high tornado activity.

He sounds like an amazing person full of knowledge and wisdom. We need more people like him that still knows how to off the land like our Great Grandparents did their parents lived. It would benefit us all to learn how to live off the land.

This is one old timer I would be proud o call a friend and learn from

This guy is a weathered survivor and gentleman in one.

Thank you for this wonderful video! I just ordered his "$50 and Up Underground House Book" and "The Earth-Sheltered Solar Greenhouse Book." I left NYC last summer and am now living semi-off grid in the country. This is just the info I've been looking for! What an inspiring man Mike seems to have been.

Dear Ms Dirksen, i`am a Photographer from Germany and I just want to say thank you for your work.Its inspire me a lot. warm regards Christian, even for the people you met.

this man represents a dying breed in America today everyone alive today needs to watch and learn from him and realize that we must live frugally to be happy and sustainable with our mother earth

What a sweet smart guy. Sad to hear he's gone. I wish I could've talked to him to tell him how scared I am of bugs and ask if they're a problem in these houses just to see him look at me like I'm an idiot.

THIS, is how We made Our’s Root-Cellars in Scandinavia, for Hundreds of Years... It’s a good Idea, to build something, like this. Whatever; Great Video. I liked IT. Thank You!😀👍

I bought and read Mike's book on underground house building, several decades ago. Changed the way I think about housing!

I love how he love all of his windows and really stresses the importance of windows

A Hippy! A real Hippy. Not the fake modern ones. Now in his 70s. Totally cool. I've met other Hippies in N. California that did the same things. Very creative guy.

I really wish a copy of this film is kept in a museum somewhere. Mike was a National Treasure. He taught about architecture, history, self-sufficiency, physics, mathematics and sociology. He designed the houses for his needs rather than his wants. And he was happy. He was a Master. God bless him.

Hi Mike.... I met you at the U of Oregon in 1973 when you came to speak about your underground house... the first one you built... later that summer, a friend and me were in Idaho and we stopped at your land when we were in Bonners Ferry, remembering your directions, we hiked into the house and checked it out. You were gone... out on a firefighting crew, I think the note said.... We hung out for a bit and then left you a note on your writing desk.... I remember the "original" space, when you turned on your chair from one part of the house to the next.... It was awesome.... Seeing this video tonight really warmed my heart.... great work you've been doing for over a half century.... best wishes for your health.... try organic sulfur crystals.... it will make you younger.... Cheers.... Bruce Hake... Portland OR

Thank you Kirsten! I've seen him before, but all the videos had horrible quality. I'm glad you got this on camera :)

I had the original book and spoke with Mike on the phone when I was planning an underground greenhouse.. THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS!

Kirsten Dirksen God bless mr. Mike Oehler. Please help him with his artheritis. Give him MMS so he could feel better and remain healthy. People need him and he deserves to live without pain. Appreciate him.

I'm less than a minute into this video and I wish this was my grandpa

what a lovely warm hearted old timer' I could well spend my days there chilling out with him' peaceful bliss

This is absolute genius!! Every prepper should invest in structures like these.

I had a copy of the “$50 and Up Underground House” way, way back in the day. I spent hours upon hours examining every page and taking it all in. I was living with mom & dad in my early 20s. I think mom gave me the book trying to put some ideas into my head! LOL!!!

a very wise woman once told me, "You know, every human is an autobiography You just have to take the time to read their book!" I have lived with that nugget of wisdom for over 35 years and tried to live by it. I sure wish I could have read this man's book, personally that is to meet him. RIP

very cozy love this stuff, I didn't know he passed away God rest his soul. A rare person that if we had more of this earth would never have ended up this way...

This old man doesn't care about anything ,even looping his belt all the way through..I hope to be like him one day.

The key is. Build with nature not against. This fellow is brilliant!

this is literally like a 30 or so minute drive from my childhood home lol

This man is amazing, and a legend! He started the underground house movement. People don't do enuf homework before they think they know it all. This man lived it!!! He is the dinosaur of underground dwellings!

What a wonderful man.

I have his original $50 and up underground home book. It is brilliant. I've wanted to build one for years. His ideas live on!

Brilliant. This video as well as others are extremely beneficial. Great information. I love hearing from those before us. We have so much to gain. As a young man in life at 37, any age is young. So as a young man. These ideas are fascinating. The level of thought and effort that go into these, free sustainable housing is incredible. I take my hat off to those who are continually stepping outside the box to inspire others to create and enjoy. What a wonderful video. Thank you.

The houses underground are called earthling homes I lived in one that my dad mom and me and 2 sisters built from scratch I lived in it till I turned 18 and my dad still lives there and it has 10 rooms and you can mow the roof an I loved it an I still love it. We are very proud of it.

i have to greatly honor this man as he was amazing and has lived the life ive always wanted.

Such a cool, old wise guy - I love this kind of true pioneering spirit and know how - much thanks for all you do!

I had the privilege of meeting Mike at the 2nd annual International Permaculture Conference in Olympia, WA, back in 1986... I attended a talk he held there, as I had already read his book and was a fan of his work. Definitely an outside-of-the-box thinker.

That's one grandpa that as a kid I would've loved to go visit for the summer.

I was 13 when the "Movement Migration" took place, it was one of the inspirations I had early on, unfortunately, I lived on the other side of the states and got caught up in the "things of society"....now that I am an old baby boomer, my spirit has returned back from whence I came....I have dreamed that the home my Dad left me, has the upper floor removed, with the basement left intact and the earth top replacing it....but I am only a little tiny lady now and this may always be my dream...It is a good one tho and maybe, one day...

I've owned his book since I was a kid. I'm 54 now. Still dreaming of building underground.

I dont know who this Mike guy is but that old man is solid as F. So many of these ideas are exactly what I was pondering as I worked my way through engineering school. I was raised in a crappy house that my mother designed and built over 5 years in Indiana. It was 60% underground, 2 stories and one of kind. She lives in it still today and it's quite nice. Worth over 300k. Something tells me she's smarter than I thought and she might know this guy. She was a Hippie in Cali and Seattle Wash, where I was born. I'm going down the wormhole as soon as this video finishes.

They don't want people to do this cause government and business, one and the same if big business like Mansanto, Walmart, etc, etc can not have Control and make money value from it in order to elevate themselves... Ancient Aboriginal Indigenous people, the 1st people all over the planet, have always done this and still do.. Love this old guy and others like it!!! Peace, power and Prosperity!!!

Grandpa was an amazing fellow.. I have so much respect for him. Thanks for making and posting the video.

He has made him a warm home out of basic necessary. Wonderful!

I'm just now finding this on the web...his life was fantastic from what I've seen here. I'm sorry to hear he passed away, but thank you for not taking this video off the net.

That old hippy dude is awesome. Still sharp, loves what he does, and the way he brushes off bears as more of a nuisance than a threat is funny af

YES! Love this guy's book, its about time someone did a decent video on him!!! Thank you Kirsten

I don't know if you'll see this comment, but thank you Kristen for documenting genius that will inspire further dreamers and achievers and bringing awareness to a larger audience. It is said the entire universe would have to be created again to replace lost species and lost knowledge.. You are helping to save that knowledge. Thank you.

What a wonderful man. Wise beyond the times.Loved this video

This man is filled with life and I hope he has many more years left.

this guy got a name for everything! i call this the cool room.

What an intelligent and interesting man. Mike not only listened to the earth he understood her value and was thankful for the bounty she shared. Mike, I hope the new journey you find yourself on is every bit as beautiful and fulfilling as this one was. May you meet good friends, enjoy copious amounts of laughter and find quality soil that's dirt cheap.

THIS WONDERFULLY CREATIVE YOUNG MAN IS INCREDIBLY AWE & INSPIRING, & YOU CAN FEEL HIS PASSION WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT LIVING & BUILDING THEM ALL‼️❤️‼️🥰🥰🥰🙏🏼🫶🏼🇨🇦👍🏼

Thanks for filming him, he will be a legend, for future generations, he is a legend!!

I can't help to keep thinking about drainage Sorry to hear about his passing but he left us with a legacy that not many people have followed

Thank you for documenting this fascinating man and his work.

Rip. He had such a calming kind voice 😔❤️

I love this old guy, I wish he was my grandpa! He has so much knowledge. I wish that I lived closer to him, I would volunteer on one of his builds so I can learn as much as I could from him. His life experience is so priceless, it's hard to put a worth on experience. He truly is a trailblazer, and ahead of his time! God bless you old timer, and your family as well! Love from Canada!

this man and his natural born gumption is what this world lacks!

Read his 1st book "..50 dollars or less", fantastic book, superb content, and a very good writing style. The guy was brilliant.

Of all the less expensive, more sustainable building options I've been exploring, I keep coming back to earth sheltered designs. Just makes the most sense of all.

So much wisdom. A truly great human.

"Cheap as dirt" LOVE IT! I Have to remember that one.

I can only imagine the wonderful things this man could have taught us All! 🙏💜

It’s dirt cheap! I’m so glad that I took the time to watch this

“This is my barbecue window, and down there is my campfire window”

learning carpentry i wanna build self sufficient houses like this. people are just too stuck in the pickett fence mindset

Would've loved to spend time and learn from him. Right away I can tell he is someone I would greatly respect and admire.

Thank God that this man shared his knowledge in this documentary video.He was really ahead of his time .

It's amazing how this video brought so many strong emotions out. You do great workoh, you're one of those beautiful souls on Earth.

For anyone wanting to know more about Mike, he was on two episodes of Louis Theroux's docummentary series "Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends". One episode was about Mike, the other was with Mike and a couple other people who were also shown on the show, spending Christmas together in New York city.

I purchased his book in 2009 and still have it.

I wish I could have met him. Loved his passion for the mission. 🤗💙

These houses remind of the lord of the rings “ hobbit homes”. Watching this definitely triggers the creative side of doing what most people dream of (Building and owning their own home) Thank you for sharing.

Read his book years ago, even started collecting windows and off cuts. Divorce changed things but still have very fond memories of those experiences and his work had a lot to do with it.

I love this guy. He has a brain that never stops to rest. He has so much to show others. And they could learn from him.

I think I met this guy at a rainbow gathering a few years ago he gave me a book called the $50 and up underground house book. Also a hippy y2k survival guide book. Generous and amazing man.