Cob Workshops

Introduction to Cob Workshop
2020-11-09 - 2020-11-13 | Unnamed Venue, Jonesborough, TN, United States
Introduction to Cob Workshop – Jonesborough, Tennessee

Dates: November 9 – November 13, 2020 (YES. We are still having the workshop as scheduled.)

Location: Jonesborough, Tennessee

Come and join us in beautiful eastern Tennessee for our next Introduction to Cob Workshop! We will be constructing a cob house. A perfect project for beginners and experts alike! You will get the knowledge to build cob projects scaling from smaller things, such as cob ovens and benches, up to large projects like homes and buildings.
This workshop is a great experience to learn how to build with cob and to get a broad learning overview of natural building techniques. You will get a solid foundation in cob building fundamentals. We will be constructing the walls on a new cob building and studying Natural Building together each day. After this workshop, you will have the basic experience and confidence to design and build your own simple cob constructions or cob building.
Hands-On Work Topics:
– How to make cob (learn how to make cob with a mortar mixer)
– Selecting and testing soils for cob (learn several ways to test your soil composition)
– Building cob walls (learn my four steps to efficient cob wall building)
– Creating window and door frames (how to build and attach frames to cob walls)
– Rammed Earth Demonstration (building rammed earth forms and compaction process)
– Earthen Plaster (learn to mix and apply earth plaster)
Classroom and Discussion Topics:
– Site selection and design (includes Passive Solar design principles)
– Materials and tools (covers traditional and modern cob building toolset and materials)
– Rubble trench foundations (Plus general foundation building)
– Drainage principles (Important: water can be cob’s worst enemy)
– Basic Electrical and Plumbing integration for cob homes
– Installing windows and doors
– Roofing and Bond Beams
– Natural plasters and finishes (Vapor Permeable / “Breathable” finishes)
– Overview of Natural Building materials
This workshop is a unique experience for people to learn about building cob homes and to get an overview of Natural Building. Not only are there plenty of hands-on lessons to learn from, but we will also have ample discussion and informal classroom time. Most cob workshops don’t cover this many topics. But here, you will learn all the core lessons needed to start building from this one workshop!
Plus – there will be many hours of discussions about building cob homes and natural building throughout the workshop. Its a great way to get your questions answered and brainstorm your building ideas!
The workshop will be held at a private property in Jonesborough, Tennessee.
Each day will begin at 9:00 AM, and the days will include hands-on building, classroom sessions, discussions, and learning activities related to cob and natural building topics. We will break for lunch between 12:00 to 1:30 PM, and we will complete each day at around 4:00 PM. They will be full-packed days! Worth your every penny!
The workshop will be taught by Alex Sumerall, an east coast Natural Builder who has a focus on creating earthen structures that are healthy, aesthetically pleasing, and functional for modern life. He is the owner of This Cob House, LLC, which is dedicated to teaching people about cob and natural building techniques. Alex has a background in business and advertising, and has been practicing Natural Building since 2011. He graduated from the Aprovecho School of Natural Building in 2013 in Cottage Grove, Oregon, and continues to teach, present, consult, and construct.
Free Bonus!
Everyone who signs up for the workshop will receive a printed copy of Alex’s book, “Build a Cob House: A Step-By-Step Guide”, and the downloadable PDF version, FREE! We only make printed copies for workshop students, so this is your chance to get one. We will be using the book as a lesson guide throughout the workshop too so you can follow along with your book in hand.
Listen to the great things that our workshop participants are saying!

“The cob workshop was a life-changing experience. I learned a lot about natural building, not only from Alex’s instruction, experience and demonstrations, but from interacting with people from different backgrounds who were a great source of collective knowledge. The hands-on experience was priceless!” Tony Romo, Texas

“The Cob Building Workshop was a great investment of my time! It was well organized, extremely inspiring, and FUN! Alex was able to explain construction basics to neophytes like me, yet he could also answer the complex questions asked by the more experienced workshop attendees. I can’t wait until the next workshop!”
Marybeth Babos, Tennessee
Lodging
There are two options for lodging: free camping on site, or making reservations at one of the local hotels or AirBnB. Hotels are available in the neighboring towns of Jonesborough, Gray, and Johnson City.
Camping is FREE, but space is limited on the property so let us know ahead of time if you will be camping or lodging off-site. Campers will have access to a portable toilet and private outdoor shower.
The location has electricity & water. Electric outlets are minimal, with the ability to charge phones & power tools.
Food
Meals will not be included in this workshop so participants will need to provide their own food. There are several local restaurants and grocery stores nearby the workshop site.
Each is responsible for their own meal preparation, unless decisions are made to share or combine. An hour for lunch is provided, allowing adequate time for food and a quick nap or trip into town. There is no official kitchen on site. Coolers are welcome and encouraged.
Recreation & Surroundings
Jonesborough is located near the edge of the Appalachian Mountains in eastern Tennessee. It is a beautiful area, and there are many scenic places to visit nearby. You can also travel to places like Gatlinburg, TN or Asheville, NC within a short driving distance.
Family & Groups
Ask about discounts. We encourage group & family activities because it enhances learning among your support group. Email me at alex@thiscobhouse.com for custom group/family invoice.
Children/young people of any age are welcome to join in and learn. Please be aware that some areas are under construction, as is the purpose of this workshop, but it is generally child-safe.
Prices
Price: $499

Click here to register: https://www.thiscobhouse.com/introduction-to-cob-workshop-jonesborough-tennessee-november-2020/
Additional Discounts: 10% for family and friends participating together.
Teens accompanying a parent/guardian are half price. Children under 13 accompanying a parent/guardian are free.

If you have any other questions about the workshop, please feel free to email me at alex@thiscobhouse.com
If you have a large party of people registering, they can all register separately, or contact me for a custom invoice.

Rammed Earth Workshop
2020-10-19 - 2020-10-23 | Unnamed Venue, Sebring, FL, United States
Rammed Earth Workshop – Sebring, Florida

Dates: October 19 – October 23, 2020 (YES. We are still having the workshop as scheduled.)

Location: Sebring, Florida

Come and join us in central Florida for our Rammed Earth Workshop! We will be constructing rammed earth benches for seating. A perfect project for beginners and experts alike! You will get the knowledge to build rammed earth projects scaling from smaller things, such as outdoor garden walls, up to large projects like homes and buildings.
This workshop is a great experience to learn how to build with rammed earth and to get a broad learning overview of natural building techniques. You will get a solid foundation in rammed earth building fundamentals. We will be constructing rammed earth seating benches and studying Earthen Construction together each day. After this workshop, you will have the basic experience and confidence to design and build your own simple rammed earth constructions and buildings.
Hands-On Work Topics:
– Building foundations (learn how to build a concrete stem wall foundation)
– Selecting and testing soils for rammed earth (learn several ways to test your soil composition)
– Form Building (learn how to build your own formwork for small and large rammed earth projects)
– Soil Preparation (learn how to prepare and stabilize soil for rammed earth)
– Building rammed earth (learn to ram earth 100x faster with our pneumatic tamper)
Classroom and Discussion Topics:
– Site selection and design (includes Passive Solar design principles)
– Materials and tools (covers traditional and modern earth building toolset and materials)
– Rubble trench foundations (Plus general foundation building)
– Drainage principles (Important: water can be rammed earth’s worst enemy)
– Basic Electrical and Plumbing integration for rammed earth homes
– Installing windows and doors
– Roofing and Bond Beams
– Natural plasters and finishes (Vapor Permeable / “Breathable” finishes)
– Overview of Natural Building materials
This workshop is a unique experience for people to learn about building cob homes and to get an overview of Natural Building. Not only are there plenty of hands-on lessons to learn from, but we will also have ample discussion and informal classroom time. Most earthen building workshops don’t cover this many topics. But here, you will learn all the core lessons needed to start building from this one workshop!
Plus – there will be many hours of discussions about building earthen homes and natural building throughout the workshop. Its a great way to get your questions answered and brainstorm your building ideas!
The workshop will be held at a private property in Sebring, Florida.
Each day will begin at 9:00 AM, and the days will include hands-on building, classroom sessions, discussions, and learning activities related to rammed earth and earthen building topics. We will break for lunch between 12:00 to 1:30 PM, and we will complete each day at around 4:00 PM. They will be full-packed days! Worth your every penny!
The workshop will be taught by Alex Sumerall, an east coast Natural Builder who has a focus on creating earthen structures that are healthy, aesthetically pleasing, and functional for modern life. He is the owner of This Cob House, LLC, which is dedicated to teaching people about cob and natural building techniques. Alex has a background in business and advertising, and has been practicing Natural Building since 2011. He graduated from the Aprovecho School of Natural Building in 2013 in Cottage Grove, Oregon, and continues to teach, present, consult, and construct.
Free Bonus!
Everyone who signs up for the workshop will receive a printed copy of Alex’s book, “Build a Cob House: A Step-By-Step Guide”, and the downloadable PDF version, FREE! We only make printed copies for workshop students, so this is your chance to get one. We will be using the book as a lesson guide throughout the workshop too so you can follow along with your book in hand.
Listen to the great things that our workshop participants are saying!

“The cob workshop was a life-changing experience. I learned a lot about natural building, not only from Alex’s instruction, experience and demonstrations, but from interacting with people from different backgrounds who were a great source of collective knowledge. The hands-on experience was priceless!” Tony Romo, Texas

“The Cob Building Workshop was a great investment of my time! It was well organized, extremely inspiring, and FUN! Alex was able to explain construction basics to neophytes like me, yet he could also answer the complex questions asked by the more experienced workshop attendees. I can’t wait until the next workshop!”
Marybeth Babos, Tennessee
Lodging
There are two options for lodging: free camping on site, or making reservations at one of the local hotels or AirBnB. Hotels are available in the neighboring towns of Sebring.
Camping is FREE. Campers will have access to a portable toilet and private outdoor shower.
The location has electricity & water. Electric outlets are minimal, with the ability to charge phones & power tools.
Food
Meals will not be included in this workshop so participants will need to provide their own food. There are several local restaurants and grocery stores nearby the workshop site.
Each is responsible for their own meal preparation, unless decisions are made to share or combine. An hour for lunch is provided, allowing adequate time for food and a quick nap or trip into town. There is no official kitchen on site. Coolers are welcome and encouraged.
Family & Groups
Ask about discounts. We encourage group & family activities because it enhances learning among your support group. Email me at alex@thiscobhouse.com for custom group/family invoice.
Children/young people of any age are welcome to join in and learn. Please be aware that some areas are under construction, as is the purpose of this workshop, but it is generally child-safe.
Prices
Price: $499

Additional Discounts: 10% for family and friends participating together.
Teens accompanying a parent/guardian are half price. Children under 13 accompanying a parent/guardian are free.

Click here to register: https://www.thiscobhouse.com/rammed-earth-workshop-florida/
If you have any other questions about the workshop, please feel free to email me at alex@thiscobhouse.com
If you have a large party of people registering, they can all register separately, or contact me for a custom invoice.

First Cob Bungalow on the Island of São Miguel in the Azores (Portugal)
2020-10-11 - 2020-11-15 | Quinta da Vida Beleza, Lagoa, Azores, 9560-418, Portugal
LOCATION & HOST
Discover the beautiful Azores islands in the Springtime on the largest and most diverse of all the islands where Claudine, director of CruzinCobGlobal, has just bought a few acres of land near the ocean and forest to create the Quinta da Vida Boa Cob Ecovillage Retreat & Educational Center. Come and learn Cob Building while building the island’s and the Quinta’s first official Cob Bungalow with the island’s own materials of course!!!
The Azorean island of São Miguel is a true paradise. Every time I walk, bike or drive around I am in awe of the peaceful and gentle beauty. The island is the first and main stopping point for visitors of the Azores and, in my opinion, is the most beautiful, and interesting to explore. It is 62km/40 miles long and 16km/10 miles wide at its widest point. It is shaped like a caterpillar with the crown chakra at the northwesternmost point called Mosteiros, a jewel with large cliff rocks in the ocean that reminded locals of 2 nuns and a priest, ergo the name Mosteiros which means “Monasteries”. The island has a variety of microclimates and micro regions which make it seem alot bigger. The Nordeste (Northeast) seems like another world with its big forests and cliffs and intense greenscape. The middle of the island is where the “action” is with the best and most accessible surf beaches, markets, and cultural life, centered in Ponta Delgada, the capital, as well as Lagoa, Vila Franca and Ribeira Grande. Ponta Delgada is the capital of the island and the main hub for the whole Autonomous Region. Its population is 50,000, about 1/3 of the whole island and like any other European city has many places to eat, hear live music, shop and people watch. However each part of the island is special in its own way.
The Quinta da Vida Boa (The Good Life Farm) is located in Atalhada, a section of Lagoa, about 8km/5miles east from the center of Ponta Delgada. It’s an easy bike ride along the coast with a nice bike path covering alot of the way. It is located in a “rustic” area surrounded by other farms, yet also only a 10-minute walk to the ocean and a short bike or car ride to the Natural Swimmming Pools of Lagoa, Santa Cruz Beach and, my favorite, Praia das Milicias, a fine black sand beach with great swimming and surfing. There is a big native forest right behind the Quinta for walking and exploring full of red and black volcanic rock, a Volcanic/Seismological Observatory close by and on weekends, students can rent a car (for as low as 2€ or less a day!) to visit different parts of the island like the 3 different hot springs, the highest peak, caves, iridescent green and blue volcanic crater lakes, two important botanical gardens, amazing vistas, villages, beaches, hikes, and waterfalls. People who are into scuba diving, sailing, whale and dolphin excursions and even visiting Santa Maria, the closest island, will have time to do so as well.
The Quinta is 2 acres of lightly undulating mostly grassy land with an area of banana forest, endless indigenous mini-guava trees of different species, kumquats, native orange limes and passion fruit. It is totally enclosed with traditional lava rock walls and very private. A central higher area with eucalyptus and criptomeria will provide support for an ocean-view platform and hammocks to chill. The vision and design for the whole Ecovillage is already in the works and this lucky group of students will be the ones to initiate the first liveable cob building on the island. A few years ago another workshop built a sauna which students can visit on the weekend.
Claudine will be hosting and teaching the workshop with the support of local assistants who will help wih food preparation and site preparation.

PROJECT

This Advanced Cobber Certification training offers a complete foundation to roof build over a period of 5 weeks. We will be building the island and the Quinta’s first complete cob studio from lava rock foundation to reciprocal green roof, our trademark structure for the Advanced Cobber Certification Courses. The structure will be between 12-15m2 depending on the size of the class. Usually about 1m2 per student. We will be using local clay soil, sand and either straw bales or other wild local grasses.
The foundation will be built in Week 1 from the local lava rock on and near the land using lime and sand mortar. On Day 5 we will also pour the first layer of cob floor over tamped gravel and insulation. In weeks 2 & 3 we will build the circular Cob Wall with opening and fixed windows, niches, shelves, bottles, other useful natural elements inserted into the wall for hanging towels/clothes/art work, electrical and plumbing fixtures and pipes/housing, and the roof connection. In week 4, we will sculpt and plaster the wall, allowing it to dry enough for the reciprocal living green roof to be installed in Week 5, along with the second floor coat on the final day. Students will learn ALOT by building every day with continuous instruction both practical hands-on and theoretical using lecture time, slides and videos. You will leave fully confident to build your own cob house or someone else’s, which is your next step after graduating from our training! This will take you to the next level of understanding and experience after which you can be a competent cob workshop assistant and builder.

ADVANCED COB BUILDING WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

The 35-day Advanced Cob Building Workshop consists of 25 days of theoretical instruction
(lectures with graphics) and construction for 4 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon.
Students arrive on Sunday, October 11th, and settle in. The workshop begins at 4pm with an Opening Circle, a Host Site orientation and Introduction to the Project. Dinner is served at 6pm and followed by an Introduction to the 5-week Workshop by Instructor. Monday morning we begin digging the trench for our Cob Building!!!!
Following Breakfast, the morning session lasts 4 hours with a 20-minute snack pause. Lunch break lasts 1.5 hours which includes rest time before the 3-hour afternoon session begins. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays there is a 60-minute lecture, followed by construction. Tuesdays and Thursdays we start building right after the rest time. After class in the afternoon there is a 90-minute break before dinner, in which students are encouraged to stretch, do yoga, relax. There is often someone officially or informally leading yoga or some other movement practice in the morning and/or afternoon. There will also be 3-4 evenings (once a week) after dinner for showing slides, videos and having Course-related discussions. Other evenings are free and sometimes other students offer informal courses in their specialties and passions.
The 35-day Course will offer practical learning by building a complete 12m2-15m2 (depending on number of students) curvilinear building from foundation to roof, as described in the “Project” section above. Those who complete the 35-day Workshop will receive an Advanced Cobber Certificate of Completion for Foundation, Cob Walls (which includes Door, Windows, Shelves, Art, Electrical & Plumbing), Floor, Plaster & Roof.

SCHEDULE

The Advanced Cob Building Workshop begins on Sunday, October 11th 2020 at 4pm with the Opening Circle and Introduction to Site & Project, the Welcome Dinner and Introduction to the Course. It ends on Sunday, November 15th, 2020 after the Closing Circle & Lunch. Students can arrive a day or two before to acclimate and settle in but will need to cover their own food needs.
The daily schedule (subject to slight modifications due to climate) will be:
7:30-8:30 Breakfast
8:45-1:00 Class
1:00-2:30 Lunch
2:30-5:30 Class
5:30-7:00 Rest/Yoga
7:00-8:00 Dinner
8:00-9:00 Slides/Videos/Discussion (once a week)

COURSE CONTENTS

Students will learn every phase of building a cob building from foundation through the roof in
lectures/theory. In addition to the lectures, slideshows and videos will be shown to support and
enhance their understanding of cob materials, cob building, design, geography , budgeting,
business options and legal issues.
Our hands-on practice will include:
digging foundation trench
pouring gravel and inserting drainage pipe (if applicable)
building foundation stemwall
analyzing soils and materials
making test bricks
deciding on correct mixture
deciding on best location
making cob w/ partner and solo
building with cob
preparing and inserting the door
preparing and inserting fixed and opening windows
preparing and inserting shelves
inserting bottle windows and other objects
inserting electrical wiring and plumbing in walls
sculpting
preparing and applying earthen plasters (2 coats)
pouring an earthen floor (2 layers)
preparing walls for roof connection
building roof frame
building roof covering
making small-scale cob designs of future projects, time permitting
In addition to Cob Building practices, the Course material also includes:
legal cob construction practices
cost analysis
creating a cob business (building/teaching)
assisting, interning and teaching with CruzinCobGlobal

REQUIREMENTS & IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Students will need to come prepared for physical labor from Day 1.
This includes:
Work clothes appropriate for the country and climate we are in
Work boots or other closed-toe shoes
Flip-flops for cobbing days
Rubber dishwashing gloves (for lime mortar)
Work Gloves
Tape Measure
Box Cutter
Carving Knife
Wood Hand Saw (cheap), Level (2ft), Hammer (if possible)
Ear Plugs (roof week)
4”-6” Diameter Round Plastic Container Lids (plastering)
Good Moisturizer
Hat
Sunglasses
Safety Glasses
Water Bottle
Notebook/Pen/Camera
Sample of Your Soil (Optional)

!

These workshops are designed for people that want to learn how to build a complete structure from start to finish in a professional manner and amount of time. They are very intensive and, while we make time for yoga, stretching, dancing, music, relaxing….all students are expected to be present and participating in all building/learning hours unless ill or have some other significant reason. This is because we design the size of the building and organize the structure of the workshop in accordance with the number of students and when people are absent it impacts the whole group and the other students have to work harder. In addition Instructors try to set up building work according to students’ preferences and learning needs.
That being said, the workshop intensity also changes from week 1 to week 5. The first foundation week breaks people in with the work of moving, lifting, rolling and placing rocks and is a new and demanding physical experience for most students. It also includes the first layers and coat of cob floor. The second and third weeks of cob making and building are similar to the rock foundation week in physical demand but are more flowing and active in movement and cardiovascular exercise. The fourth week finally slows down and the body can rest as students tap into their creative source and design and sculpt the walls and around niches, shelves, windows, etc. Plastering follows sculpting and is also an enjoyable lightweight physical experience that lends itself to talking and sharing at the wall in a meditative rhythm as the students have bonded and shared deeply through a variety of experiences for a month. In the fifth week, the roof is the beginning of a change of pace from the earthen building work including carpentry skills, power tools, hammering, screwing, trimming, etc. But now the workshop is in its final stretch and there is a boost of energy to wrap up the green roof and the second floor coat, the grand finale on the last day.
For students wanting a more mellow slow-paced cob experience along with time for personal exploration and experimentation, these workshops are not for you. However you can find a more suitable workshop online that is usually for a shorter period building a garden wall, a bench, acompost toilet or some other small-scale project.
Students are required to read “The Hand-Sculpted House” before the workshop begins and any
other book they find, as well as watching videos on YouTube, especially the ones posted on
CruzinCobGlobal’s website under Gallery to get an idea of what is expected. Please bring your
book(s).

Students must tend to their own personal needs, drink alot of water, rest when needed and exert themselves at a steady pace. Students who cannot do the strenuous physical work should let us know before the workshop begins so we can adjust appropriately. It is totally OK to come for the lecture/theory part, and then help the building part in less physically demanding ways, ie cutting straw, sifting for plaster, hammering nails into frames or shelves, sculpting, plastering, cutting bottles. There is alot to do besides making and building with cob!!Finally, please bring a watch or use your phone to be prompt and ready for each part of the Course including meals. Feel free to share your dietary needs with CCG or the Host and bring your essential snacks and foods, pillow and whatever you NEED to be comfortable and happy. Feel free to also bring slides, videos, movies and books to share, as well as a sample of your soil to test.

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS

Coming form Europe, you can fly with Azores Airlines, TAP or Ryan Air. These are the main airlines flying here with Ryan Air being the cheapest, especially from Lisbon (19€/one way minimum). There may be one or two others I don’t know about that are small charter airlines. You will be picked up from the airport to go to the land by the Host.
Coming from the North America, direct flights are only from Boston and Toronto with Azores Airlines. Delta was flying here from New York last year, not sure about now. Check TAP too. That being said you can book with Azores Airlines or TAP from anywhere in the US to connect in Boston or buy two separate tickets. You can also fly to Lisbon and then take RyanAir to Ponta Delgada. NorwegianAir is super cheap especially off-season and flies from the US to Barcelona and Madrid from which you can take RyanAir to PDL.
For students wanting to stay on and explore other islands, SATA airlines connects all the islands year-round.

MEALS, ACCOMMODATIONS & WHAT ELSE TO BRING
Students will be fed 3 high-quality prepared delicious meals a day during the weekdays. CruzinCobGlobal hosts always serve amazing food to cob students in gratitude for their hard work! Since this is the Azores there will be fresh and amazing vegetarian food, which will be the basis of our menu. Students that have non-vegetarian requirements can bring personal items to complete their diet and other requirements can be presented to the cooks a month before the start date so they can make sure to have what is needed. We will try to meet people’s requirements of course so it is important to communicate them as soon as possible. Local fish may be served once a week. On weekends, students will be on their own for their meals and can explore and enjoy the island’s offerings!!!
Students will be camping onsite with simple and rustic facilities like compost toilets, hot and cold outdoor showers, an outdoor kitchen & dining area, a yoga/dance space and a cozy hangout communal area with fire circle. This will be the first workshop and we will do everything we can to offer maximum comfort and enjoyment during this wonderful and transformational time together. The site has normal cell phone service with a 10€ sim card (3GB + unlimited calls & texts) which students can hotspot to their computers if desired. There are many cafés nearby for wifi use. There is a local Decathlon store with camping equipment if you prefer to not fly with a tent one way and you may be able to sell it to someone or us when you leave!

!

For those not wanting to camp, there are also other options nearby. The Pés Verdes Teahouse is a very sweet hostel with cute patios right near the Praia da Milicias and the owner Margarida has offered our students an amazing deal!!!! For 180€/5 weeks students can have a bed in a shared room (6 people), full kitchen, several bathrooms, outdoor patios, massage space, great teas and vegan snacks. She also has a few private rooms for 300€/5 weeks. The hostel is right near the beautiful black sand beach and several nice restaurants and cafés facing the beach. Those choosing to stay there will need to either rent a vehicle (maybe shared together and which currently is 2€/day or less with GoldCar) or rent a bike for the 5 weeks. Its only a 5-10 minute flat bike ride to Quinta. You could also walk and there may be the option of local students being able to pick you up along the way! If you want this option you will need to let us or them know ASAP. There are also closer locations in AirBnB accomoodations, Hotel Arcanjo, and Alojamento Rural. Let us know and we can help. Meanwhile we will explore other good deals with locals.

INSTRUCTOR

Claudine Desiree is the original “Cob Queen” of Santa Cruz, where she founded the original “Sunflower Cob Building” which quickly morphed into the California-based “Cruzin’ Cob”, the cob workshop and building business that evolved over a decade. Once her three sons were “out of the house”, she went for her dream of traveling around the world on a bike teaching cob workshops everywhere every few months to continue supporting herself by offering up what she loves in the countries and languages she is passionate about. To work internationally with no home base required a new name and a website, hence CruzinCobGlobal was born naturally and appropriately and, after 5 years on the road, Claudine has finally found a new home….for now. On the island of São Miguel in the Azores (where are the Azores?) she will establish a home and a small Cob Village called “Quinta da Vida Boa” for retreats, workshops, education and just plain chillin’in with friends and family!!!! CruzinCobGlobal will continue to do the important work of building the best houses and best communities ever of course… with new Teachers hitting the Cob road in 2020 as CCG-trained students begin leading workshops and builds around the world. Claudine will also keep teaching in her favorite places and spreading the Cob everywhere, with more focus on the Azores land and project now. California will always be one of those favorite places, her and her children’s home for 20 years. And the demand to learn Cob in California is always growing with the fires and earthquakes threatening conventional houses. Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe are calling too! And the best part is we have a “legal” Cob Code to use anywhere in the world thanks to the CRI architects’ and engineers’ hard work and focus!

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT
The fee for the 5-week Advanced Cobber Certificate Course which includes tuition, camping and meals from Monday through Friday is:
Full Rate: 2000€ by March 15th, 2020
This workshop was rescheduled from March/April due to CV and most students will be staying on, so we have 4 spots open and two work trades.

***This workshop will be followed by a 5-day Cob Oven Workshop from Nov 16-20 on the same site. Students wishing to stay on for the next workshop will get a 10% discount on tuition! You can register for it at the same time…8-student limit***
For European residents and others, payment can be made by bank transfer in Euros or you can use Transferwise or Paypal. For US residents you can also use Zelle or Venmo. To hold your spot in this workshop you will need to pay the full amount or a 50% deposit that will be non-refundable after August 11th, 2020. The balance will be due by October 4th, one week before the workshop start date. Please contact claudine@cruzincobglobal.org for registration forms and questions.
We always offer four work trade discounts, 2 in the kitchen making breakfast in the morning and 2 helping prepare the site in the morning before breakfast. Each work trade is for 1.5 hours per day for 10€off per day or 250€ off either the food cost or the tuition cost. Work traders need to pay a non-refundable 50% deposit at the time of their registration to guarantee their spot. To apply for these work trade positions please contact claudine@cruzincobglobal.org as soon as possible because these are the first spots to go.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO DANCING WITH YOU IN THE MUD!!!!

6-Day Natural Building Immersion
2020-09-21 - 2020-11-26 | Mud Dauber School of Natural Building, 8813 Lindley Mill Road, Snow Camp, NC, NC, 27349, United States
$875 Early Bird Discount (register before August 15th, 2020)
$950 Regular Fee
10% discount for family + friends participating together!

Join us in constructing a meditation cottage with natural materials! We will build cob walls using an engineered forming system, as well as strawbale and slip-straw walls. Many of the materials we use will be harvested directly from the site, in combination with other locally-sourced products. This class is designed so that you leave with the knowledge to take on your own substantial project. Enjoy six days of meaningful hands-on work, as well as a sense of community with the group that you will be building, eating, and relaxing with!

Hands-on learning:
– How to mix cob by foot, and by machine
– How to install cob, and sculpt with it
– How to prepare for a strawbale wall system, and how to install the bales
– Preparing strawbale walls for plaster
– Installing slip-straw walls
– Natural plastering on natural wall systems (clay plasters, and lime)

Discussion topics:
– The thermal spectrum: “from cob to strawbale”
– Siting/Design
– How to build a good foundation and good roof
– Building details with cob and strawbale

The worksite is in beautiful Saxapahaw, NC, on a rural property. Our home base for the workshop will be at our Mud Dauber School campus, where there are the following amenities available:
– free tent sites
– several natural sleeping huts available for rent
– hot showers
– a swimming pond
– electricity and drinking water
– a fire pit for evening campfires
– a cob oven for pizza night
– a hot breakfast each morning before we leave for the worksite
We hope you can join us!

1-Day Natural Building Intro – Cob + Natural Plasters
2020-09-12 | Mud Dauber School of Natural Building, 8813 Lindley Mill Road, Snow Camp, NC, NC, 27349, United States
$85 Early Bird Discount (Register before August 1st, 2020)
$100 Regular Fee
10% discount for family + friends participating together!
Join us in constructing a garden wall on our campus! This is a great beginner project that provides you with the basic knowledge of how to build a strong, long-lasting cob wall. We will mix and build with cob all morning, and then get our hands dirty with natural plasters in the afternoon!
– mixing and building with cob
– mixing and applying earthen plasters
– lunch discussion: “pros and cons of different natural wall systems”
– touring our campus buildings
A wholesome lunch will be provided.

Natural Building Workshop September 7 – October 11: We are building a PermaHome guesthouse for Christoph & Mario’s permaculture project in southern Italy
2020-09-07 - 2020-10-11 | Christoph & Mario’s permaculture project, Strada Provinciale 136, Badolato, Catanzaro, 88060, Italy
Natural Building Workshop : September 7th – October 11th

In this Natural Building Workshop we are building a PermaHome guesthouse for Christoph & Mario’s permaculture project in southern Italy. See this link for a full description.
From September 7th to October 11th we will start another 35-Day Natural Building Workshop near Badolato in southern Italy. This workshop will provide you an opportunity to get hands-on experience in Natural Building, all the skills and especially the confidence you need to build a little cabin for yourself. The highlights of this workshop are a natural rock foundation, a wooden frame and roof, light-straw-clay, straw bale as well as cob walls, earthen floors, earthen plasters, a rainwater harvesting roof and even cob sculpting, Tadelakt and an integrated greenhouse to make this building something like an earthship. The difference is that in a PermaHome we try to stick with natural materials only.

Certification
Natural Building Certificate

Date
September 7th – October 11th

Building Style
PermaHome

Instruction language
English / English & German

Location
Badolato, CZ, southern Italy

Project: a PermaHome guesthouse for Christoph & Mario’s permaculture project
In this year’s 35-Day Natural Building Workshop we will build Christoph & Mario an earthship inspired guesthouse for their permaculture project. They would like a big room of about 20 m² that can host 2 people comfortably, 1 shower and a little kitchen area to prepare snacks. Imagine the following plan without the bedrooms:
Workshop: Natural Building
A 35-Day Natural Building Workshop consists of 25 days of theoretical instruction (in English or English & German) with lectures & graphics as well as hands-on construction for 7 – 8 hours a day.
Hands-on Construction
In this Natural Building Workshop you will build a complete building from foundation through floors and walls to the roof with your own hands. We are trying to use only natural materials, so you know exactly what you are working and surround yourself with.
Our hands-on practice will include:

creating a foundation with drainage for heavy rainfall
adding plumbing for a sink, shower and toilet
insulating and pouring an earthen floor
connecting wooden frame and foundation
building a green house
making cob with partner and solo
building cob walls, straw bale walls and light-straw-clay walls
preparing and inserting doors and fixed and opening windows
preparing and inserting shelves
making bottle bricks/windows
inserting bottle bricks/windows, niches and other objects
inserting electrical wiring and plumbing in walls
preparing walls for roof connection
cob sculpting
preparing and applying earthen plaster (2 coats)
preparing and pouring earthen floor (2 layers)
building a roof with natural round wood
building a water harvesting roof cover
making small-scale models of future projects, time permitting
and A LOT more …

Please consider that this workshop will sometimes be physically demanding, as we are building a whole house bare-handed and -footed. If you are not able to do physical work please let us know beforehand, so we can arrange accordingly.
Lectures
Our lectures in the Natural Building Workshop will include information about:

deciding on best location for a passively, sun heated building
analyzing soils and materials
deciding on correct cob mixture for long living earthen structures, earthen floors and earthen plasters
natural building design
cost analysis and planning
where to get materials
legal issues about cob, straw bale and light-straw-clay
creating a natural building business
assisting, interning and teaching with Suski
and A LOT more …

In addition to the lectures, slideshows and videos will be shown to support and enhance your understanding of materials, building, design, geography, budgeting, project management, business options and legal issues.
Extras
Because this is an area with possibility of light earthquakes, we will talk about earthquake protection and apply what we learned on the building.
In order to be able to manage a building project yourself you will get information on how to calculate the amount of material you need, as well as where to get it from as cheap and environmentally friendly as possible.
Natural Builder Certification
You will receive an Natural Building Certificate, all the teaching materials by email and the permaskills – Natural Builder’s Handbook, which is a summary of the workshop building steps, upon Graduation.

Workshop schedule
This 35-Day Natural Building Workshop begins on Sunday, September 6th, 2020 at 4 pm with the Opening Circle and Introduction to Site & Project, the Welcome Dinner and Introduction to the Workshop. It ends on Saturday, October 10th, 2020 around 2 pm after the Closing Circle & Lunch.
You can arrive a day or two before to acclimate and settle in, but food and our chef’s services will only be provided from Sunday evening.
Overall Schedule

Sun Sep 6, 4 pm: Opening Circle / Welcome Dinner / Introduction
1st week: Foundation / Plumbing / 1st Floor
2nd week: Wooden Frame / Roof
3rd week: Walls / Electrical / Windows
4th week: Walls / 1st Plaster
5th week: 2nd Plaster / 2nd Floor /
Sat Oct 10, 10 am: Closing Circle

Weekly Schedule

Mon – Fri: all-day hands-on class
Mon, Wed, Fri: 60 min lecture after Lunch & Rest time
Sat: morning hands-on (optional), afternoon off
Sun: all-day off

Saturday mornings are optional buffers, should we fall behind in schedule. Saturday afternoons and Sundays are off to explore the region further and stay somewhere over night.
Daily Schedule

6:30-7:30 :Meditation/Yoga (voluntary)
7:30-8:30: Breakfast
8:45-1:00: Class
1:00-2:30: Lunch
2:30-5:30: Class
5:30-7:00: Rest/Yoga
7:00-8:00: Dinner
8:00-9:00: Slides / Videos/Discussion (once a week)

There is often someone who leads yoga or some other movement practice in the morning and/or the afternoon. We like to have one evening a week to show slides, videos or have workshop related debates. The rest of the time you can spend on your own, join a jam session around the fire or contribute something to share with the group.

Workshop Hosts: Mario & Christoph
Chris and Mario have been involved with permaculture, agroecology and natural building for several years and gained experience in different countries and projects worldwide. Their passion is contributing to a healthy and thriving planet.
After having attended several PDC’s, natural building workshops, agroecology workshops and more, their focus lies on soils and how to improve them in particular. They want to boost the microbial life in it and therefore its ability to capture more atmospheric carbon. Their goal is to create and build a demonstration site for sustainability in Calabria. A place where adults and children can learn about regenerative practices, permaculture and soil management.
At first their efforts will be focused on establishing effective water management systems and improving the soil structure and quality. In the following years they will also create edible forests and medicinal herb gardens. Eventually they will convert the existing olive monoculture into various polycultural crop management systems.
Although the primary purpose of the building will be to serve as a guesthouse to accommodate guests and workshop students.

Workshop Location: Badolato
The town of Badolato is divided into two different parts. One part is the medieval center ‘Badolato Borgo’ sitting on a hill at a height of 240 meters. The other part is the more developed ‘Badolato Marina’ at the coast. It is a unique jewel with its own history, culture and tradition. The thousand-year-old Borgo still retains its medieval urban structure. Here you will find romantic, narrow alleys, lined with flower pots, winding around old ruins, beautifully restored houses and 12 historical churches.
The area around Badolato offers beautiful deciduous forests, waterfalls and peaceful beaches. In the North there are hot springs in Lamezia Terme. In the South you can visit Aspromonte National Park, beautiful Reggio di Calabria and Mount Etna, highest active volcano of Europe (no worries, its far enough).
Christoph & Mario’s land is hidden behind a ridge just outside Badolato Borgo in a green oasis filled with olive, orange, khaki and avocado trees, date palms and oaks. The place has, like most of the surrounding area, been used as an olive grove for the last 30 years. Christoph & Mario want to change that and grow a Food Forest here that will provide them, as well as friends and later workshop students with an abundant supply of healthy, fresh and organic fruits and vegetables.

Workshop Requirements
There are no skill requirements for the 35-Day Natural Building Workshop! That said, it certainly won’t hurt if you know some things and put it to good use or share it with others. Nobody is perfect and we are always curious to learn other ways of doing things.
Please bring an open mind and be prepared to do some demanding physical work from Day 1. This includes:

Watch or Phone to be on time (bring a charger)
Work clothes appropriate for the country and climate we are in
Work boots or other closed-toe shoes
Flip-flops for cobbing days
Rubber dishwashing gloves (thick, for lime mortar)
Work Gloves (rubber palm, breathable back)
Ear Plugs (roof week)
Good Moisturizer
Hat
Sunglasses
Safety Glasses
Water Bottle
Notebook/Pen/Camera
Sample of Your Soil (Optional)

optional, if you like bring your own tools:

Tape Measure (we will use the metric system)
Level (60cm / 2ft)
Carpenter Hammer (the one that can remove nails)
10-15cm / 4”-6” diameter round plastic yogurt lids (for plastering)

What else to bring
In short, bring whatever you NEED to be comfortable and happy when camping for over a month. ? There are many local stores in case you forget something or prefer to buy it in Italy! Our recommendations for stuff to bring are:

Bathing Suit for swimming in the sea, we have almost no waves here and the water is pretty warm, windsurfing might be an option though
Clothing for hiking
Warm jacket for evening time
Chocolate! Or whatever essential snacks you’re craving
Pillow and favorite cuddle blanket

Be prepared
Please read “Natural Building Companion” before the workshop. Watch some videos on YouTube about natural building and browse our gallery to get an idea of what to expect from the workshop. Please bring your book(s) and any other books or poems to share as well as slideshows, videos, movies and downloaded building site music playlists!!!

Share what you are good at
If you are a qualified teacher or leader in something beneficial to our month-long time together, and would like to offer it up, please don’t hesitate to speak to the Instructors before or during the Workshop! We are open to non-building activities in the evenings and at night…if the energy is there of course.

Take care of yourself
Make sure to take care of your personal needs, drink a lot of water, rest when needed and exert yourself at a steady pace. Let us know if you cannot do strenuous physical work before the workshop begins, so we can adjust appropriately. It is totally OK to come for the lecture/theory part, and then help the building part in less physically demanding ways, for example cutting straw, sifting for plaster, hammering nails into frames or shelves, sculpting, plastering, cutting bottles. There is a lot to do besides making and building!

Important information

Accommodations
You will be camping in the lovely olive grove. Compost toilets, hot and cold showers, a dining area, yoga/dance space and a cozy hangout communal area with fire circle will be offered for maximum comfort and enjoyment during this wonderful and transformational time together. Wifi may be available onsite, if not, you can get a prepaid sim card at the airport (vodafone for 18,99€ with 40 GB including limited international calls).
If you don’t want to bring your tent, Christoph & Mario offered to provide one for a one time fee of 50€ for the whole workshop. This could save you some kilos of luggage maybe even reduce your air fare.
There are also 5 beds available for rent in the main residence building upon request.

Meals
You will be fed 3 delicious meals a day during the weekdays, prepared by experienced cooks. Permaskills workshop hosts always serve amazing food to students in gratitude for their hard work! We will be providing mainly ovo-lacto-vegetarian food. Therefore we can be sustainable and meet most culinary tastes. Depending on student’s needs we could have fish, meat or vegan options however. We will try to meet people’s requirements, so make sure to communicate them as soon as possible. On weekends, food will be available on site for you to prepare.

Workshop Instructor
Robert ‘Cob-Rob’ Brendler has been doing construction work since the age of 12 when he accompanied his grandpa on construction sites during his summer vacation. He’s a Jack of all trades, experienced in Masonry, Carpentry, Plumbing, Electrical Wiring, Home Automation, Cob Building & Sculpting, Green-Roofs, Non Violent Communication, Teaching and Team-Building and is bringing it all together to give you a complete experience from foundation to roof. Robert loves the Natural Building Community and bringing together the kind of people that are interested in it. He loves teaching and the look on faces when people succeed in doing things they never imagined they could do.

Transport & Logistics
Arriving by plane, you can fly into Lamezia Terme. First thing in Lamezia Terme Aeroporto (airport) is to get to Lamezia Terme Centrale (train station) by taxi, bus LMS47 or foot (2.5 km).
From there take a bus or train for 1.5 hours to Badolato Marina ( 6.90 € ) where we will pick you up. Check out the trainline app (android | ios) for a paperless ticket or the trenitalia website for direct booking (link). Please aim to arrive onsite by Sunday at noon at the latest but if you are coming from far away better to arrive on Friday or Saturday to have time to settle in and adjust.

Registration & Payment
The fee for the 35-Day Natural Building Workshop is:

VERY EARLY BIRD rates start at 600€ for 2 weeks
option: save another 50€ per week with a work trade

Payment can be made by bank transfer in Euros, using Transferwise, Paypal, Zelle or Venmo. To hold your spot in this workshop you will need to pay 50% of the fee with the balance due by one week before the workshop start date. Please contact robert.brendler@gmail.com to register.
We always offer 4 work trade discounts, 2 in the kitchen making breakfast in the morning and 2 onsite in the morning before breakfast or in the afternoon between class and dinner. Each work trade is for one hour a day for 10€ off per day or 50€ off the tuition cost of a week. To apply for these work trade positions please contact robert.brendler@gmail.com.
Also please contact robert.brendler@gmail.com for more information. Optional via Whatsapp +4915158593588.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU!!!!

Introduction to Cob Workshop
2020-09-07 - 2020-09-11 | Unnamed Venue, Jonesborough, TN, United States
Dates: September 7 – September 11, 2020
Location: Jonesborough, Tennessee

Come and join us in beautiful eastern Tennessee for our next Introduction to Cob Workshop! We will be constructing a cob house. A perfect project for beginners and experts alike! You will get the knowledge to build cob projects scaling from smaller things, such as cob ovens and benches, up to large projects like homes and buildings.
This workshop is a great experience to learn how to build with cob and to get a broad learning overview of natural building techniques. You will get a solid foundation in cob building fundamentals. We will be constructing the walls on a new cob building and studying Natural Building together each day. After this workshop, you will have the basic experience and confidence to design and build your own simple cob constructions or cob building.
Hands-On Work Topics:
– How to make cob (learn how to make cob with a mortar mixer)
– Selecting and testing soils for cob (learn several ways to test your soil composition)
– Building cob walls (learn my four steps to efficient cob wall building)
– Creating window and door frames (how to build and attach frames to cob walls)
– Rammed Earth Demonstration (building rammed earth forms and compaction process)
– Earthen Plaster (learn to mix and apply earth plaster)
Classroom and Discussion Topics:
– Site selection and design (includes Passive Solar design principles)
– Materials and tools (covers traditional and modern cob building toolset and materials)
– Rubble trench foundations (Plus general foundation building)
– Drainage principles (Important: water can be cob’s worst enemy)
– Basic Electrical and Plumbing integration for cob homes
– Installing windows and doors
– Roofing and Bond Beams
– Natural plasters and finishes (Vapor Permeable / “Breathable” finishes)
– Overview of Natural Building materials
This workshop is a unique experience for people to learn about building cob homes and to get an overview of Natural Building. Not only are there plenty of hands-on lessons to learn from, but we will also have ample discussion and informal classroom time. Most cob workshops don’t cover this many topics. But here, you will learn all the core lessons needed to start building from this one workshop!
Plus – there will be many hours of discussions about building cob homes and natural building throughout the workshop. Its a great way to get your questions answered and brainstorm your building ideas!
The workshop will be held at a private property in Jonesborough, Tennessee.
Each day will begin at 9:00 AM, and the days will include hands-on building, classroom sessions, discussions, and learning activities related to cob and natural building topics. We will break for lunch between 12:00 to 1:30 PM, and we will complete each day at around 4:00 PM. They will be full-packed days! Worth your every penny!
The workshop will be taught by Alex Sumerall, an east coast Natural Builder who has a focus on creating earthen structures that are healthy, aesthetically pleasing, and functional for modern life. He is the owner of This Cob House, LLC, which is dedicated to teaching people about cob and natural building techniques. Alex has a background in business and advertising, and has been practicing Natural Building since 2011. He graduated from the Aprovecho School of Natural Building in 2013 in Cottage Grove, Oregon, and continues to teach, present, consult, and construct.
Free Bonus!
Everyone who signs up for the workshop will receive a printed copy of Alex’s book, “Build a Cob House: A Step-By-Step Guide”, and the downloadable PDF version, FREE! We only make printed copies for workshop students, so this is your chance to get one. We will be using the book as a lesson guide throughout the workshop too so you can follow along with your book in hand.
Listen to the great things that our workshop participants are saying!
“The cob workshop was a life-changing experience. I learned a lot about natural building, not only from Alex’s instruction, experience and demonstrations, but from interacting with people from different backgrounds who were a great source of collective knowledge. The hands-on experience was priceless!” Tony Romo, Texas
“The Cob Building Workshop was a great investment of my time! It was well organized, extremely inspiring, and FUN! Alex was able to explain construction basics to neophytes like me, yet he could also answer the complex questions asked by the more experienced workshop attendees. I can’t wait until the next workshop!”
Marybeth Babos, Tennessee
Lodging
There are two options for lodging: free camping on site, or making reservations at one of the local hotels or AirBnB. Hotels are available in the neighboring towns of Jonesborough, Gray, and Johnson City.
Camping is FREE, but space is limited on the property so let us know ahead of time if you will be camping or lodging off-site. Campers will have access to a portable toilet and private outdoor shower.
The location has electricity & water. Electric outlets are minimal, with the ability to charge phones & power tools.
Food
Meals will not be included in this workshop so participants will need to provide their own food. There are several local restaurants and grocery stores nearby the workshop site.
Each is responsible for their own meal preparation, unless decisions are made to share or combine. An hour for lunch is provided, allowing adequate time for food and a quick nap or trip into town. There is no official kitchen on site. Coolers are welcome and encouraged.
Recreation & Surroundings
Jonesborough is located near the edge of the Appalachian Mountains in eastern Tennessee. It is a beautiful area, and there are many scenic places to visit nearby. You can also travel to places like Gatlinburg, TN or Asheville, NC within a short driving distance.
Family & Groups
Ask about discounts. We encourage group & family activities because it enhances learning among your support group. Email me at alex@thiscobhouse.com for custom group/family invoice.
Children/young people of any age are welcome to join in and learn. Please be aware that some areas are under construction, as is the purpose of this workshop, but it is generally child-safe.
Prices
Price: $499

Additional Discounts: 10% for family and friends participating together.
Teens accompanying a parent/guardian are half price. Children under 13 accompanying a parent/guardian are free.

Click here to register: https://www.thiscobhouse.com/introduction-to-cob-workshop-jonesborough-tennessee-september-2020/
If you have any other questions about the workshop, please feel free to email me at alex@thiscobhouse.com
If you have a large party of people registering, they can all register separately, or contact me for a custom invoice.

3-Day Natural Building Immersion – [WAITLIST ONLY]
2020-09-04 - 2020-09-06 | Mud Dauber School of Natural Building, 8813 Lindley Mill Road, Snow Camp, NC, NC, 27349, United States
$250 Early Bird Discount (register before August 1st, 2020)
$300 Regular Fee
10% discount for family + friends participating together!
We will cover a lot of material in 3 days! One focus will be work on our existing dining building: completing the top of a cob wall, applying earthen plasters on the interior, applying lime plasters on the exterior, and making/using clay paints. We will then begin construction on a lean-to that will be used for dishwashing and storage, using cob, straw bale, and slip-straw techniques. If time allows, we will construct a small living roof atop our work!
– mixing cob by machine and by foot
– building and sculpting with cob
– installing straw bales, and preparing them for plaster
– mixing and applying earthen plasters, lime plaster, and natural paints
– installing a window
– lunch discussions: “foundation/siting”, “roof options”
– touring two natural, permitted home, plus our campus
Seven wholesome meals will be provided (Friday’s lunch through Sunday’s lunch). On either Friday or Saturday evening we will share a pizza dinner from our cob oven!

Intro to Earthen Building Workshop
2020-08-31 - 2020-09-04 | Unnamed Venue, Keystone Heights, FL, United States
Dates: August 31 – September 4, 2020
Location: Keystone Heights, Florida
Come and join us in Florida for our next Introduction to Earthen Building Workshop! We will be constructing a 6 foot tall rammed earth column and applying earth plaster to the cob cottage. A perfect project for beginners and experts alike! You will get the knowledge to build earthen building projects scaling from smaller things, such as cob ovens and benches, up to large projects like homes and buildings. You will also get the opportunity to experience a completed cob building, which was built on-site from previous workshop students.
This workshop is a great experience to learn how to build with rammed earth and cob, and to get a broad learning overview of natural building techniques. You will get a solid foundation in earthen building fundamentals. We will be constructing an outdoor rammed earth courtyard, and we will be studying Natural Building together each day. After this workshop, you will have the basic know-how and confidence to design and build your own earthen constructions or buildings.
Hands-On Work Topics:
– How to make cob (with the traditional tarp method)
– Selecting and testing soils for cob and rammed earth (learn several ways to test your soil composition)
– Building with rammed earth (we will be building a rammed earth 6 foot tall column)
– How to build foundations (learn hands-on how to build concrete foundations for earthen walls)
– Earthen Plaster (learn to mix and apply earthen plaster and lime plaster)
– Creating window and door frames (how to build and attach frames to earthen walls)
Classroom and Discussion Topics:
– Site selection and design (includes Passive Solar design principles)
– Materials and tools (covers traditional and modern cob building toolset and materials)
– Rubble trench foundations (Plus general foundation building)
– Drainage principles (Important: water can be cob’s worst enemy)
– Basic Electrical and Plumbing integration for cob homes
– Installing windows and doors
– Roofing and Bond Beams
– Natural plasters and finishes (Vapor Permeable / “Breathable” finishes)
– Overview of Natural Building materials
This workshop is a unique experience for people to learn about building earthen homes and to get an overview of Natural Building. Not only are there plenty of hands-on lessons to learn from, but we will also have ample discussion and informal classroom time. Most earthen construction workshops don’t cover this many topics. But here, you will learn all the core lessons needed to start building from this one workshop!
Plus – there will be many hours of discussions about building cob homes and natural building throughout the workshop. Its a great way to get your questions answered and brainstorm your building ideas!
The workshop will be held at a private property in Keystone Heights, Florida.
Each day will begin at 9:00 AM, and the days will include hands-on building, classroom sessions, discussions, and learning activities related to cob and natural building topics. We will break for lunch between 12:00 to 1:30 PM, and we will complete each day at around 4:00 PM. They will be full-packed days! Worth your every penny!
The workshop will be taught by Alex Sumerall, an east coast Natural Builder who has a focus on creating earthen structures that are healthy, aesthetically pleasing, and functional for modern life. He is the owner of This Cob House, LLC, which is dedicated to teaching people about cob and natural building techniques. Alex has a background in business and advertising, and has been practicing Natural Building since 2011. He graduated from the Aprovecho School of Natural Building in 2013 in Cottage Grove, Oregon, and continues to teach, present, consult, and construct.
Earn A Certificate of Earthen Building!

Upon completion of this workshop, you will be awarded with a certificate of earthen building. This certificate is earned by all of our 5-day workshop students. It will be printed and signed by Alex for you to take home with you at the end of the week.
Free Bonus!
Everyone who signs up for the workshop will receive a printed copy of Alex’s book, “Build a Cob House: A Step-By-Step Guide”, and the downloadable PDF version, FREE! We only make printed copies for workshop students, so this is your chance to get one. We will be using the book as a lesson guide throughout the workshop too so you can follow along with your book in hand.
Listen to the great things that our workshop participants are saying!
“The cob workshop was a life-changing experience. I learned a lot about natural building, not only from Alex’s instruction, experience and demonstrations, but from interacting with people from different backgrounds who were a great source of collective knowledge. The hands-on experience was priceless!” Tony Romo, Texas
“The Cob Building Workshop was a great investment of my time! It was well organized, extremely inspiring, and FUN! Alex was able to explain construction basics to neophytes like me, yet he could also answer the complex questions asked by the more experienced workshop attendees. I can’t wait until the next workshop!”
Marybeth Babos, Tennessee
Lodging
There are two options for lodging: free camping on site, or making reservations at one of the local hotels or AirBnB. Hotels are available in the neighboring towns of Stark and Waldo, per Google maps, and possibly in Keystone Heights.
Camping is FREE and is available throughout the property. There are plenty of great locations to set up a tent here. Multiple camp areas are available with oak trees shading the majority of the property. Trees can be used appropriately for hammocks & camp gear. Campers will have access to a clean bathroom and private outdoor shower.
A modernized, yet simple, building contains a flushable toilet with a private outdoor shower that’s tucked away. It is spacious with room to keep things up and dry.
Our location has electricity & water. Electric outlets are minimal, with the ability to charge phones & power tools, in a single location. The water is well water and is drinkable, yet you may wish to bring your own.
Food
Meals will not be included in this workshop so participants will need to provide their own food. There are several local restaurants and grocery stores nearby the workshop site.
Each is responsible for their own meal preparation, unless decisions are made to share or combine. An hour for lunch is provided, allowing adequate time for a quick nap, a trip into town, fast food, cooking over the fire, or utilizing the grill. There is no official kitchen on site, but there is a small operational microwave, and a few pieces of kitchen camp gear available for use. Coolers are welcome and encouraged.
Local Places to Eat: McHenry’s (food & pub), Keystone Inn (country buffet, known for chicken) Hardee’s, McDonald’s, Subway, Johnny’s BBQ
Recreation & Surroundings
Bring a camp chair for some quality R&R. Build a community camp fire, while reflecting on the day. Enjoy the grassy area to throw a ball, walking trails through the woods, blackberry bushes, slightly traveled road that’s great for a leisurely walk, and the open field in the distance to spot deer, crane, & rabbits in the early mornings.
Family & Groups
Ask about discounts. We encourage group & family activities because it enhances learning among your support group. Email me at alex@thiscobhouse.com for custom group/family invoice.
Children/young people of any age are welcome to join in and learn. Please be aware that some areas are under construction, as is the purpose of this workshop. Previous workshop parents have brought playpens, pop up tents, outside toys, and so forth. Children are welcome to explore through “hands-on” learning. It’s okay if they play in the dirt.
Prices
Price: $499

Additional Discounts: 10% for family and friends participating together.
Teens accompanying a parent/guardian are half price. Children under 13 accompanying a parent/guardian are free.

Click here to register: https://www.thiscobhouse.com/introduction-cob-workshop-keystone-heights-florida/
If you have any other questions about the workshop, please feel free to email me at alex@thiscobhouse.com
If you have a large party of people registering, they can all register separately, or contact me for a custom invoice.

The Fundamentals of Fast Cob…Everything you need to get Building…Fast!
2020-08-29 15:30 - 2020-09-05 11:00 (America/Denver) | Lasqueti Island, 1 Beautiful Bicycle Lane, Lasqueti Island, BC, V0R 2J0, Canada
Fast Cob is a truly revolutionary technique: it can empower anyone (a 60 year old woman with bad knees has been cobbing like mad since her full week workshop last August) to build just about anything, without exhausting yourself, going into debt or spending years on a project. Any building up to 2000 sq.ft. can be built in one season with Fast Cob, and without machines or thousands of dollars of tools!
At a relaxed pace, we’ll learn and practice mixing and building with Fast Cob. As the week progresses, you’ll gain the skills, confidence, and inspiration to build your own structures. This year, we’ll complete the 200 sq.ft. wood shed – with a living roof. In 2018, a workshop of 4 people built a 12′ high by 8′ wide wall…and that was only half of what we accomplished.
In between hands-on Fast Cob sessions, we’ll look at foundations, electrical, plumbing, floors, roofs, and general design. You get everything you need to go off and start building on your own because we design every workshop around you and your needs!
The cost of the 8 day Fundamentals of Fast Cob workshops includes all meals (3 hot vegan/vegetarian meals prepared for you for each of the 6 full workshop days, plus a welcoming dinner and a good-bye breakfast on the final day), on-site camping, hot showers, and hands-on instruction.
You can apply for any of our workshops by visiting https://cob.lasqueti.ca/workshops.html…simply read through our full descriptions, then scroll to the bottom of the webpage and fill in our quick and easy application form. You’ll receive an email confirming your application soon after with all the necessary information to complete your registration. This workshop is sold out for 2020. It will run again in 2021 during the last week of August/Summer/before the Labour Day holiday in Canada.

1-Day Natural Building Intro – Cob + Natural Plasters
2020-08-29 | Mud Dauber School of Natural Building, 8813 Lindley Mill Road, Snow Camp, NC, NC, 27349, United States
$85 Early Bird Discount (Register before July 15th, 2020)
$100 Regular Fee
10% discount for family + friends participating together!
Join us in constructing a garden wall on our campus! This is a great beginner project that provides you with the basic knowledge of how to build a strong, long-lasting cob wall. We will mix and build with cob all morning, and then get our hands dirty with natural plasters in the afternoon!
– mixing and building with cob
– mixing and applying earthen plasters
– lunch discussion: “pros and cons of different natural wall systems”
– touring our campus buildings
A wholesome lunch will be provided.

Intro to Fast Cob & Natural Finishing
2020-08-13 15:30 - 2020-08-17 11:00 | Lasqueti Island, 1 Beautiful Bicycle Lane, Lasqueti Island, BC, V0R 2J0, Canada
Last year, we introduced this Short Course and it was a great success. You’ll get a full sense of our Fast Cob technique (which allowed 1.5 people to build the 900 sq.ft. house in the photo in just 5 months!), and you’ll get to know how to finish buildings naturally, from base layer to finish layer and even whitewash. Everything we use is completely natural and everything you learn can be done anywhere on the planet. Of course, without prior building experience, a 3 day workshop will not give you everything you need to start building your home. But if you’re curious about Fast Cob or cob in general (but don’t want to exhaust yourself), this course is for you. Come and let your creative side have fun!
The cost of the 5 day Short Course workshops includes all meals (3 hot vegan/vegetarian meals prepared for you for each of the 3 full workshop days, plus a welcoming dinner and a good-bye breakfast on the final day), on-site camping with running potable water, hot showers, and hands-on instruction.
You can apply for any of our workshops by visiting https://cob.lasqueti.ca/workshops.html…simply read through our full descriptions, then scroll to the bottom of the webpage and fill in our quick and easy application form. You’ll receive an email confirming your application soon after with all the necessary information to complete your registration. We only have 3 spots remaining for this workshop.
Fast Cob is a truly revolutionary technique: it can empower anyone (a 60 year old woman with bad knees has been cobbing like mad since her full week workshop last August) to build just about anything, without exhausting yourself, going into debt or spending years on a project. Any building up to 2000 sq.ft. can be built in one season with Fast Cob, and without machines or thousands of dollars of tools!

Cozy Colorado Cob & BaleCob Cottage PLUS “Rocket Oven” on Southern Colorado Homestead
2020-08-09 09:00 - 2020-09-06 17:30 | Kenton’s Farm, nezr Weston, Colorado, Weston, CO, 81091, United States
HOST & LOCATION

Our amazing and excited host for this workshop is Kenton Norris on his 40 acres near Weston, Colorado at the foothills of the Spanish Peaks looking out onto the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of southern Colorado, near the New Mexico border! You will be very spoiled by this amazing workshop location and an experienced Host ready and excited to receive students in comfort and ease.

Kenton has been developing an off grid homestead on 40 forested acres in Southern Colorado for the past four years. He has built a geodesic dome greenhouse and garden space on the property, as well as a goat pen and chicken coop. Inspired by his time spent volunteering at ecovillages in South America, Kenton was drawn to this area of southern Colorado by the small community of independent farmers working together to produce food and lead a self reliant lifestyle. His vision for the property is to make it a place where people can come tparticipate and learn about permaculture and sustainable living, thus hosting a natural building workshop is in alignment with this dream!

Students will have plenty of beautiful places to explore and immerse themselves in the wilderness surrounding the Spanish Peaks. Rock climbing and spending time in mountain lakes with a paddleboard and canoe are Kenton’s typical recreational activities, which he loves sharing with people. Hiking and mountain bike trails are also a great option for local activities. The cities of
Trinidad and La Veta are both about an hour drive from the property on the very scenic Highway of Legends. There are some great places to hear local musicians perform, and a great community of
musicians who like to get together to jam and host events on the weekends.

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At 8000 feet in elevation, the night time temperatures are cool at night and in the early morning. The host recommends a 30 degree F sleeping bag to be comfortable through the night, typical low temperatures will be around 50 degrees but it is possible to experience light frosts towards the end of the workshop in September. Day time temperatures can rangefrom about 50 to 80 degrees, and it’s common to experience brief rainshowers in the early afternoon. Dressing in layers is a good way to stay comfortable throughout the day because the temperature can fluctuate 30 degrees or more in a short time. In the host’s experience, this can provide a refreshing relief from the heat while doing physical work outside. It is important to drink plenty of water at this elevation, especially if you are coming from a lower elevation.

PROJECT

Students will receive the Basic Cobber Certification for walls, floor and plaster. The foundation and roof will be built by Host prior to workshop so that a larger structure can be built than is usual in our workshops, and students have more time to focus on artistic and other interesting elements added into the walls. The size of the cottage will be 200ft2, and the BaleCob wall may speed things up. The wall and first floor layers will be built in Weeks 1-4 and the Rocket Oven in the last week. In the first 3 weeks, we will build a circular Cob & BaleCob Wall with opening and fixed windows, niches, shelves, bottles, other useful natural elements inserted into the wall for hanging art work and clothing, electrical outlets and housing, and finish by connecting to the existing ceiling. In week 4 we will sculpt and plaster the wall and finish the second floor coat. Students will learn ALOT by building every day with continuous instruction, both practical hands-on and theoretical using lecture time, slides and videos.
You will leave fully confident to build your own cob house or someone else’s, which is your next step after graduating from our training! This will take you to the next level of understanding and experience after which you will be a much more competent workshop assistant and builder.

BASIC COB BUILDING WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
The Basic Cob & BaleCob Building Workshop consists of 20 days of theoretical instruction
(lectures with graphics) and construction for 4 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon.
Students arrive on Sunday, August 9th, and settle in. The workshop begins at 4pm with an Opening Circle, a Host Site orientation and Introduction to the Project. Dinner is served at 6pm followed by an Introduction to the 4-week Workshop. Monday morning we begin making and building with Cob!

Following Breakfast, the morning session lasts 4 hours with a 20-minute snack pause. Lunch break lasts 1.5 hours which includes rest time before the 3-hour afternoon session begins. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays there is a 60-minute lecture, followed by construction. Tuesdays and Thursdays we start building right after the rest time. After class in the afternoon there is a 90-minute break before dinner, in which students are encouraged to stretch, do yoga, relax. There is often someone officially or informally leading yoga or some other movement practice in the morning and/or afternoon. There will also be 3-4 evenings (once a week) after dinner for showing slides, videos and having Course-related discussions. Other evenings are free and sometimes other students offer informal courses in their specialties and passions The 20-day Course will offer practical learning by building the walls and floor of a 200 ft2 curvilinear building on top of a pre-built stone foundation up to the existing ceiling, as described in the “Project” section above. Those who complete the 20-day Basic Cob Building Workshop will receive a Basic Cobber Certificate of Completion for Cob Walls (which includes Door, Windows, Shelves, Art, Electrical & Plumbing), Floor & Plaster. For those who wish to get the Intermediate or Advanced Cobber Certification in the future, you are welcome to attend only the Foundation and/or Roof Week of any Intermediate or Advanced workshop. Also students who complete this Course will be welcome to return to another Basic Course and only pay for food, as a returning student/helper. You will also qualify to be Assistant in another Basic workshop.

“ROCKET OVEN” WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
In week 5 we will build a rocket oven. This is a black oven, simply denoting that the food is exposed to the combustion gases. This design utilizes the complete combustion of a J-tube style rocket stove to power an earthen oven. This is exactly the same as a large wood-fired pizza oven, which often have ongoing fires to extend cooking times. The major difference being that the rocket oven will use vastly less wood and the wood used would be considered little more than sticks at that. This is because in our oven we use the heat of combustion to cook the food directly. In a traditional pizza oven, the wood is used to heat the mass of the oven, and then uses the heat re-radiating out of the mass of the oven and the brick floor to cook the food. The process for building our rocket oven will be practically identical to the construction of the traditional cob oven, so both approaches will be learned in this course.
Day 1: We will cut the footprint for the oven base, and begin construction of the J-tube and the oven base.
Day 2: We will complete the stove body and insulate the riser. We will also continue building the oven foundation.
Day 3: We will finish the foundation and build the oven body. This is when we will install both the door and the exit flue.
Day 4: We will apply insulation and the finish layer of cob to the oven with sculpting.
Day 5: We remove the sand and plaster the oven.

SCHEDULE
The Basic Cob Building plus Rocket Oven Workshop begins on Sunday, August 9th, 2020 at 4pm with the Opening Circle and Introduction to Site & Project, the Welcome Dinner and Introduction to the Course. It ends on Sunday, September 13th, 2020 after the Closing Circle & Lunch.
Students can arrive a day or two before to acclimate and settle in but will need to
cover their own food needs unless a work trade is approved by Host.
The daily schedule (subject to slight modifications due to climate) will be:
6:30-7:30 Yoga/Chi Gong/Meditation 7:30-8:30 Breakfast
8:45-1:00 Class
1:00-2:30 Lunch
2:30-5:30 Class
5:30-7:00 Rest/Yoga
7:00-8:00 Dinner
8:00-9:00 Slides/Videos/Discussion (once a week)

COURSE CONTENTS
Students will learn every phase of building cob walls from an existing foundation to an existing ceiling in lectures and theory. In addition to the lectures, slideshows and videos will be shown to support and enhance their understanding of cob materials, cob building, design, geography , budgeting, business options and legal issues.
Our hands-on practice will include:
analyzing soils and materials
making test bricks
deciding on correct mixture
deciding on best location
making cob w/ partner and solo
building with cob
preparing and inserting the door
preparing and inserting fixed and opening windows
preparing and inserting shelves
inserting bottle windows and other objects
inserting electrical wiring and plumbing in walls
sculpting
preparing and applying earthen plasters (2 coats)
pouring an earthen floor (2 layers)
making small-scale cob designs of future projects, time permitting
In addition to Cob Building practices, the Course material also includes:
legal cob construction practices
cost analysis
creating a cob business (building/teaching)
assisting, interning and teaching with CruzinCobGlobal

REQUIREMENTS & IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Students will need to come prepared for physical labor from Day 1.
This includes:
Work clothes appropriate for the country and climate we are in
Work boots or other closed-toe shoes
Flip-flops
Rubber dishwashing gloves (for lime mortar for oven & rocket stove foundations)
Work Gloves
Tape Measure
Carving Knife
Wood Hand Saw (cheap), Level (2ft), Hammer (if possible)
4”-6” Diameter Round Flexible Plastic Container Lids (like quart yogurt container lids)
5″-6″ long Triangular Metal Trowel with Rounded Point and/or Japanese plastering trowel (a favorite)
Good Moisturizer
Hat
Sunglasses
Safety Glasses
Water Bottle
Notebook/Pen/Camera
Sample of Your Soil (Optional)

These workshops are designed for people that want to learn how to build Cob walls in a professional manner and amount of time. They are very intensive and, while we make time for yoga, stretching, dancing, music, relaxing….all students are expected to be present and participating in all building/learning hours unless ill or have some other significant reason. This is because we design the size of the building and organize the structure of the workshop in accordance with the number of students and when people are absent it impacts the whole group and the other students have to work harder. In addition Instructors try to set up building work according to students’ preferences and learning needs.

That being said, the workshop intensity also changes from week 1 to week 4. The first 3 weeks of Cob making and building as well as building with BaleCob are physically demanding and also flowing and active in movement and cardiovascular exercise. Sculpting in Week 4 is a drastic change of pace when the body can rest as students tap into their creative source and design and sculpt the walls and around niches, shelves, windows, etc. Also in the fourth week students can enjoy the slow pace of plastering, a more lightweight physical experience that lends itself to talking and sharing at the wall in a meditative rhythm as the students have bonded and gotten to now each other deeply through a variety of physical, emotional, spiritual and mental experiences for a month.

Students are required to read “The Hand-Sculpted House” by Ianto Evans before the workshop begins and any other book they find, as well as watching cob and balecob and rocket oven videos on YouTube, especially the ones posted on CruzinCobGlobal’s website under Gallery to get an idea of what is expected. Also a good idea to watch videos on basic carpentry tool use. Please bring your book.
Please also get the excellent cob oven bible by Kiko Denzer called “Build Your Own Earth Oven”…noone has written a better one yet. Amazon has it of course…https://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Own-Earth-Oven/dp/096798467X as do others. There are many inspiring pictures and it will prepare you well for what’s to come.

Students must tend to their own personal needs, drink alot of water, rest when needed and exert themselves at a steady pace. Students who cannot do the strenuous physical work should let us know before the workshop begins so we can adjust appropriately. It is totally OK to come for the lecture/theory part, and then help the building part in less physically demanding ways, ie cutting straw, sifting for plaster, hammering nails into frames or shelves, sculpting, plastering, cutting bottles. There is alot to do besides making and building with cob!!!!
Finally, please bring a watch or use your phone to be prompt and ready for each part of the Course including meals. Feel free to share your dietary needs with CCG or the Host and bring your essential snacks and foods, pillow and whatever you NEED to be comfortable and happy. Feel free
to also bring slides, videos, movies and books to share, as well as a sample of your soil to test.

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS
The closest international airports are Denver, Colorado and Albuquerque, New Mexico for students flying in. Then you need to take a bus or Amtrak train to Trinidad or possibly carpool with local students or find a ride on Craigslist Rideshare. As the time draws near we will set up rideshare opportunities for students who have space with those who need a ride. Destination is Weston, Colorado. More precise directions to workshop site will be emailed a month out.

MEALS, ACCOMMODATIONS & WHAT ELSE TO BRING

Students will be fed 3 high-quality delicious meals a day during the weekdays prepared by experienced cooks. CruzinCobGlobal hosts always serve amazing food to cob students in gratitude for their hard work! Since this is Colorado there is no lack of amazing vegetarian food, which will be the basis of our menu. Students that have non-vegetarian requirements can bring personal items to complete their diet and other requirements can be presented to the cooks a month before the start date so they can make sure to have what is needed. We will try to meet people’s requirements of course so it is important to communicate them as soon as possible. On weekends, food will be available for students to prepare if they are on site, because the cooks will be off-duty.

Students will be camping in the lovely meadows, or in the forest. Compost toilets, hot and cold showers, a dining area, yoga/dance space, and several cozy hangout areas with amazing views and a communal fire pit will be offered for maximum comfort and enjoyment during this wonderful and transformational time together. The site has AT&T and Verizon cell phone service.
For those not wanting to camp, there will be some reasonably-priced indoor options available on the land. More info coming.

Our host Kenton’s additional recommendations to bring are:
Bathing Suit for lakes, rivers and hot springs
Hiking/Backpacking gear if desired for weekends
Warm jacket for evening time
Raingear (occasional rainshowers)
Musical Instruments
Chocolate!
There are many local stores in case you forget something!

INSTRUCTOR

Viva Hansen has been cobbing since the age of 9 when he took “Cob Building” as a homeschooling class at home! After college he began taking it more seriously and accompanied his mother, the Cob Queen (Claudine) on a GlobalCobTrotting world bike tour through Europe and Africa when he honed his building, teaching, language and international rapping skills. Viva has assisted and taught cob building and oven workshops in various countries and languages and, while he especially enjoys creating ovens/outdoor eating spaces and focusing on all things related to rocket stoves and mass heaters, his Heart is in any kind of Cob Building. Viva loves the workshop ambiance and the transformational power of “Cob & Community” it provides! Viva is also a certified massage therapist, writer, musician, videographer, NVC student and avid traveller who is working on creating a program for mentoring young men in the art of living a healthy, balanced and fulfilling life in these challenging times. We are SO fortunate to have Viva on the team!
COB ASSISTANT

Marla Azoulaï was introduced to the beauty of building with earth in a little village of the Himalayas.

Later on, she started her cob journey on the island of Faial in September 2018 in CCG’s first Advanced Cob Building Workshop on the Azores.

Marla is a French artist/artisan, who has been travelling the world learning about languages, permaculture, natural building, yoga and meditation. She enjoys manual work and is a passionate cobber who believes cob can offer healthy, sustainable and beautiful homes. She has attended 3 cob workshops as a returning students, and built a cob house in Colorado with other CCG students last summer. Marla has a powerful Chi making her an amazing asset to any workshop and build and is by far one of the best cob sculptors I have witnessed! You will be spoiled by this French women’s presence on site!

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT
The fee for the 5-week Basic Cobber Certificate Course plus Oven & Rocket Stove which includes tuition, camping and all meals (including weekends when students will prepare for themselves) is:
Very Early Bird Rate, $2400 (in full) by May 1, 2020
Early Bird Rate, $2500 (in full) by July 1, 2020
Full Rate $2600, by August 1, 2020
Payment can be made by bank transfer in USD or Euros, using Transferwise, Paypal, Zelle or Venmo. To hold your spot in this workshop you will need to pay the full amount or a 50% deposit that will be non-refundable after June 9th, 2020. The balance will be due by July 9th, one month before the workshop start date. Please contact claudine@cruzincobglobal.org to register.
We always offer four work trade discounts, 2 in the kitchen making breakfast in the morning and 2 helping prepare the site in the morning before breakfast. Each work trade is for one hour a day for $10 off per day or $250 off either the food cost or the tuition cost. Work traders need to pay a 50% deposit at the time of their registration to guarantee their spot. To apply for these work trade positions please contact claudine@cruzincobglobal.org as soon as possible because these are the first spots to go.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO HANGIN’ IN THE STRAW WITH YOU!!!!

VersaTerra, a complete cob and natural building intensive
2020-08-05 17:00 - 2020-08-15 14:00 | Maria and Tommy’s homestead, 9218 SE 55th Ave, Portland, OR, United States
This is the most comprehensive workshop you can find. Decades of teaching on four different continents has helped us design this rich learning experience, giving students the tools they need to become confident earthen builders.
Earth is the mother of all building materials. For millennia, and all over the world, people have used earth to build beautiful, simple, efficient and inexpensive homes. It’s plentiful, ecological and non-toxic. Plus, it can’t burn, won’t rot and is much simpler to build with than conventional construction.
We will teach you how to use clay-soil to build just about everything. From strong structural walls (cob and Adobe) to beautiful floors, plasters and light-straw-clay walls. Because the materials are fireproof, they are ideally suited to sculpt ovens, fireplaces and cook stoves.
The essence of your learning experience will revolve around developing a deep understanding of how to process and combine a few simple materials: clay-soil, sand and straw. How you apply that in your building adventures is then up to you, but you will find the possibilities endless and exciting.
During this workshop we will build a beautiful garden wall and an earthen bread/pizza oven. Within the wall, we will incorporate all the features of a wall that would be part of a earthen house: Windows, doors, electricity, plumbing, arches, niches, and artwork.
(We don’t think it’s a good idea to start a whole building in a shorter workshop (as attractive as that may sound); it will have people do too much of one thing (mixing cob and wall building) and will not able to learn the other important aspects of natural building in a meaningful way, such as roof variations, natural plasters, earthen floors and design.)
What you will learn
After this workshop, you will feel confident that you can

build yourself a cob cottage

remodel, renovate an existing home, using natural materials

build and use an earthen oven

use cob to create garden walls, outdoor fireplaces and hot tubs

design small cottages

teach a one-day natural building event yourself!

Specifically, you will get hands-on experience and skill development in the following areas:

Foundation systems, rubble trench, stem walls, earthbag construction (as a stem wall)

Identifying the right materials, screening, processing, testing, costs, amount calculations

Mixing cob efficiently, making adobe bricks

Building with cob: strong sculptural walls, arches, windows and doors, niches, artwork and mosaics

electricity and plumbing, how to install wires and pipes in the walls

roof attachment and roof design

Light-straw-clay: this is an infill techniques perfect for code approved buildings and natural renovations of existing homes. You will learn how to make the right materials and how to install them

Natural plasters, tools, making your own plasters and paints, colors, applications, how to apply it on earthen walls, drywall, wood, concrete

Tamped floors, finish earthen floors in natural buildings, earthen floors in existing homes on plywood, oriented strand board and concrete

Earthen ovens: from start to finish and how to use them (pizza party!)

Different design strategies, natural design essentials, passive solar, using cob to make models

Building codes, how they work, how to work around them

During every workshop we make time for specific issues related to individual situations. This usually include a careful look at different climates and regions, living with families or in communities, dealing with the building code, physical and financial challenges, appropriate technologies and more.
Our book “House of Earth” will be used as a textbook for the workshop.

The daily schedule
We are aware that students make a big investment in a workshop such as this. We honor your time and do the best we can to share our knowledge and experience. Expect long days with lots of building and learning. In the evenings we will show slides and films, featuring our previous projects and that of other people and cultures. Believe it or not, we also still like to make time for a campfire and some music. We always strive to make the workshop itself a comfortable, memorable and fun experience.
8:00 breakfast
9:00 building with cob
1:00 lunch
3:00 other techniques, lectures and oven building
7:00 Dinner
8:00 free time/slide shows/campfire
About the site
This workshop will take place in an urban setting in south-east Portland. The site provides plenty of space for camping, has a lazy creek mandering by, and a large organic garden. Weather in Portland this time of the year is usually warm and dry. (Participants from Portland area may choose to sleep at home)
Students will be provided with all (vegetarian) meals, a camping spot, hot showers, (composting) toilets and internet. You will get first hand experiences of solar cookers, solar showers, off-grid solar electric charging and other forms of appropriate technologies.
VersaTerra Certificate
After full participation, every student will receive a VersaTerra certificate. We believe that after taking this workshop, participants are qualified to teach at least a one-day event in their neighborhood. By providing a certificate, we want to empower our student to become facilitators of community revitalization through building with earth!
​
*VersaTerra is a holistic design, building and living philosophy, celebrating clay-soil as its primary building material. Clay-soil is:

plentiful, inexpensive or free, durable, easy to maintain and modify, and endlessly reusable

non-toxic, breathable, soft, beautiful, and displays superior performance in a wide variety of climates

sculptural by nature, inviting to work with needing only simple tools and methods, and easily combines with other natural and human made materials.

By focusing on these specific qualities of clay-soil, we can make the design, building and living process a conduit for community revitalization and personal transformation, while creating housing with dignity for the people of this world.
Click here to register for this workshop

Advanced Cobber Certification: Complete Hybrid Cob/Straw Bale Home and Masonry Adobe Heater in Romania
2020-08-02 - 2020-09-06 | Sarai and Aurel’s Land, Pietris, Romania
ATTENTION:
THIS WORKSHOP HAS BEEN CHANGED TO AN
ADVANCED COBBER CERTIFICATION
FOR 5 WEEKS AND WILL COVER FOUNDATION TO ROOF INCLUDING BALECOB AND AN ADOBE HEATER AND NEW RATE IS 2000€.
OPTIONAL OVEN WORKSHOP FOLLOWS with 10% DISCOUNT FOR STUDENTS TAKING THE BUILDING WORKSHOP FIRST.

HOST & LOCATION
This will be CruzinCobGlobal’s first Romanian workshop and this is a special one because my grandparents on my mother’s side were Romanian Jews! Which explains alot, right? At least my three sons understand why we feel “different” than everybody else. The Gypsy Blood must be in that mix somewhere!
Our wonderful hosts are a sweet young family that just gave birth to their first son Isarin on August 13th! Sarai, who has Nigerian, South African and Romanian roots and her Romanian partner Aurel have been dreaming of their future Cob Home for a loooong time. Here is their story:
After leaving behind everything in their birthplace, Bucharest, Sarai and Aurel embarked on a soul searching journey to India. To be lost and to find the self again. They had no set intentions, neither of staying for a certain period of time nor of necessarily returning home.
This experience would truly be an unpredictable one taking them from central India to the east coast, up to Calcutta and right across to the west coast. But after three months of wandering and meandering, a certain piece of the puzzle kept showing itself in one form or another. That precious piece took on the shape of a small village in the central mountainous region of Romania where Sarai’s grandfather was born. Here, in a valley between the hills surrounded by the Oriental Carpathian mountains, lay a picturesque terrain encompassing a hill of Black Locust Acacia trees, and an apple orchard ending on the banks of a stream shaded by three majestic walnut trees. This is where we will build their home.
And so in searching far and wide they found themselves on their way back home, a home they had never known. Aurel and Sarai were just two months away from welcoming their firstborn when they finally found a house to rent in close vicinity of their land where their home will soon come into being.
We invite you to embark on this continuing transformational journey and take part in building this sacred space that Aurel, Sarai and their baby boy Isarin will be calling home.
Aurel after dabbling in logistics and carpentry, took up working as a chef and continued till leaving for India. He started off as a raw vegan chef and then went on to fusion cuisine while traveling through Germany and England. He now continues as an experimental chef for his family and will have the pleasure of applying what he has learnt along the years to the cob workshop menu.
Sarai worked as an early childhood teacher in non-formal, experiential education. For this reason we will be offering childcare possibilities with one of Sarai’s colleagues.
Surrounding Pietris is an abundance of hikes and nature walks offering the possibility to visit such places as the National Park of Calimani where, besides the marvelous scenery of the largest volcanic complex of the Carpathian Mountains, one can see caves formed by volcanic eruptions 5 million years ago, Tihu Waterfall, the unique rock formation of The 12 Apostles, the lake Iezer, Scaunul Domnului (Lord’s Seat) and the highest peak Pietrosul Peak of 2100 m.
For a more relaxing option, just one hour away by car you can visit the Turda Salt Mines. Here, after a week or more of joyous cobbing, you can relax at the wellness and spa center that has various treatments on offer for very low prices.
Two medieval cities about two and a half hours away by car are Sibiu, that was declared the cultural city of Europe in 2007 and Cluj Napoca, the capital of the Ardeal Region, an important cultural, economic and universitary center of Romania.
In the months of August and September temperatures vary from a maximum of 30 degrees celsius to a minimum of 24 degrees celsius in the evenings. Days are mostly sunny, rainfall occurring very rarely. Evenings mosquitos are encountered so repellent can help.
PROJECT
We will be building Sarai, Aurel and Isarin’s 15m2 cottage.
This Advanced Cobber Certification training offers a complete foundation to roof build over a period of 5 weeks. The foundation and first floor coats will be built in the first week from the local rock on and near the land using lime and sand mortar. In weeks 2-4 we will build the circular Cob & Balecob Wall with opening and fixed windows, niches, shelves, bottles, other useful natural elements inserted into the wall for hanging and also attaching things, electrical and plumbing fixtures and pipes/housing, and the roof connection. We will also be sculpting and plastering the wallsin Week 4. In Week 5 we will build the Roof, the Heater and finish the second floor coat. Students will learn ALOT by building every day with continuous instruction both practical hands-on and theoretical using lecture time, slides and videos. You will leave fully confident to build your own cob house or someone else’s, which is your next step after graduating from our training! This will take you to the next level of understanding and experience after which you will be a much more competent workshop assistant and builder.

ADVANCED COB BUILDING WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
This Intensive 35-day Advanced Cob Building Workshop consists of theoretical instruction (lectures with graphics) and construction for 4 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon. Students arrive on Sunday, August 2nd, and settle in. The workshop begins at 4pm with an Opening Circle, a Host Site orientation and Introduction to the Project. Dinner is served at 6pm and followed by an Introduction to the Workshop. Monday morning we begin digging the trench for our Cob Building!!!!

Following Breakfast, the morning session lasts 4 hours with a 20-minute snack pause. Lunch break lasts 1.5 hours which includes rest time before the 3-hour afternoon session begins. There will be a daily 60-minute lecture either after lunch or after dinner on most days. After class in the afternoon there is a 90-minute break before dinner, in which students are encouraged to stretch, do yoga, relax. There is often someone officially or informally leading yoga or some other movement practice in the morning and/or afternoon. There will also be a few evenings after dinner for showing slides, videos and having Course-related discussions. Most evenings are free and sometimes other students offer informal courses in their specialties and passions.

This 35-day Course will offer practical learning by building a complete 15-18m2 (depending on number of students) curvilinear building from foundation to roof, as described in the “Project” section above. Those who complete the Workshop will receive an Advanced Cobber Certificate of Completion for Foundation, Cob Walls (which includes Door, Windows, Shelves, Art, Electrical & Plumbing), Floor, Plaster & Roof.

SCHEDULE

The Advanced Cob Building Workshop begins on Sunday, August 2nd 2020 at 4pm with the Opening Circle and Introduction to Site & Project, the Welcome Dinner and Introduction to the Course. It ends on Sunday, September 6th, 2020 after the Closing Circle & Lunch.
The workshop will complete Foundation and then Cob and Straw Bale walls (50/50), and students will get to learn both systems in what we call a Hybrid System and how they connect, plus floor, plaster and Reciprocal Frame Green roof. We will also build a Sara Adobe Masonry Heater during the last week. This usually takes one day because the adobe blocks are prepared ahead of time.

In Week 1 we will build the Foundation and pour the Base Floor Coat on Friday (gravel, insulation and cob with radiant floor heating tubing for those cold Romanian nights). In Weeks 2 & 3 we will build the cob and straw bale wall and in Week 4 we will sculpt and plaster and build the Sara Adobe Heater. Finally in Week 5 we will build the Reciprocal Green Roof and finish the second floor coat.
For people who still want more….this workshop will be followed by a Cob Oven & Benches Workshop for another week of easier-going building and lots of creativity! Students who want to do both will receive a 10% or 50€ discount on this workshop.

The daily schedule (subject to slight modifications due to climate) will be:
6:30-7:30 Yoga/Movement/Chi Gong
7:30-8:30 Breakfast
9:00-1:00 Hands-On Class
1:00-2:30 Lunch & Rest
2:30-5:30 Lecture/Hands-On Class
5:30-7:00 Rest
7:00 Dinner
8:00 Slideshow /Videos once a week

COURSE CONTENTS
Students will learn every phase of building a cob building from top of foundation through the roof in lectures/theory. In addition to the lectures, slideshows and videos will be shown to support and
enhance their understanding of cob materials, cob building, design, geography , budgeting, business options and legal issues.
Our hands-on practice will include:

analyzing soils and materials
digging trench & building rock foundation
making test bricks
deciding on correct mixture
deciding on best location
making cob w/ partner and solo
building with cob
preparing and inserting the door
preparing and inserting fixed and opening windows
preparing and inserting shelves
inserting bottle windows and other objects
inserting electrical wiring and plumbing in walls
sculpting
preparing and applying earthen plasters (2 coats)
pouring an earthen floor (2 layers) with radiant heating tubing
preparing walls for roof connection
building roof frame
building roof covering
making small-scale cob designs of future projects, time permitting
In addition to Cob Building practices, the Course material also includes:
legal cob construction practices
cost analysis
creating a cob business (building/teaching)
assisting, interning and teaching with CruzinCobGlobal

REQUIREMENTS & IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Students will need to come prepared for physical labor from Day 1.
This includes:
Work clothes appropriate for the country and climate we are in
Work boots or other closed-toe shoes
Flip-flops for cobbing days
Rubber dishwashing gloves (for lime mortar)
Work Gloves
Tape Measure
Box Cutter
Carving Knife
Wood Hand Saw (cheap), Level (2ft), Hammer (if possible)
Ear Plugs (roof week)
4”-6” Diameter Round Plastic Container Lids (plastering)
Good Moisturizer
Hat
Sunglasses
Safety Glasses
Water Bottle
Notebook/Pen/Camera
Sample of Your Soil (Optional)

!

These workshops are designed for people that want to learn how to build a complete structure from start to finish in a professional manner and amount of time. They are very intensive and, while we make time for yoga, stretching, dancing, music, relaxing….all students are expected to be present and participating in all building/learning hours unless ill or have some other significant reason. This is because we design the size of the building and organize the structure of the workshop in accordance with the number of students and when people are absent it impacts the whole group and the other students have to work harder. In addition Instructors try to set up building work according to students’ preferences and learning needs.
That being said, the workshop intensity also changes from week 1 to week 5. The first foundation week break speople in with the challenging work of moving rocks and fitting them together in a harmonious strong structural system to support the heavy cob wall and roof. The floor days are a change of pace with shoveling, moving and pouring endless wheelbarrows of heavy gravel, followed by lighter insulation and then again endless heavy cob mixes made and poured and levelled. Very satisfying work and thankfully can be very fun as a group with loud funk music to fuel the fire.

In the second and third weeks, a first for CCG, we are now lifting and moving bales, about 15, into place, and cobbing them in as well as preparing to connect them to the cob wall and building the cob wall at the same time. This should go quickly and cleanly and should be enjoyable to see the walls go up fast!
In the fourth week the rhythm slows down and the body can rest as students tap into their creative source and design and sculpt the walls and around niches, shelves, windows, etc. Plastering follows sculpting and is also an enjoyable lightweight physical experience that lends itself to talking and sharing at the wall in a meditative rhythm as the students have bonded and shared deeply through a variety of experiences for a month. In the final stretch there is always a boost of energy to wrap up the build as we move into carpentry and power tools and lots of hammering to create the strongest and most beautiful roof there is, the reciprocal roof. We will complete it with a green covering. The Sara Heater will be completes simultaneously and the grand finale is the final floor coat on the last day.

!

For students wanting a more mellow slow-paced cob experience along with time for personal exploration and experimentation, these workshops are not for you. However you can find a more suitable workshop online that is usually for a shorter period building a garden wall, a bench, a compost toilet or some other small-scale project.
Students are required to read “The Hand-Sculpted House” by Ianto Evans and Linda Smiley before the workshop begins and any other book they find, as well as watching videos on YouTube, especially the ones posted on CruzinCobGlobal’s website under Gallery to get an idea of what is expected. Please bring your book(s).

Students must tend to their own personal needs, drink alot of water, rest when needed and exert themselves at a steady pace. Students who cannot do the strenuous physical work should let us know before the workshop begins so we can adjust appropriately. It is totally OK to come for the lecture/theory part, and then help the building part in less physically demanding ways, ie cutting straw, sifting for plaster, hammering nails into frames or shelves, sculpting, plastering, cutting bottles. There is alot to do besides making and building with cob!!Finally, please bring a watch or use your phone to be prompt and ready for each part of the Course including meals. Feel free to share your dietary needs (not preferences) with CCG or the Host and bring your special snacks and foods, pillow and whatever you NEED to be comfortable and happy. Feel free to also bring slides, videos, movies and books to share, as well as a sample of your soil to test. And favorite music playlists please!!!

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS
Petris is easily reached by train directly from Bucharest, the international airport you will need to fly into if you are coming by air. The train station Deda is only 3 km away from the building site. The ticket costs 17 euro and takes about 7 hours. From the train station you can either get picked up by Sarai and Aurel or jump on a minibus for about 50 euro cents and you will have arrived!

MEALS, ACCOMMODATIONS & WHAT ELSE TO BRING

Students will be fed 3 high-quality prepared delicious meals a day during the weekdays. CruzinCobGlobal hosts always serve amazing food to cob students in gratitude for their hard work! Since this is Romania there will be fresh and amazing vegetarian food, which will be the basis of our menu. Students that have non-vegetarian requirements can bring personal items to complete their diet and other requirements can be presented to the cooks a month before the start date so they can make sure to have what is needed. We will try to meet people’s requirements of course so it is important to communicate them as soon as possible. Meat or fish may be served once a week depending on students’ interest and availability. On weekends,

students onsite will be provided with food to make breakfast/brunch and can explore and enjoy the region’s offerings for the other meals!!!
Students will be camping onsite with simple and rustic facilities like compost toilets, hot and cold outdoor showers, an outdoor kitchen & dining area, a yoga/dance space and a cozy hangout communal area with fire circle. There are many cafés nearby for wifi use and with a SIM card students can have service onsite.
REGISTRATION & PAYMENT
The fee for the 5-week Intermediate Cobber Certificate Course which includes tuition, camping and meals is:
2000€ (paid in full) until July 26th, 2020
***This workshop will be followed by a 7-day Cob Oven & Benches Workshop from September 6-13 on the same site. Students wishing to stay on for the next workshop will get a 10% discount on tuition! You can register for it at the same time…8-student limit***
For European residents and others, payment can be made by bank transfer in Euros or you can use Transferwise or Paypal. For US residents you can also use Zelle or Venmo. To hold your spot in this workshop you will need to pay the full amount or a 50% deposit that will be non-refundable after July 2nd, 2020. The balance will be due by July 26th, one month before the workshop start date. Please contact claudine@cruzincobglobal.org for registration forms payment and questions.
We always offer four work trade discounts, 2 in the kitchen making breakfast in the morning and 2 helping prepare the site in the morning before breakfast. Each work trade is for 1.5 hours per day for 10€off per day or 250€ off either the food cost or the tuition cost. Work traders need to pay a non-refundable 50% deposit at the time of their registration to guarantee their spot. To apply for these work trade positions please contact claudine@cruzincobglobal.org as soon as possible because these are the first spots to go.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO DANCING WITH YOU IN THE MUD!!!!

Japanese Carpentry Workshop 2020
2020-07-04 09:00 - 2020-07-10 09:00 | The Year of Mud, 2777 Hammonds Fork Road, Mount Vernon, KY, 40456, United States
This year, you don’t have to travel to Japan to learn Japanese carpentry skills. That’s because two master carpenters, Kohei Yamamoto and Jon Stollenmeyer of Soma Cousha will be teaching an exclusive Japanese carpentry workshop at South Slope Farm in eastern Kentucky. We’ll go in-depth and hands-on with tool setup and usage, layout, joinery, and timber frame assembly. This is a rare opportunity to work closely with top tier professionals and build a traditional Japanese timber frame structure. You do not want to miss this — seriously.

Workshop details and registration here: Japanese Carpentry Workshop 2020

VersaTerra, a complete cob and natural building intensive
2020-07-01 17:00 - 2020-07-11 14:00 | House Alive, 7540 GRIFFIN LANE, Address 2, Address 3, JACKSONVILLE, OR, 97530, United States
This is the most comprehensive workshop you can find. Decades of teaching on four different continents has helped us design this rich learning experience, giving students the tools they need to become confident earthen builders.
Earth is the mother of all building materials. For millennia, and all over the world, people have used earth to build beautiful, simple, efficient and inexpensive homes. It’s plentiful, ecological and non-toxic. Plus, it can’t burn, won’t rot and is much simpler to build with than conventional construction.
We will teach you how to use clay-soil to build just about everything. From strong structural walls (cob and Adobe) to beautiful floors, plasters and light-straw-clay walls. Because the materials are fireproof, they are ideally suited to sculpt ovens, fireplaces and cook stoves.
The essence of your learning experience will revolve around developing a deep understanding of how to process and combine a few simple materials: clay-soil, sand and straw. How you apply that in your building adventures is then up to you, but you will find the possibilities endless and exciting.
During this workshop we will build a beautiful garden wall and an earthen bread/pizza oven. Within the wall, we will incorporate all the features of a wall that would be part of a earthen house: Windows, doors, electricity, plumbing, arches, niches, and artwork.
(We don’t think it’s a good idea to start a whole building in a shorter workshop (as attractive as that may sound); it will have people do too much of one thing (mixing cob and wall building) and will not able to learn the other important aspects of natural building in a meaningful way, such as roof variations, natural plasters, earthen floors and design.)

What will you learn
After this workshop, you will feel confident that you can

build yourself a cob cottage

remodel, renovate an existing home, using natural materials

build and use an earthen oven

use cob to create garden walls, outdoor fireplaces and hot tubs

design small cottages

teach a one-day natural building event yourself!

Specifically, you will get hands-on experience and skill development in the following areas:

Foundation systems, rubble trench, stem walls, earthbag construction (as a stem wall)

Identifying the right materials, screening, processing, testing, costs, amount calculations

Mixing cob efficiently, making adobe bricks

Building with cob: strong sculptural walls, arches, windows and doors, niches, artwork and mosaics

electricity and plumbing, how to install wires and pipes in the walls

roof attachment and roof design

Light-straw-clay: this is an infill techniques perfect for code approved buildings and natural renovations of existing homes. You will learn how to make the right materials and how to install them

Natural plasters, tools, making your own plasters and paints, colors, applications, how to apply it on earthen walls, drywall, wood, concrete

Tamped floors, finish earthen floors in natural buildings, earthen floors in existing homes on plywood, oriented strand board and concrete

Earthen ovens: from start to finish and how to use them (pizza party!)

Different design strategies, natural design essentials, passive solar, using cob to make models

Building codes, how they work, how to work around them

During every workshop we make time for specific issues related to individual situations. This usually include a careful look at different climates and regions, living with families or in communities, dealing with the building code, physical and financial challenges, appropriate technologies and more.
Our book “House of Earth” will be used as a textbook for the workshop.

The daily schedule
We are aware that students make a big investment in a workshop such as this. We honor your time and do the best we can to share our knowledge and experience. Expect long days with lots of building and learning. In the evenings we will show slides and films, featuring our previous projects and that of other people and cultures. Believe it or not, we also still like to make time for a campfire and some music. We always strive to make the workshop itself a comfortable, memorable and fun experience.
8:00 breakfast
9:00 building with cob
1:00 lunch
3:00 other techniques, lectures and oven building
7:00 Dinner
8:00 free time/slide shows/campfire

About the site
The workshop will take place at the House Alive homestead in Southern Oregon, 15 minutes away from the historic town of Jacksonville (check out the Britt music festival to see if there is something you want to see while you are nearby!) Our site is dotted with a dozen or so cob cottages, garden walls, ovens, and also has a code approved hybrid house (straw bale, cob, conventional).
As a student you will get first hand experiences of composting toilets, solar cookers, solar showers, off-grid photo-voltaic charging and other forms of appropriate technologies.
​House Alive is located in the Siskiyou mountain range and has a mixed pine/oak/fir forest. Our homestead is peaceful and safe. The weather in May is usually sunny and warm (sometimes hot) and the evenings/nights are cool. Rain is a possibility but not persistent. July is warm, sometimes hot and rain is very rare.
You will be provided with a flat, private and shady camping spot. We also have hot showers, composting toilets, and internet.

Versaterra* certification
After full participation, every student will receive a VersaTerra certificate. We believe that after taking this workshop, participants are qualified to teach at least a one-day event in their neighborhood. By providing a certificate, we want to empower our student to become facilitators of community revitalization through building with earth!
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*VersaTerra is a holistic design, building and living philosophy, celebrating clay-soil as its primary building material. Clay-soil is:

plentiful, inexpensive or free, durable, easy to maintain and modify, and endlessly reusable

non-toxic, breathable, soft, beautiful, and displays superior performance in a wide variety of climates

sculptural by nature, inviting to work with needing only simple tools and methods, and easily combines with other natural and human made materials.

By focusing on these specific qualities of clay-soil, we can make the design, building and living process a conduit for community revitalization and personal transformation, while creating housing with dignity for the people of this world.
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Click here to read more about Versaterra

To register for this workshop, visit our website!
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Two CruzinCobGlobal Cob Oven & Bench Workshops in 2020: Romania & Azores
2020-06-28 - 2020-07-05 | Quinta da Vida Beleza, Lagoa, Azores, 9560-418, Portugal
Our two Oven & Bench workshops will take place in Petris, Romania, after the 5-week Advanced Cob Building workshop, from Sep 6-13, and on the Azores island of São Miguel (see description below) also following the 5-week Advanced Cob Building workshop, from November 15-20, 2020.
Visit cruzincobglobal.org to see each location’s offerings.
Here is a description of both workshops as they will be the same.
HOST & LOCATION
The Cob Oven workshop will be located on the Quinta da Vida Beleza site and follow the 5-week Advanced Cob Building Workshop. Please visit the event page for that workshop to find out about the location and the island of São Miguel. Host will be Claudine Désirée, founder and director of CruzinCobGlobal, on her new piece of land.
PROJECT
We will be building a community-size cob oven for baking everything in fueling it with the plentiful wood in the forest behind the Quinta. Students will build the foundation, insulation, and three oven shells (inner, insulation, outer) and finish with plaster. The high heat-exposed cob is different than the building cob used for the benches and external sculpted shell and students will learn the difference and how to figure out each mix. The oven and benches will allow for maximum creativity that will depend on the students’ input and inspiration! All materials will be as local as possible and students will be building all phases with some lecture time to support the hands-on work.
COB OVEN WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
The 5-day workshop will begin on Sunday evening, November 15th, with dinner at 6pm, followed by an Opening Circle, Introduction to the Site & Island and to the Workshop. Monday morning November 16th at 9am we begin building the foundation. There will be hands-on building for 4 hours in the morning followed by lunch and rest for 1.5 hours. At 2:30pm there will be a 30-60-minute lecture followed by construction in the afternoon. Students will have time to relax in the afternoon and go to the beach or on a walk or into town if they like before dinner. There may be someone in the group offering to lead yoga or chi gong movement practice also.
SCHEDULE
The daily schedule (subject to slight modifications due to climate) will be:

7:30-8:30 Breakfast
8:45-1:00 Class
1:00-2:30 Lunch
2:30-5:30 Class
5:30-7:00 Rest/Yoga
7:00-8:00 Dinner
COURSE CONTENTS
The first day of the workshop will be building the foundation out of local rock, broken concrete or even tires. Day 2 we will build the support for the oven as well as the form and inner cob shell. On Day 3 we will focus on the benches so the oven can dry. We will be building the foundations and covering them with cob. Day 4 we will empty the oven (if ready to be emptied), and cover it with the insulation layer in the morning and the final sculpting cob layer in the afternoon. After sculpting, everything will be plastered on the final day. And, if the sand is out, we may even be able to light it and make pizza! Yippee!!!!
REQUIREMENTS & IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Students will need to come prepared for building from Day 1.
This includes:
Work clothes appropriate for the country and climate we are in
Work boots or other closed-toe shoes (for foundation work)
Flip-flops (for cob days)
Rubber dishwashing gloves (for lime mortar for foundation)
Work Gloves (for carrying rocks)
4”-6” Diameter Round Plastic Container Lids (for plastering)
Good Moisturizer
Hat
Sunglasses
Water Bottle
Notebook/Pen/Camera
Sample of Your Soil (Optional)
Please get the excellent cob oven bible by Kiko Denzer called “Build Your Own Earth Oven”…noone has written a better one yet. Amazon has it of course…https://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Own-Earth-Oven/dp/096798467X as do others. There are many inspiring pictures and it will prepare you well for what’s to come.
Students need to tend to their needs like making sure they drink alot of water (clay is drying), get good sleep and stretch before and after class. This class is not very demanding physically compared to the building workshops but if you are not used to doing any physical work with earth, sand, rocks….you should definitely prepare yourself in the weeks ahead by resting well, stretching, and even carrying rocks around properly. Also feel free to share your dietary needs (not preferences) with CCG and bring your special snacks and foods, pillow and whatever you NEED to be comfortable and happy. We also encourage you to bring slides, videos, movies and books to share, as well as a sample of your soil to test. And we always play diverse music onsite while we build, so bring your favorite playlists!
TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS
From Europe, you can fly with Azores Airlines, TAP or Ryan Air. These are the main airlines flying here with Ryan Air being the cheapest, especially from Lisbon (19€/one way).
Coming from the North America, direct flights are only from Boston and Toronto with Azores Airlines. Delta was flying here from New York last year, not sure about now. Check TAP too. That being said you can book with Azores Airlines or TAP from anywhere in the US to connect in Boston or buy two separate tickets. You can also fly to Lisbon and then take RyanAir to Ponta Delgada. NorwegianAir is super cheap especially off-season and flies from the US to Barcelona and Madrid from which you can take RyanAir to PDL. You will be picked up from the airport to go to the land by the Host.
For students wanting to stay on and explore other islands, SATA airlines connects all the islands year-round.

MEALS, ACCOMMODATIONS & WHAT ELSE TO BRING
Students will be fed 3 high-quality prepared delicious meals a day during the weekdays. CruzinCobGlobal hosts always serve amazing food to cob students in gratitude for their hard work! Since this is the Azores there will be fresh and amazing vegetarian food, which will be the basis of our menu. Students that have non-vegetarian requirements can bring personal items to complete their diet and other requirements can be presented to the cooks a month before the start date so they can make sure to have what is needed. We will try to meet people’s requirements of course so it is important to communicate them as soon as possible. Local fish may be served once a week. On weekends, students will be on their own for their meals and can explore and enjoy the island’s offerings!!!
Students will be camping onsite with simple and rustic facilities like compost toilets, hot and cold outdoor showers, an outdoor kitchen & dining area, a yoga/dance space and a cozy hangout communal area with fire circle. This will be the first workshop and we will do everything we can to offer maximum comfort and enjoyment during this wonderful and transformational time together. The site has normal cell phone service with a 10€ sim card (3GB + unlimited calls & texts) which students can hotspot to their computers if desired. There are many cafés nearby for wifi use. There is a local Decathlon store with camping equipment if you prefer to not fly with a tent one way and you may be able to sell it to someone or us when you leave.
For those not wanting to camp, there are also other options nearby. The Pés Verdes Teahouse is a very sweet hostel with cute patios right near the Praia da Milicias and the owner Margarida will offer our students a good deal!!!! Students can have a bed in a shared room (6 people), full kitchen, several bathrooms, outdoor patios, massage space, great teas and vegan snacks. She also has a few private rooms. Price will depend on how long you are staying. The hostel is right near the beautiful black sand beach and several nice restaurants and cafés facing the beach. Those choosing to stay there will need to either rent a vehicle (maybe shared together and which currently is 2€/day or less with GoldCar) or rent a bike. Its only a 5-10 minute flat bike ride to the Quinta. You could also walk and there may be the option of local students being able to pick you up along the way! If you want this option you will need to let us or them know to save your space. There are also closer locations in AirBnB accommodations, Hotel Arcanjo, and Alojamento Rural. Let us know and we can help. Meanwhile we will explore other good deals with locals.
INSTRUCTOR
Claudine Desiree is the original “Cob Queen” of Santa Cruz, where she founded the original “Sunflower Cob Building” which quickly morphed into the California-based “Cruzin’ Cob”, the cob workshop and building business that evolved over a decade. Once her three sons were “out of the house”, she went for her dream of traveling around the world on a bike teaching cob workshops everywhere every few months to continue supporting herself by offering up what she loves in the countries and languages she is passionate about. To work internationally with no home base required a new name and a website, hence CruzinCobGlobal was born naturally and appropriately and, after 5 years on the road, Claudine has finally found a new home….for now.
On the island of São Miguel in the Azores (where are the Azores?) she will establish a home and a small Cob Village called “Quinta da Vida Boa” for retreats, workshops, education and just plain chillin’in with friends and family!!!! CruzinCobGlobal will continue to do the important work of building the best houses and best communities ever of course… with new Teachers hitting the Cob road in 2020 as CCG-trained students begin leading workshops and builds around the world. Claudine will also keep teaching in her favorite places and spreading the Cob everywhere, with more focus on the Azores land and project now. California will always be one of those favorite places, her and her children’s home for 20 years. And the demand to learn Cob in California is always growing with the fires and earthquakes threatening conventional houses. Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe are calling too! And the best part is we have a “legal” Cob Code to use anywhere in the world thanks to the CRI architects’ and engineers’ hard work and perseverance!
REGISTRATION & PAYMENT
The fee for the 5-day Cob OvenWorkshop which includes tuition, camping and meals from Monday through Friday is:
Full Rate: 400€ by November 8th, 2020
(Sacramento and Pietris workshops are 7 days and include benches and more details).
For European residents and others, payment can be made by bank transfer in Euros or you can use Transferwise or Paypal. For US residents you can also use Zelle or Venmo. To hold your spot in this workshop you will need to pay the full amount or a 50% deposit that will be non-refundable after September 15th, 2020. The balance will be due by November 8th, one week before the workshop start date. Please contact claudine@cruzincobglobal.org for registration forms and questions.
We can offer 2 work trade discounts in the kitchen making breakfast in the morning. Each work trade is for 1.5 hours per day for 10€off per day or 50€ off the full rate. Work traders need to pay a non-refundable 50% deposit at the time of their registration to guarantee their spot. To apply for these work trade positions please contact claudine@cruzincobglobal.org as soon as possible because these are the first spots to go.
CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU AT MY NEW HOME!!!

Introduction to Cob Workshop
2020-06-22 - 2020-06-26 | Unnamed Venue, Jonesborough, TN, United States
Dates: June 22 – June 26, 2020
Location: Jonesborough, Tennessee

Come and join us in beautiful eastern Tennessee for our next Introduction to Cob Workshop! We will be constructing a cob house. A perfect project for beginners and experts alike! You will get the knowledge to build cob projects scaling from smaller things, such as cob ovens and benches, up to large projects like homes and buildings.
This workshop is a great experience to learn how to build with cob and to get a broad learning overview of natural building techniques. You will get a solid foundation in cob building fundamentals. We will be constructing the walls on a new cob building and studying Natural Building together each day. After this workshop, you will have the basic experience and confidence to design and build your own simple cob constructions or cob building.
Hands-On Work Topics:
– How to make cob (learn how to make cob with a mortar mixer)
– Selecting and testing soils for cob (learn several ways to test your soil composition)
– Building cob walls (learn my four steps to efficient cob wall building)
– Creating window and door frames (how to build and attach frames to cob walls)
– Rammed Earth Demonstration (building rammed earth forms and compaction process)
– Earthen Plaster (learn to mix and apply earth plaster)
Classroom and Discussion Topics:
– Site selection and design (includes Passive Solar design principles)
– Materials and tools (covers traditional and modern cob building toolset and materials)
– Rubble trench foundations (Plus general foundation building)
– Drainage principles (Important: water can be cob’s worst enemy)
– Basic Electrical and Plumbing integration for cob homes
– Installing windows and doors
– Roofing and Bond Beams
– Natural plasters and finishes (Vapor Permeable / “Breathable” finishes)
– Overview of Natural Building materials
This workshop is a unique experience for people to learn about building cob homes and to get an overview of Natural Building. Not only are there plenty of hands-on lessons to learn from, but we will also have ample discussion and informal classroom time. Most cob workshops don’t cover this many topics. But here, you will learn all the core lessons needed to start building from this one workshop!
Plus – there will be many hours of discussions about building cob homes and natural building throughout the workshop. Its a great way to get your questions answered and brainstorm your building ideas!
The workshop will be held at a private property in Jonesborough, Tennessee.
Each day will begin at 9:00 AM, and the days will include hands-on building, classroom sessions, discussions, and learning activities related to cob and natural building topics. We will break for lunch between 12:00 to 1:30 PM, and we will complete each day at around 4:00 PM. They will be full-packed days! Worth your every penny!
The workshop will be taught by Alex Sumerall, an east coast Natural Builder who has a focus on creating earthen structures that are healthy, aesthetically pleasing, and functional for modern life. He is the owner of This Cob House, LLC, which is dedicated to teaching people about cob and natural building techniques. Alex has a background in business and advertising, and has been practicing Natural Building since 2011. He graduated from the Aprovecho School of Natural Building in 2013 in Cottage Grove, Oregon, and continues to teach, present, consult, and construct.
Free Bonus!
Everyone who signs up for the workshop will receive a printed copy of Alex’s book, “Build a Cob House: A Step-By-Step Guide”, and the downloadable PDF version, FREE! We only make printed copies for workshop students, so this is your chance to get one. We will be using the book as a lesson guide throughout the workshop too so you can follow along with your book in hand.
Listen to the great things that our workshop participants are saying!

“The cob workshop was a life-changing experience. I learned a lot about natural building, not only from Alex’s instruction, experience and demonstrations, but from interacting with people from different backgrounds who were a great source of collective knowledge. The hands-on experience was priceless!” Tony Romo, Texas
“The Cob Building Workshop was a great investment of my time! It was well organized, extremely inspiring, and FUN! Alex was able to explain construction basics to neophytes like me, yet he could also answer the complex questions asked by the more experienced workshop attendees. I can’t wait until the next workshop!”
Marybeth Babos, Tennessee
Lodging
There are two options for lodging: free camping on site, or making reservations at one of the local hotels or AirBnB. Hotels are available in the neighboring towns of Jonesborough, Gray, and Johnson City.
Camping is FREE, but space is limited on the property so let us know ahead of time if you will be camping or lodging off-site. Campers will have access to a portable toilet and private outdoor shower.
The location has electricity & water. Electric outlets are minimal, with the ability to charge phones & power tools.
Food
Meals will not be included in this workshop so participants will need to provide their own food. There are several local restaurants and grocery stores nearby the workshop site.
Each is responsible for their own meal preparation, unless decisions are made to share or combine. An hour for lunch is provided, allowing adequate time for food and a quick nap or trip into town. There is no official kitchen on site. Coolers are welcome and encouraged.
Recreation & Surroundings
Jonesborough is located near the edge of the Appalachian Mountains in eastern Tennessee. It is a beautiful area, and there are many scenic places to visit nearby. You can also travel to places like Gatlinburg, TN or Asheville, NC within a short driving distance.
Family & Groups
Ask about discounts. We encourage group & family activities because it enhances learning among your support group. Email me at alex@thiscobhouse.com for custom group/family invoice.
Children/young people of any age are welcome to join in and learn. Please be aware that some areas are under construction, as is the purpose of this workshop, but it is generally child-safe.
Prices
Price: $499

Additional Discounts: 10% for family and friends participating together.
Teens accompanying a parent/guardian are half price. Children under 13 accompanying a parent/guardian are free.

Click here to register: https://www.thiscobhouse.com/introduction-to-cob-workshop-jonesborough-tennessee-june-2020/
If you have any other questions about the workshop, please feel free to email me at alex@thiscobhouse.com
If you have a large party of people registering, they can all register separately, or contact me for a custom invoice.

Introduction to Cob Workshop
2020-06-15 - 2020-06-19 | Unnamed Venue, Keystone Heights, FL, United States
Dates: June 15 – June 19, 2020
Location: Keystone Heights, Florida
Come and join us in Florida for our next Introduction to Cob Workshop! We will be constructing a cob bench and applying earth plaster to the cob cottage. A perfect project for beginners and experts alike! You will get the knowledge to build cob projects scaling from smaller things, such as cob ovens and benches, up to large projects like homes and buildings. You will also get the opportunity to experience a completed cob building, which was built on-site from previous workshop students.
This workshop is a great experience to learn how to build with cob and to get a broad learning overview of natural building techniques. You will get a solid foundation in cob building fundamentals. We will be constructing an outdoor cob sitting area and studying Natural Building together each day. After this workshop, you will have the basic know-how and confidence to design and build your own simple cob constructions or cob building.
Hands-On Work Topics:
– How to make cob (with the traditional tarp method)
– Selecting and testing soils for cob (learn several ways to test your soil composition)
– Building cob walls (learn my four steps to efficient cob wall building)
– Creating window and door frames (how to build and attach frames to cob walls)
– Basic Roofing Construction
– Rammed Earth Demonstration (building rammed earth forms and compaction process)
– Earthen Plaster (learn to mix and apply earth plaster)
Classroom and Discussion Topics:
– Site selection and design (includes Passive Solar design principles)
– Materials and tools (covers traditional and modern cob building toolset and materials)
– Rubble trench foundations (Plus general foundation building)
– Drainage principles (Important: water can be cob’s worst enemy)
– Basic Electrical and Plumbing integration for cob homes
– Installing windows and doors
– Roofing and Bond Beams
– Natural plasters and finishes (Vapor Permeable / “Breathable” finishes)
– Overview of Natural Building materials
This workshop is a unique experience for people to learn about building cob homes and to get an overview of Natural Building. Not only are there plenty of hands-on lessons to learn from, but we will also have ample discussion and informal classroom time. Most cob workshops don’t cover this many topics. But here, you will learn all the core lessons needed to start building from this one workshop!
Plus – there will be many hours of discussions about building cob homes and natural building throughout the workshop. Its a great way to get your questions answered and brainstorm your building ideas!
The workshop will be held at a private property in Keystone Heights, Florida.
Each day will begin at 8:00 AM, and the days will include hands-on building, classroom sessions, discussions, and learning activities related to cob and natural building topics. We will break for lunch between 12:00 to 1:30 PM, and we will complete each day at around 4:00 PM. They will be full-packed days! Worth your every penny!
The workshop will be taught by Alex Sumerall, an east coast Natural Builder who has a focus on creating earthen structures that are healthy, aesthetically pleasing, and functional for modern life. He is the owner of This Cob House, LLC, which is dedicated to teaching people about cob and natural building techniques. Alex has a background in business and advertising, and has been practicing Natural Building since 2011. He graduated from the Aprovecho School of Natural Building in 2013 in Cottage Grove, Oregon, and continues to teach, present, consult, and construct.
Earn A Certificate of Cob Building!

Upon completion of this workshop, you will be awarded with a certificate of cob building. This certificate is earned by all of our 5-day workshop students. It will be printed and signed by Alex for you to take home with you at the end of the week.
Free Bonus!
Everyone who signs up for the workshop will receive a printed copy of Alex’s book, “Build a Cob House: A Step-By-Step Guide”, and the downloadable PDF version, FREE! We only make printed copies for workshop students, so this is your chance to get one. We will be using the book as a lesson guide throughout the workshop too so you can follow along with your book in hand.
Listen to the great things that our workshop participants are saying!

“The cob workshop was a life-changing experience. I learned a lot about natural building, not only from Alex’s instruction, experience and demonstrations, but from interacting with people from different backgrounds who were a great source of collective knowledge. The hands-on experience was priceless!” Tony Romo, Texas
“The Cob Building Workshop was a great investment of my time! It was well organized, extremely inspiring, and FUN! Alex was able to explain construction basics to neophytes like me, yet he could also answer the complex questions asked by the more experienced workshop attendees. I can’t wait until the next workshop!”
Marybeth Babos, Tennessee
Lodging
There are two options for lodging: free camping on site, or making reservations at one of the local hotels or AirBnB. Hotels are available in the neighboring towns of Stark and Waldo, per Google maps, and possibly in Keystone Heights.
Camping is FREE and is available throughout the property. There are plenty of great locations to set up a tent here. Multiple camp areas are available with oak trees shading the majority of the property. Trees can be used appropriately for hammocks & camp gear. Campers will have access to a clean bathroom and private outdoor shower.
A modernized, yet simple, building contains a flushable toilet with a private outdoor shower that’s tucked away. It is spacious with room to keep things up and dry.
Our location has electricity & water. Electric outlets are minimal, with the ability to charge phones & power tools, in a single location. The water is well water and is drinkable, yet you may wish to bring your own.
Food
Meals will not be included in this workshop so participants will need to provide their own food. There are several local restaurants and grocery stores nearby the workshop site.
Each is responsible for their own meal preparation, unless decisions are made to share or combine. An hour for lunch is provided, allowing adequate time for a quick nap, a trip into town, fast food, cooking over the fire, or utilizing the grill. There is no official kitchen on site, but there is a small operational microwave, and a few pieces of kitchen camp gear available for use. Coolers are welcome and encouraged.
Local Places to Eat: McHenry’s (food & pub), Keystone Inn (country buffet, known for chicken) Hardee’s, McDonald’s, Subway, Johnny’s BBQ
Recreation & Surroundings
Bring a camp chair for some quality R&R. Build a community camp fire, while reflecting on the day. Enjoy the grassy area to throw a ball, walking trails through the woods, blackberry bushes, slightly traveled road that’s great for a leisurely walk, and the open field in the distance to spot deer, crane, & rabbits in the early mornings.
Family & Groups
Ask about discounts. We encourage group & family activities because it enhances learning among your support group. Email me at alex@thiscobhouse.com for custom group/family invoice.
Children/young people of any age are welcome to join in and learn. Please be aware that some areas are under construction, as is the purpose of this workshop. Previous workshop parents have brought playpens, pop up tents, outside toys, and so forth. Children are welcome to explore through “hands-on” learning. It’s okay if they play in the dirt.
Prices
Price: $499

Additional Discounts: 10% for family and friends participating together.
Teens accompanying a parent/guardian are half price. Children under 13 accompanying a parent/guardian are free.

Click here to register: https://www.thiscobhouse.com/introduction-cob-workshop-keystone-heights-florida/
If you have any other questions about the workshop, please feel free to email me at alex@thiscobhouse.com
If you have a large party of people registering, they can all register separately, or contact me for a custom invoice.

One Day Cob House
2020-06-12 19:00 - 2020-06-14 19:00 | Rosewater Ranch, 30 minutes north of Reno, Nevada, Reno, CA, United States
One-Day Cob House Build
See video from 2014’s event here
When: June 12-14, 2020
Where: Rosewater Ranch, Long Valley, 30 minutes northwest of Reno, Nevada.
Cost: $150 includes meals, instruction, camping spot
Instructors: Kyle Isacksen, Kathleen O’Brien and Katy Chandler
Host: Nathan Rosenbloom, Loping Coyote Farms, Rosewater Ranch
Registration: PayPal (registration button on website) or checks accepted.
After you register we’ll send you a follow-up email with more details.
Please email Kyle if you have any questions.
40 participant limit.
Checks to “Be the Change Project” 2055 McCloud Avenue, Reno, NV 89512
About the Workshop
The “One Day Cob House” event is an amazing, uplifting, and unique natural building experience. It’s a focused and jam-packed workshop that combines elements of a community barn raising with tried and true natural building techniques taught by talented instructors.
Cordwood cob is a technique that uses cordwood like bricks and cob like mortar and allows one to build much higher in a day compared to using just cob. A layer of cob by itself can be built about a foot high per day before needing to set and dry some; by using cordwood-cob and with enough hands we can make a full-height building. The wood, clay, and sand for this build are all locally sourced.
Rosewater Ranch is a budding community on 140 acres backing up to National Forest in the eastern foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains outside of Reno, NV. On the ranch Permaculture practices abound, goats, chickens, & turkeys roam, and there’s lots to absorb while there. The cabin we build will be round-ish, measure ~120 interior square feet, have a loft and green roof. It will be used as a studio and guest quarters.
Participants will learn:

Basics of a rubble trench foundation (the trench and earthbags will be done ahead of the workshop)

How to mix cob

How to set doors and window frames

How to plumb and trim walls

How to build with cordwood and cob

How to attach a roof and make a simple green roof

How to make and apply a light straw-clay plaster base coat

If you’ve been interested in learning about natural building, have some experience and want to improve, or maybe don’t have the time and money to dedicate to a full, longer workshop, this might be a great option for you. You’ll leave with a basic understanding of what it takes to put a complete cabin together and can expect to enjoy your time in a beautiful setting with lots of great people and food.
Daily Flow:
Friday
12:00 – arrival and camping set up, light lunch
Hands-on instruction in cordwood cob basics including mixing cob. We’ll also discuss how to build a rubble trench and earthbag stemwall and a tamped earth floor
7:00 – Dinner and fun
Saturday
6:00 – breakfast
6:45 – begin building
12:00 – lunch
5:00 – raise the roof!
7:00 – dinner and celebration
Sunday
8:00 – breakfast
9:00 – debrief and Q and A
10:00 – light straw clay plaster
1:00 – lunch
Afternoon departure

One Day, Part 2
Plastering and Earthen Floor Workshop
July 17-19, we’ll plaster the cabin’s walls and put in a finished earthen floor during a two-day workshop. Participants in the “One Day” are invited back for that weekend at a discounted rate of $40 (includes camping and meals).
Contact Kyle for more details.

Advanced Cobber Certification: Build a Sauna & Rocket Stove Heater near Mt. Lassen, California
2020-06-10 16:00 - 2020-06-28 14:00 | Barb and Tara’s Land, Shingletown, CA, 96088, United States
NEW DATES, SHORTER WORKSHOP, LOWER COST!!!!,

HOST & LOCATION
Our California hosts are Barbara and Tara, mother and daughter, who live in Shingletown, where they recently bought a five-acre piece of raw land, completely off-grid, near Mt Lassen National Park. They have a wonderful view of the volcano, plus a year round creek and abundant wild life including deer, turkeys, cougars, bears, bobcats, foxes, etc.

The workshop site is located in Shingletown, a small town in Lassen County, half an hour east of Redding and 3 1/2 hours north of San Francisco. Students will definitely have alot of adventures available in Nature in the midst of the most beautiful counties of California: Shasta, Trinity, Klamath, Mendocino, and in the surrounding towns and cities on weekends.
Upon arriving to the land in January, the only structure was a small unfinished 120 square foot building, without heat, water or electricity. Now it is their humble kitchen. The creek provides their water needs.

Recently they built another 120 square foot cabin.. using local lumber and insulated with sheep’s wool. It’s very cute!

They feel this land to be very healing supporting their vision for the land to one day be a healing retreat center. They also have two small green houses and a garden where they are doing their best to cultivate as much high quality food as they can.

Instead of being subjected to the harsh environment of city life, here one is completely immersed in the sounds and sights of nature.

They look forward to receiving you all with open hearts and much excitement!

PROJECT
This Advanced Cobber Certification training offers a complete foundation to roof build over a period of 19 days as we will be building a smaller structure, namely a 60-80 ft2 sauna, depending on the number of students, heated by a rocket stove. The foundation and first floor coats will be built in first three days from the local rock on and near the land using lime and sand mortar. On Days 4-9 we will build the circular Cob Wall with opening and fixed windows, niches, shelves, bottles, other useful natural elements inserted into the wall for hanging towels and clothing, electrical and plumbing fixtures and pipes/housing, and the roof connection. On Day 10 we will sculpt the walls and on Day 11 we will sculpt and plaster the wall. Day 12 we will build the rocket heater attached to the sauna wall and Days 13-15 will be for the Roof and second Floor coat. Students will learn ALOT by building every day with continuous instruction both practical hands-on and theoretical using lecture time, slides and videos. You will leave fully confident to build your own cob house or someone else’s, which is your next step after graduating from our training! This will take you to the next level of understanding and experience after which you will be a much more competent workshop assistant and builder.

ADVANCED COB BUILDING WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
This Intensive 19-day Advanced Cob Building Workshop consists of theoretical instruction
(lectures with graphics) and construction for 4 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon.
Students arrive on Wednesday, June 10th, and settle in. The workshop begins at 4pm with an Opening Circle, a Host Site orientation and Introduction to the Project. Dinner is served at 6pm and followed by an Introduction to the Workshop. Thursday morning we begin digging the trench for our Cob Building!!!!
Following Breakfast, the morning session lasts 4 hours with a 20-minute snack pause. Lunch break lasts 1.5 hours which includes rest time before the 3-hour afternoon session begins. There will be a daily 60-minute lecture either after lunch or after dinner on most days. After class in the afternoon there is a 90-minute break before dinner, in which students are encouraged to stretch, do yoga, relax. There is often someone officially or informally leading yoga or some other movement practice in the morning and/or afternoon. There will also be a few evenings after dinner for showing slides, videos and having Course-related discussions. Most evenings are free and sometimes other students offer informal courses in their specialties and passions.
This 19-day Course will offer practical learning by building a complete 60-80ft2 (depending on number of students) curvilinear building from foundation to roof, as described in the “Project” section above. Those who complete the Workshop will receive an Advanced Cobber Certificate of Completion for Foundation, Cob Walls (which includes Door, Windows, Shelves, Art, Electrical & Plumbing), Floor, Plaster & Roof.

SCHEDULE

The Advanced Cob Building Workshop begins on Wednesday, June 10th, 2020 at 4pm with the Opening Circle and Introduction to Site & Project, the Welcome Dinner and Introduction to the Course. It ends on Sunday, June 28, 2020 after the Closing Circle & Lunch.
Students should arrive no later than noon on June 10th. If you need to arrive a day before please let Claudine know so we can check with Host.
The daily schedule (subject to slight modifications due to climate) will be:
6:30-7:30 Yoga/Chi Gong/Meditation 7:30-8:30 Breakfast
8:45-1:00 Class
1:00-2:30 Lunch
2:30-5:30 Class
5:30-7:00 Rest/Yoga
7:00-8:00 Dinner
8:00-9:00 Slides/Videos/Discussion (once a week)

COURSE CONTENTS
Students will learn every phase of building a cob building from foundation through the roof in
lectures/theory. In addition to the lectures, slideshows and videos will be shown to support and
enhance their understanding of cob materials, cob building, design, geography , budgeting,
business options and legal issues.
Our hands-on practice will include:
digging foundation trench
pouring gravel and inserting drainage pipe (if applicable)
building foundation stemwall
analyzing soils and materials
making test bricks
deciding on correct mixture
deciding on best location
making cob w/ partner and solo
building with cob
preparing and inserting the door
preparing and inserting fixed and opening windows
preparing and inserting shelves
inserting bottle windows and other objects
inserting electrical wiring and plumbing in walls
sculpting
preparing and applying earthen plasters (2 coats)
pouring an earthen floor (2 layers)
preparing walls for roof connection
building roof frame
building roof covering
making small-scale cob designs of future projects, time permitting
In addition to Cob Building practices, the Course material also includes:
legal cob construction practices
cost analysis
creating a cob business (building/teaching)
assisting, interning and teaching with CruzinCobGlobal

REQUIREMENTS & IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Students will need to come prepared for physical labor from Day 1.
This includes:
Work clothes appropriate for the country and climate we are in
Work boots or other closed-toe shoes
Flip-flops for cobbing days
Rubber dishwashing gloves (for lime mortar)
Work Gloves
Tape Measure
Box Cutter
Carving Knife
Wood Hand Saw (cheap), Level (2ft), Hammer (if possible)
Ear Plugs (roof week)
4”-6” Diameter Round Plastic Container Lids (plastering)
Good Moisturizer
Hat
Sunglasses
Safety Glasses
Water Bottle
Notebook/Pen/Camera
Sample of Your Soil (Optional)

These workshops are designed for people that want to learn how to build a complete structure fromstart to finish in a professional manner and amount of time. They are very intensive and, while we
make time for yoga, stretching, dancing, music, relaxing….all students are expected to be present and participating in all building/learning hours unless ill or have some other significant reason. This is
because we design the size of the building and organize the structure of the workshop in accordance
with the number of students and when people are absent it impacts the whole group and the other
students have to work harder. In addition Instructors try to set up building work according to students’ preferences and learning needs.
That being said, the workshop intensity also changes throughout the 19 days. The foundation days break people in with the work of moving, lifting, rolling and placing rocks and is a new and demanding physical experience for most students. They also include the first layers and coat of cob floor. The 6 days of of cob making and building are similar to the rock foundation week in physical demand but are more flowing and active in movement and cardiovascular exercise. Then students tap into their creative source and design and sculpt the walls and around niches, shelves, windows, etc. Plastering follows sculpting and is also an enjoyable lightweight physical experience that lends itself to talking and sharing at the wall in a meditative rhythm as the students have bonded and shared deeply through a variety of experiences for this time. With the roof, there is a change of pace from the earthen building work including carpentry skills, power tools, hammering, screwing, trimming, etc. But now the workshop is in its final stretch and there is a boost of energy to wrap up the green roof and the second floor coat, the grand finale on the last day. In this workshop we have a special bonus of including a rocket stove workshop for the heating of the sauna.

For students wanting a more mellow slow-paced cob experience along with time for personal
exploration and experimentation, these workshops are not for you. However you can find a more
suitable workshop online that is usually for a shorter period building a garden wall, a bench, a
compost toilet or some other small-scale project.
Students are required to read “The Hand-Sculpted House” before the workshop begins and any
other book they find, as well as watching videos on YouTube, especially the ones posted on
CruzinCobGlobal’s website under Gallery to get an idea of what is expected. Please bring your
book(s).

Students must tend to their own personal needs, drink alot of water, rest when needed and exert themselves at a steady pace. Students who cannot do the strenuous physical work should let us
know before the workshop begins so we can adjust appropriately. It is totally OK to come for the lecture/theory part, and then help the building part in less physically demanding ways, ie cutting
straw, sifting for plaster, hammering nails into frames or shelves, sculpting, plastering, cutting bottles. There is alot to do besides making and building with cob!!!!
Finally, please bring a watch or use your phone to be prompt and ready for each part of the Course
including meals. Feel free to share your dietary needs with CCG or the Host and bring your
essential snacks and foods, pillow and whatever you NEED to be comfortable and happy. Feel free
to also bring slides, videos, movies and books to share, as well as a sample of your soil to test.

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS
Students without a personal vehicle or not carpooling (we will organize a carpooling list a month before the start date) can take a bus (Greyhound/Trailways) to Redding or even fly in to the local airport. Students can also fly into San Francisco or Sacramento and take a bus or train from there. Usually all students can get rides from other students to the site from their home base (if in driveable distance) or from the closest city or town along the way.

MEALS, ACCOMMODATIONS & WHAT ELSE TO BRING
Students will be fed 3 high-quality delicious meals a day during the weekdays prepared by experienced cooks. CruzinCobGlobal hosts always serve amazing food to cob students in gratitude for their hard work! Since this is California there is no lack of amazing vegetarian food, which will be the basis of our menu. Students that have non-vegetarian requirements can bring personal items to complete their diet and other requirements can be presented to the cooks a month before the start date so they can make sure to have what is needed. We will try to meet people’s requirements of course so it is important to communicate them as soon as possible. On weekends, food will be available for students to prepare if they are on site, because the cooks will be off-duty.

Students will be camping close by in the lovely meadows, or in the forest. Compost toilets, hot and cold showers, a dining area, yoga/dance space and a cozy hangout communal area will be offered for maximum comfort and enjoyment during this wonderful and transformational time together. The site has normal cell phone service which students can hotspot to their computers if desired..
For those not wanting to camp, there may be a few indoor options available on the land for a reasonable fee. Please inquire.
Our hosts’ additional recommendations to bring are:
Bathing Suit for lakes, rivers and hot springs
Hiking/Backpacking gear if desired for weekends
Warm jacket for evening time
Raingear (occasional rainshowers)
Musical Instruments
Chocolate!
There are many local stores in case you forget something!

INSTRUCTOR
Claudine Desiree is the original “Cob Queen” of Santa Cruz, where she founded the original “Sunflower Cob Building” which quickly morphed into the California-based “Cruzin’ Cob”, the cob workshop and building business that evolved over a decade. Once her three sons were “out of the house”, she went for her dream of traveling around the world on a bike teaching cob workshops everywhere every few months to continue supporting herself by offering up what she loves in the countries and languages she is passionate about. To work internationally with no home base required a new name and a website, hence CruzinCobGlobal was born naturally and appropriately and, after 5 years on the road, Claudine has finally found a new home….for now. On the island of São Miguel in the Azores (where are the Azores?) she will establish a home and a small Cob Village called “Quinta da Vida Boa” for retreats, workshops, education and just plain chillin’in with friends and family!!!! CruzinCobGlobal will continue to do the important work of building the best houses and best communities ever of course… with new Teachers hitting the Cob road in 2020 as CCG-trained students begin leading workshops and builds around the world. Claudine will also keep teaching in her favorite places and spreading the Cob everywhere, with more focus on the Azores land and project now. California will always be one of those favorite places, her and her children’s home for 20 years. And the demand to learn Cob in California is always growing with the fires and earthquakes threatening conventional houses. Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe are calling too! And the best part is we have a “legal” Cob Code to use anywhere in the world thanks to the CRI architects’ and engineers’ hard work and focus!

Viva Hansen has been cobbing since the age of 9 when he took “Cob Building” as a homeschooling class at home! After college he began taking it more seriously and accompanied his mother, the Cob Queen (Claudine) on a GlobalCobTrotting world bike tour through Europe and Africa when he honed his building, teaching, language and international rapping skills. Viva has assisted and taught cob building and oven workshops in various countries and languages and, while he especially enjoys creating ovens/outdoor eating spaces and focusing on all things related to rocket stoves and mass heaters, his Heart is in any kind of Cob Building. Viva loves the workshop ambiance and the transformational power of “Cob & Community” it provides! Viva is also a certified massage therapist, writer, musician, videographer, NVC student and avid traveller who is working on creating a program for mentoring young men in the art of living a healthy, balanced and fulfilling life in these challenging times. We are SO fortunate to have Viva on the team!

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT

The fee for the 19-day Advanced Cobber Certificate Course which includes tuition, camping and all meals (including Sudays when students will prepare for themselves) is:
$1650 paid by June 1st, 2020
Payment can be made by bank transfer in USD or Euros, using Transferwise, Paypal, Zelle or Venmo. To hold your spot in this workshop you will need to pay the full amount or a 50% deposit that will be non-refundable after MAY 1st, 2020. The balance will be due by May 20th. Please contact claudine@cruzincobglobal.org to register.
We always offer four work trade discounts, 2 in the kitchen making breakfast in the morning and 2 helping prepare the site in the morning before breakfast. Each work trade is for one hour a day during the 16 workshop days for $10 off per day or $160 off either the food cost or the tuition cost. Work traders need to pay a 50% deposit at the time of their registration to guarantee their spot. To apply for these work trade positions please contact claudine@cruzincobglobal.org as soon as possible because these are the first spots to go.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO DANCING WITH YOU IN THE MUD!!!!

Natural Building Part 4: Building with Adobe, Cob, Wattle and Daub; Thermal Properties and passive Solar Design
2020-05-29 - 2020-05-31 | Abuela Gardens, 4649 Bear Canyon Rd., Willits, CA, 95490, United States
Part four in a 4-part series that covers practice and theory of structural systems (timber framing), insulation (straw bales) and thermal mass wall systems (cob, adobe, wattle and daub). This workshop covers cob mixing and building, cob trimming, sculpting and detail work, building an adobe arch, building wattle-and-daub and clay-wattle walls, thermal properties of natural materials, passive solar design, hybrid natural building design, planning and sequencing your natural building, plastering and finishing options. For maximum learning, you can stay on site for the entire month and get more practice in between workshops. Instructors include Michael G. Smith of StrawClayWood.com (co-founder of the Cob Cottage Company and co-author of The Hand-Sculpted House and The Art of Natural Building), Colin Gillespie and Eric Lassotovitch of Polecraft Solutions, and Blair Phillips of Abuela Gardens.

Natural Building Part 3: Building with Earth: Cob, Clay Plasters & adobe Blocks; Construction Details
2020-05-22 - 2020-05-24 | Abuela Gardens, 4649 Bear Canyon Rd., Willits, CA, 95490, United States
Part three in a 4-part series that covers practice and theory of structural systems (timber framing), insulation (straw bales) and thermal mass wall systems (cob, adobe, wattle and daub). This workshop covers mechanized cob mixing and building, mixing and applying earthen base coat plasters, cob trimming, sculpting and detail work, preparing clay slip and chopped straw, making adobe blocks, installing doors and windows, plumbing and wiring in natural wall systems, and a tour of nearby natural buildings.
Fee includes all organic meals and on-site camping. For maximum learning, you can stay on site for the entire month and get more practice in between workshops. Instructors include Michael G. Smith of StrawClayWood.com (co-founder of the Cob Cottage Company and co-author of The Hand-Sculpted House and The Art of Natural Building), Colin Gillespie and Eric Lassotovitch of Polecraft Solutions, and Blair Phillips of Abuela Gardens.

Community Cob & Balecob Build
2020-05-18 19:00 - 2020-05-30 19:00 | Barb’s Homestead, Near Lassen National Park, CA, United States
Community Cob & Balecob Build
Location: Near Lassen National Park, California
Date: Two weeks: May 18th-May 30th. Sunday, May 24th is a rest day. Come for as many or as few days as you’d like.
Cost: $25/day includes instruction, space to camp, and vegetarian meals.
Instructor: Kyle Isacksen
Registration: PayPal (registration button on web page) or checks accepted.
After you register we’ll send you a follow-up email with more details and get the dates of your arrival and departure.
Please email Kyle if you have any questions.
Checks to “Be the Change Project” 2055 McCloud Avenue, Reno, NV 89512
Limited to 10 participants/day.
Daily Schedule:
7:30 Breakfast
8:15 Morning building session
12:00 Lunch
1:30 Discussion and Q & A
2:00 Afternoon building session
3:30 Snack
5:00 End building session
7:00 Dinner
We’re building a small cob and balecob cabin with a mother-daughter duo on their rustic homestead in the Sierra Nevada Foothills outside of Lassen National Park. As a Community Build, we’ll be focused on production with learning as opposed to a workshop where we focus primarily on teaching and skill development through building. This format keeps the cost low for participants while getting many helping hands on site for the build.
Interspersed in each building session instructors will teach techniques and guide participants as the structure is built.
If you’ve been interested in learning about natural building, have some experience and want to improve, or maybe don’t have the time and money to dedicate to a full workshop, this might be a good option for you.
Participants can register for as many of the 12 days as they’d like.
Construction Flow:
Earthbag Stemwall (the rubble trench will be done prior to the build)
Tamped earth floor (first parts of an earthen floor)
Cobbing
Balecob
Straw-clay plaster
Basic electric & plumbing
Windows & Doors
“Deadmen” supports for shelves
Note: We will not be getting to the roof during this Community Build.
For more information about Balecob read Kyle and Conrad’s article in Mother Earth News magazine. For general natural building information, buy Conrad’s book, “House of Earth” in print or online.

Natural Builidng Part 2: Building with Straw Bales and Cob; Materials Selection and Soil Analysis
2020-05-15 - 2020-05-17 | Abuela Gardens, 4649 Bear Canyon Rd., Willits, CA, 95490, United States
Part two in a 4-part series that covers practice and theory of structural systems (timber framing), insulation (straw bales) and thermal mass wall systems (cob, adobe, wattle and daub). This workshop covers manual cob mixing and building, best practices for building with straw bales, clay soil analysis and harvesting, foundations, sitework and drainage.
Fee includes all organic meals and on-site camping. For maximum learning, you can stay on site for the entire month and get more practice in between workshops. Instructors include Michael G. Smith of StrawClayWood.com (co-founder of the Cob Cottage Company and co-author of The Hand-Sculpted House and The Art of Natural Building), Colin Gillespie and Eric Lassotovitch of Polecraft Solutions, and Blair Phillips of Abuela Gardens.

Intro to Fast Cob & Natural Finishing
2020-05-14 15:30 - 2020-05-18 11:00 | Lasqueti Island, 1 Beautiful Bicycle Lane, Lasqueti Island, BC, V0R 2J0, Canada
Last year, we introduced this Short Course and it was a great success. You’ll get a full sense of our Fast Cob technique (which allowed 1.5 people to build the 900 sq.ft. house in the photo in just 5 months!), and you’ll get to know how to finish buildings naturally, from base layer to finish layer and even whitewash. Everything we use is completely natural and everything you learn can be done anywhere on the planet. Of course, without prior building experience, a 3 day workshop will not give you everything you need to start building your home. But if you’re curious about Fast Cob or cob in general (but don’t want to exhaust yourself), this course is for you. Come and let your creative side have fun!
The cost of the 5 day Short Course workshops covers all meals (3 hot vegan/vegetarian meals prepared for you for each of the 3 full workshop days, plus a welcoming dinner and a good-bye breakfast on the final day), on-site camping with running, potable water, hot showers, and hands-on instruction.
You can apply for any of our workshops by visiting https://cob.lasqueti.ca/workshops.html…simply read through our full descriptions, then scroll to the bottom of the webpage and fill in our quick and easy application form. You’ll receive an email confirming your application soon after with all the necessary information to complete your registration. We only have 4 spots remaining for this workshop.
Fast Cob is a truly revolutionary technique: it can empower anyone (a 60 year old woman with bad knees has been cobbing like mad since her full week workshop last August) to build just about anything, without exhausting yourself, going into debt or spending years on a project. Any building up to 2000 sq.ft. can be built in one season with Fast Cob, and without machines or thousands of dollars of tools!

Introduction to Cob Workshop
2020-05-11 - 2020-05-15 | Unnamed Venue, Jonesborough, TN, United States
Dates: May 11 – May 15, 2020
Location: Jonesborough, Tennessee
Sign up here: https://www.thiscobhouse.com/introduction-to-cob-workshop-jonesborough-tennessee/
Come and join us in beautiful eastern Tennessee for our next Introduction to Cob Workshop! We will be constructing a cob house. A perfect project for beginners and experts alike! You will get the knowledge to build cob projects scaling from smaller things, such as cob ovens and benches, up to large projects like homes and buildings.
This workshop is a great experience to learn how to build with cob and to get a broad learning overview of natural building techniques. You will get a solid foundation in cob building fundamentals. We will be constructing the walls on a new cob building and studying Natural Building together each day. After this workshop, you will have the basic experience and confidence to design and build your own simple cob constructions or cob building.
Hands-On Work Topics:
– How to make cob (learn how to make cob with a mortar mixer)
– Selecting and testing soils for cob (learn several ways to test your soil composition)
– Building cob walls (learn my four steps to efficient cob wall building)
– Creating window and door frames (how to build and attach frames to cob walls)
– Rammed Earth Demonstration (building rammed earth forms and compaction process)
– Earthen Plaster (learn to mix and apply earth plaster)
Classroom and Discussion Topics:
– Site selection and design (includes Passive Solar design principles)
– Materials and tools (covers traditional and modern cob building toolset and materials)
– Rubble trench foundations (Plus general foundation building)
– Drainage principles (Important: water can be cob’s worst enemy)
– Basic Electrical and Plumbing integration for cob homes
– Installing windows and doors
– Roofing and Bond Beams
– Natural plasters and finishes (Vapor Permeable / “Breathable” finishes)
– Overview of Natural Building materials
This workshop is a unique experience for people to learn about building cob homes and to get an overview of Natural Building. Not only are there plenty of hands-on lessons to learn from, but we will also have ample discussion and informal classroom time. Most cob workshops don’t cover this many topics. But here, you will learn all the core lessons needed to start building from this one workshop!
Plus – there will be many hours of discussions about building cob homes and natural building throughout the workshop. Its a great way to get your questions answered and brainstorm your building ideas!
The workshop will be held at a private property in Jonesborough, Tennessee.
Each day will begin at 9:00 AM, and the days will include hands-on building, classroom sessions, discussions, and learning activities related to cob and natural building topics. We will break for lunch between 12:00 to 1:30 PM, and we will complete each day at around 4:00 PM. They will be full-packed days! Worth your every penny!
The workshop will be taught by Alex Sumerall, an east coast Natural Builder who has a focus on creating earthen structures that are healthy, aesthetically pleasing, and functional for modern life. He is the owner of This Cob House, LLC, which is dedicated to teaching people about cob and natural building techniques. Alex has a background in business and advertising, and has been practicing Natural Building since 2011. He graduated from the Aprovecho School of Natural Building in 2013 in Cottage Grove, Oregon, and continues to teach, present, consult, and construct.
Free Bonus!
Everyone who signs up for the workshop will receive a printed copy of Alex’s book, “Build a Cob House: A Step-By-Step Guide”, and the downloadable PDF version, FREE! We only make printed copies for workshop students, so this is your chance to get one. We will be using the book as a lesson guide throughout the workshop too so you can follow along with your book in hand.
Listen to the great things that our workshop participants are saying!
“The cob workshop was a life-changing experience. I learned a lot about natural building, not only from Alex’s instruction, experience and demonstrations, but from interacting with people from different backgrounds who were a great source of collective knowledge. The hands-on experience was priceless!” Tony Romo, Texas
“The Cob Building Workshop was a great investment of my time! It was well organized, extremely inspiring, and FUN! Alex was able to explain construction basics to neophytes like me, yet he could also answer the complex questions asked by the more experienced workshop attendees. I can’t wait until the next workshop!”
Marybeth Babos, Tennessee
Lodging
There are two options for lodging: free camping on site, or making reservations at one of the local hotels or AirBnB. Hotels are available in the neighboring towns of Jonesborough, Gray, and Johnson City.
Camping is FREE, but space is limited on the property so let us know ahead of time if you will be camping or lodging off-site. Campers will have access to a portable toilet and private outdoor shower.
The location has electricity & water. Electric outlets are minimal, with the ability to charge phones & power tools.
Food
Meals will not be included in this workshop so participants will need to provide their own food. There are several local restaurants and grocery stores nearby the workshop site.
Each is responsible for their own meal preparation, unless decisions are made to share or combine. An hour for lunch is provided, allowing adequate time for food and a quick nap or trip into town. There is no official kitchen on site. Coolers are welcome and encouraged.
Recreation & Surroundings
Jonesborough is located near the edge of the Appalachian Mountains in eastern Tennessee. It is a beautiful area, and there are many scenic places to visit nearby. You can also travel to places like Gatlinburg, TN or Asheville, NC within a short driving distance.
Family & Groups
Ask about discounts. We encourage group & family activities because it enhances learning among your support group. Email me at alex@thiscobhouse.com for custom group/family invoice.
Children/young people of any age are welcome to join in and learn. Please be aware that some areas are under construction, as is the purpose of this workshop, but it is generally child-safe.

Price: $499
Additional Discounts: 10% for family and friends participating together.
Teens accompanying a parent/guardian are half price. Children under 13 accompanying a parent/guardian are free.
Sign up here: https://www.thiscobhouse.com/introduction-to-cob-workshop-jonesborough-tennessee/
If you have any other questions about the workshop, please feel free to email me at alex@thiscobhouse.com
If you have a large party of people registering, they can all register separately, or contact me for a custom invoice.

Natural Builidng Part 1: Introduction to Round Pole Framing and Ecological Forest Management
2020-05-01 19:00 - 2020-05-03 19:00 | Abuela Gardens, 4649 Bear Canyon Rd., Willits, CA, 95490, United States
Part one in a 4-part series that covers practice and theory of structural systems (timber framing), insulation (straw bales) and thermal mass wall systems (cob, adobe, wattle and daub). This workshop covers ecological forest management and timber selection, pole harvesting and peeling, timber framing fundamentals and design, selecting and caring for tools, timber framing fundamentals including layout, mortise-and-tenon joinery, bent assembly and frame raising.
Fee includes all organic meals and on-site camping. For maximum learning, you can stay on site for the entire month and get more practice in between workshops. Instructors include Michael G. Smith of StrawClayWood.com (co-founder of the Cob Cottage Company and co-author of The Hand-Sculpted House and The Art of Natural Building), Colin Gillespie and Eric Lassotovitch of Polecraft Solutions, and Blair Phillips of Abuela Gardens.

Natural Building Four-Part Series
2020-05-01 - 2020-05-31 | Abuela Gardens, 4649 Bear Canyon Rd., Willits, CA, 95490, United States
This is a 4-part series that covers practice and theory of structural systems (timber framing), insulation (straw bales) and thermal mass wall systems (cob, adobe, wattle and daub). Each intensive lasts 3 days (Friday-Sunday) in May. For maximum learning, you can stay on site for the entire month and get more practice in between workshops. This is an unusual opportunity to learn nearly all aspects of building a hybrid natural home from experienced instructors in a hands-on setting.
Fee includes all organic meals and on-site camping. Instructors include Michael G. Smith of StrawClayWood.com (co-founder of the Cob Cottage Company and co-author of The Hand-Sculpted House and The Art of Natural Building), Colin Gillespie and Eric Lassotovitch of Polecraft Solutions, and Blair Phillips of Abuela Gardens.
See individual workshop descriptions for more details.
