Cob Workshops

Artistry with Clay and Lime
2023-06-05 - 2023-06-10 | Be the Change Project, 2055 McCloud Avenue, Reno, NV, 89512, United States
The Project
During this six day workshop we will cover the essentials of natural and earthen plasters and dive deeper into the more specific finishes for your home. Each participant will have their own practice panel to learn these methods with ease and repetition.
This workshop will cover a large range of natural wall finishes including:

Simple clay & lime basecoats

Smoothed and polished clay finishes

Clay paint

Lime finishes & fresco

Stabilized exterior plasters

This course is suitable for both beginners and experts. You will learn everything from the basics, such as finding soil, how to compose a mix, and applying that mix, and then the more advanced practices, such as water-resistant lime tadelakt. You will leave with a confidence and understanding of how to coat walls in your own home with beautiful, creative earth finishes.
During every workshop we make time for specific issues related to individual situations. This usually includes 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.
Kyle’s book, “Build it with Earth: the Cob Pizza Oven” and Conrad’s, “House of Earth” are both included with the workshop and will be mailed before we begin.
About Athena
Athena Steen grew up building with clay and adobe. She loves creating sculpted spaces that connect form with function, and walls rich with pattern, texture and color. Through the Canelo Project, a small non-profit organization, Athena and Bill, her husband, have been teaching workshops for over thirty years, in strawbale construction and earthen building. Focused on simple, low-skill, low-cost methods that build community between people, culture and nature. Co-authors of “The Straw Bale House,” “Small Strawbale,” and “Built by Hand,” Their influence in the natural building world has been widespread. When Athena does not have her hands in the mud, she also enjoys publishing and designing books.
Oso, her son and co-teacher for this workshop, has been immersed in natural building, including working with clay. He has built several clay-plastered strawbale, adobe, and timber frame structures from start to finish. He is an excellent hands-on teacher.
About the Site
The Be the Change Project is a Reno-based nonprofit, centered on our half-acre urban homestead where we have offered classes, tours, and workshops since 2011. That year we were able to buy what was a run down and neglected house on a half-acre through fundraising and crowdfunding. Since then we have enjoyed living an alternative and off-the-grid lifestyle while transforming the property into a verdant oasis. It has become a center for neighborhood uplift as well as a model for simpler living in the urban/suburban context. We were a Mother Earth News Magazine Homestead of the Year in 2013.
Reno is in the high desert on the western edge of the Great Basin. The weather in May and June is usually warm, clear, and sunny during the days with much cooler nights. It can get hot, and rain is unlikely.
Along with earthen cabins, landscape walls, ovens, and plasters on site, we’ve developed and use many systems for living more sustainably in town which you’ll get to know and use during the workshop:

Solar cooking and wall heaters

Small scale solar PV

Wood stove and solar thermosiphon water heating

Composting – vermicomposting and conventional aerobic piles

Alternative septic system – the Watson Wick

Basic principles and practices of Permaculture

Organic small plot intensive gardening including season extenders like hoop houses, root cellaring and solar dehydrating

ScAvenging! – upcycling and salvaging materials from the urban waste stream

Living with little electricity and fossil fuels

Wood-fired hot tub

Lodging
We have a variety of lodging options including cob cabins, rooms, tent sites, and parking for camper vans. Couples get priority for the cabins.
Registration, Payment, & Refunds
This workshop requires a $400 deposit to hold your space. When a deposit is made, Kyle will reach out to you, welcome you to the course, and get you in the email loop with all the details.
Go here to make a Venmo deposit or send a check for $400 made out to Cobitat and mailed to 2055 McCloud Avenue, Reno, NV 89512. Full payments are also gladly accepted.
Deposit is refundable (minus $50 for books and mailing cost if they’ve already been shipped to you) until 6 weeks before the start of the class. If you cancel with less than six weeks before the start of the class and your spot can be filled, we will issue a refund minus book costs. If it can’t be filled, your deposit will not be refunded.
Full payment is requested by two weeks before the start of each class.

Register by Making a $400 Deposit

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. On some 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.
7:30am-Breakfast
8:30am-Talk/discussion
9am – Hands-on
10:30 or 11am- Snack break
1pm – Lunch
2pm – Hands-on
4:30pm – Clean -up
5pm -Class ends
7pm – Dinner
8pm -Optional slideshow7:30 breakfast
Delicious home-cooked meals are provided and will be vegetarian with occasional meat options.
Pickup and Dropoff
Airport pickup and drop off is available from the Reno Airport on only the Sunday or Monday morning before the start of the workshop and the Saturday at the end of the workshop.
Support Staff
Kyle Isacksen has been building with earth since 2010 and teaching natural building since 2011 with House Alive, Be the Change Project, and now Cobitat. Kyle has a background in construction, teaching, and simple living. He’s worked as a framer, carpenter, and commercial roofer and recently finished building a “green” conventional house in his neighborhood in Reno. He was a science teacher for 7 years, is a frequent speaker on sustainable living, and is a contributing writer for Mother Earth News magazine and blog. Kyle enjoys basketball, hiking, reading, and martial arts.
Katy Chandler is the co-founder of the Be the Change Project and has lived in and played with natural building materials for many years. She is a prolific gardener, certified permaculture designer, urban garlic farmer, and former math teacher and school designer. She loves to dance, laugh, and pore over seed catalogs while cozied up to the wood stove on long winter nights. Kyle and Katy also have two teenage sons.

Natural Building Basics Cob Workshop
2023-06-10 17:00 - 2023-06-20 12:00 (America/Chicago) | Cob hill natural building school, hughes springs, TX, 75656, United States
This action-packed, hands-on/feet-on workshop is for adults and youth ages 12 and up accompanied by parents who intend to build their own cob home! Test your grit during 10 days at Cob Hill Natural Building School, as Cat Taylor teaches the techniques and skills you will need to get from the foundation to the roofing system. We will learn about various building styles: cob; bale cob; palletable cob. We will also cover many other natural building concepts like: site placement and preparation; dig a rubble trench; stack a stone stem wall; tamp subfloors; set windows; build up our walls and of course cob, cob, cob!

Hands on experience covering

soil testing

foundations

dig a rubble trench

pier and beam

stack a stone stem wall (dry stacking)

cob building

bale cob

palletable cob

timber framing

windows and doors

roof designs

living roofs

roof sheathing

tree felling

log peeling

log milling (saw mill)

Shou Sugi Ban(Japanese art of waterproofing wood)

class time

site selection

home design

passive solar

earthen plasters

straw bale

LSC – light straw clay insulation

basic electric

basic plumbing

facts and myths in natural building

common mistakes in natural building

choosing build style

project planning

budgeting

acquiring materials

purchasing property and permits

correct placement of building

water catchment

composting toilets

Primitive tent camping sites are available near the build including access to hot showers, plus 3 plant-based meals a day are included in your tuition! You will need to bring your own camping gear. (See FAQ section of naturalbuildingorg.com) Prospective attendees, please be advised that we are unable to accommodate guests, unregistered children under 12 or pets on site for the duration of the workshop; however, there are nearby lodging options available for them including Daingerfield State Park, as well as two boarding options within 30 minutes of Cob Hill.

Cob Rocket-Heated Cook Stove in North Carolina (Murphy, NC, USA)
2023-06-11 08:00 - 2023-06-18 17:00 (America/New_York) | Earthsong Regenerative Farm, Murphy, NC, United States
OUR HOSTS

Daniel & Molly at Buck Bald Sunset

Molly and Daniel will be the hosts of our workshop, a lovely young couple starting a new life sharing Earthsong Regenerative Farm, a 40-acre homestead in beautiful rural southwestern North Carolina, with Molly’s parents and godmother since August 2021. Murphy lies between the Nantahala and Chattahoochee Oconee National Forests, a couple of hours from Atlanta, Asheville, Chattanooga and Knoxville. It is the county seat of Cherokee County and at the confluence of the Hiwassee and Valley rivers.
Over the last two years, they have fallen in love with the lush forests, rolling green hills, red clay soil, abundant fresh water, and loving people of the Appalachian mountains. Molly is a
passionate zero waste activist, visual and performing artist, and permaculture
practitioner. Daniel is a newly trained massage therapist, Waldorf teacher, and has a
real soft spot

The Barn

for animals of all kinds. Along with Molly’s parents, Mary and Peter, the two have steadily improved the land’s infrastructure over the past two years, building a community building with kitchen, bathroom, and living room, putting in a well, creating mixed perennial/annual gardens, and building platforms for wall tents. They envision a robust mixture of fruit orchards, gardens, cob dwellings, farm animals, communal spaces, and outdoor kitchens manifesting within the next 5 years. Their dream is to build their farm into a communal hub for sustainability, spirituality, and arts education.

Mary, Molly, Daniel and Peter

Daniel and Molly are so excited to be receiving the gift of a cob home through this workshop, having fallen in love with the beauty of cob structures many years ago. Molly and Daniel have lived in a wall tent since moving to NC, so this project will provide them with an insulated, sturdy dwelling for the first time since 2021.

THE LOCATION

sunset over the barn

Earthsong Regenerative Farm is located at the end of a dirt road in the Great Smoky Mountains of southwestern North Carolina. The land is very peaceful and quiet – you will be lulled to sleep by the songs of the cicadas and peepers. It is a lovely mixture of forest and open pasture with many creeks and springs flowing throughout, and an eight-stall horse barn at its center. There are walking paths throughout the forest that provide endless enjoyment and solitude for the walker. This area of the Appalachian Mountains is one of the most biodiverse in North America. The array of different insects, birds, flowers, and animals on the Farm is a constant joy to behold! From early May to late June, the fireflies fill the evening air with dancing, twinkling lights, just like a fairy ball.

forest in bloom

The Farm is 20 minutes from the town of Copperhill, TN, where there are restaurants on the river, a coffee shop, craft breweries, and assorted gift stores. The farm is 40 minutes from the larger towns of Murphy, NC, Blue Ridge, GA, and Blairsville, GA, all of which offer grocery stores, cafes, shops, high quality restaurants, and craft breweries. The nationally renowned John C. Campbell Folk School is located in Murphy, NC, and offers a robust curriculum of traditional arts and crafts courses as well as free community events throughout each week: live music, contra dancing, communal singing, etc. There is an abundance of nature hikes and swimming spots in the area.
Molly and Daniel’s favorites are Cherokee Lake, a huge lake where on almost any day of the weekend you will find no other swimmers, and Turtle Creek Falls, a beautiful hike through the forest that visits two large waterfalls, both of which have swimming holes at their bases. There are also many places to swim along the nearby Ocoee River, and a stunning overlook called Buck Bald where you can go to take in a 360 degree view of the surrounding mountains at sunset or sunrise.

Murphy, NC

our lovely hosts

the great barn

barn and main pasture

swallowtail butterfly

our hosts

forest in bloom

turtletown creek falls

pond and permaculture garden

apple trees in bloom

main pasture

spring wildflowers

THE PROJECT

Beautiful All-Natural Earthen Rocket Stove with a silky smooth Finish in Brazil

Cob Rocket Stove Workshop participants in Brazil, 2020

Six students will build a high-efficiency (low fuel consumption and maximum burning efficiency) rocket stove for cooking in the cob cottage that will be completed in the previous workshop. Rocket stoves were developed for ecological and economic sustainability, especially targeting the poor countries where access to wood has become harder. The rocket stove system’s efficiency is due to the thermal insulation together with the double combustion and retro-heating of the airflow producing a longer duration of the heat inside the system and thus less heat loss to the outside. The enclosed chimney prevents cold air from coming in and directs any smoke to the outside, though since all the fuel is burned so efficiently, hardly any smoke or heat leaves the exit chimney, and is all directed to the cooking. While rocket stoves can be used for many different functions, ie air heating, water heating, stove, oven, smoker, furniture heating, floor heating, etc, we will focus on channeling the heat for cooking on a stovetop. Of course a by-product of the cooking heat in the cottage will be air heating.

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

This 7-day Rocket Stove workshop consists of learning & construction for 4 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon with theoretical instruction (lectures with graphics) after lunch/rest time to complement and support the hands-on experience.
Students arrive on Sunday between noon and 2pm and settle in. The workshop begins at 4pm with the Opening Circle followed by a Host Site Orientation and Introduction to the Project. Dinner is served at 6pm, and will be followed by an Introduction to the Workshop by Instructor Paula Carneiro.

Paula’s Cob Rocket Stove Workshop in Minas Gerias, Brazil, 2021

Following Breakfast from 7:30-8:15am, the morning learning/building session begins at 8:45 a and lasts until 1pm with a 20-minute snack pause at 11am. Lunch break is from 1pm to 2:30pm, which includes a rest time before the 3-hour afternoon session begins, with a 60-minute lecture, followed by construction time. After class in the afternoon there is a 90-minute break before dinner, in which students are encouraged to stretch, do some type of relaxation/movement practice, go swimming if possible, and just relax. There is sometimes a work trade student officially or informally leading yoga and movement practice in the mornings or afternoons (depending on student preference). There will also be one or more evenings for showing slides, videos and having Course-related discussions. Other evenings are free and sometimes students offer informal courses in their specialties and passions.
This 7-day workshop will be structured with lectures and hands-on building.
The lectures will include:
-Hot air physics
-Rocket Stove design, structure, proportions, materials
-Use of Heat
-Thermal Insulation
-Multifunctionality

Hands-on work will include:
-foundation
-cob structure
-preparation of refractory mortar
-installation of refractory bricks
-thermal insulation layers
-installation of iron parts (plate, cookers, door)
-chimney and pipe installation
-earthen plaster

WEEK SCHEDULE & COURSE CONTENTS

Day 1
Foundation
Ash chamber construction
Construction of the first chamber (combustion)
Construction of stove walls

Day 2
Construction of the second chamber
Continuation of the walls
Filler for thermal insulation
Beginning of the third chamber

Day 3
Continuation of the walls
Construction of the fourth chamber (furnace)

Day 4
Installation of iron parts
Finishing the walls
Stove closure (slab)
Chimney installation

Day 5
Sculpting, Decoration, Mosaics

Day 6
Plaster & Finishes

DAILY SCHEDULE

The Rocket Stove Workshop begins on a Sunday at 4pm and ends on a Sunday, 5 weeks later, after the morning Closing Circle & Brunch. Students can arrive a day or two before to acclimate and settle in (please let us know) 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/time of year) will be:
8:00-8:45 Breakfast
9:00-1:00 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 or twice)
Students are expected to be on time and participate in all sessions and required activities as the goal of building a full construction depends on the whole group working together!

REQUIREMENTS & IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Students will need to come prepared for physical work from Day 1.
This includes bringing:
Work clothes appropriate for the country and climate we are in
Work boots or other closed-toe shoes (for foundation and roof)
Flip-flops (for cobbing/plaster days)
Rubber dishwashing gloves (for lime mortar)
Work Gloves
Tape Measure
Level
Triangular trowel
Carving Knife
Wood Hand Saw (cheap)
4”-6” Diameter Round Plastic Container Lids (for plastering)
Good Moisturizer
Hat
Sunglasses
Safety Glasses
Water Bottle
Notebook/Pen/Camera

INSTRUCTOR
Paula Carneiro (Moçabarro, Brazil)

always smiling!

I was born in Campo Grande, raised in Curitiba and Salvador, and now I live in the countryside in the mountains of Mantiqueira, Minas Gerais, Brasil, where I’m eco building my own house. I’m also a professional dancer, graduated from Bahia Federal University in 2012, and have worked with performing and visual arts, cinema and cultural centre management. Meeting Claudine and cob building in 2018 simply transformed my life. I started a natural building business after my first advanced cob workshop with CruzinCobGlobal in Guatapé, Colombia. I continued learning with a full build workshop in Colorado, later that year. In the beginning of 2019, I joined with Naiana Maximo and Priscila Bogéa to create the first female eco-building collective in Brazil called Moçabarro (Clay Gals is a translation we love!). We began teaching cob workshops and expanded to other natural building techniques and finishings. In our very first year of work we had the opportunity to build a full 100m2 house (@terra.333) using a variety of earthen building processes in this very successful project. Since then we have been working collectively on eco-refurbishing, rocket stoves, cob ovens, cob furnishings, tadelakt, plastering and other finishings. We have also taught short-length workshops at my building site as well as for other hosts in Brasil. Cob building is now a way I find to express gestures and print them on earth. Here is the link to our successful all-women cob business: www.mocabarro.com.br
@mocabarro on Instagram and Facebook

MEALS & ACCOMMODATIONS

Students will have 3 delicious, hearty vegetarian meals a day Monday through Friday. There will also be a Welcome Dinner on the first Sunday night, a Celebration Dinner on the last Saturday night, and a Goodbye Brunch on Sunday morning after the Closing Circle.
All students will be camping onsite for this workshop. Students who don’t want to camp can find other local accommodations (ask Host for suggestions) but will need to be able to get to the site on time every weekday. They can also carcamp obviously.

TRANSPORTATION

Students driving in will receive directions to the workshop site in the Welcome Letter sent a month before the start date. Nearest airports are Atlanta, Chatanooga and Knoxville. More information will be sent regarding transportation from the airports to the site, unless students share rental cars. There are shuttle buses that can be shared with other students, info will be sent in Welcome Letter.

REGISTRATION

Thrifty Bird Rate :$650, pay in full by February 19th, 2023
Chill Bird Rate: $700, pay in full by April 16th, 2023
Super Chill Bird Rate: $750 pay in full by May 21st, 2023
Payment includes tuition, camping and weekday meals plus first and last dinners and last brunch.
To register, please email claudinedesiree@gmail.com or send standard text or Whatsapp text to (831) 212-7225 with your email address to receive the two registration forms. Payment can be made by Zelle, Venmo and Paypal using claudinedesiree@gmail.com. With Paypal, please check the “Send to Family and Friends” box or add 3% for the fee. If you are using a credit card with Venmo or Paypal please add 3% for the transaction fee. Venmo ID is @claudine-desiree.
It is preferable that you pay in full when you pay however 50% deposit is required to hold your place with the final balance due by May 21st at the latest.
We will offer 2 work trade discounts of $70 each for an hour of work each class day in the kitchen or onsite. The kitchen work trader will prepare breakfast from 6:30-7:30am and site work trader will do site prep from 6:30 to 7:30am. If you want a work trade, please email or text Claudine (contact info above). These are first come first serve. Note that the work trade discount is applied to the amount that is being paid off in full. So if you are making your payment in full by the Thirfty Bird date, it will be deducted form that rate. If you pay in full after the Chill Bird deadline, then it will be deducted from the Super Chill Bird rate. To hold a work trade please pay in full or with a 50% deposit. Please see work trader cancellation policy below.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Students who cancel before April 16th, 2023 will receive a full refund minus a 5% administration fee or a credit for another workshop within 2 years (no admin fee deducted).
Students who cancel after April 16th, 2023 and before May 21st, 2023 will receive a full refund minus 10% admin fee or a credit for another workshop within 2 years (no admin fee).
Students who cancel after May 21st will not receive a refund or a credit unless they have proof of an emergency situation beyond their control, in which case they will receive a credit to be used within 2 years, minus 10% fee.
Work traders who cancel after April 16th, 2023 will receive a full refund minus the $70 discount.

EXCITED TO COB WITH YOU IN 2023!!!

Introduction to Cob Workshop
2023-06-12 - 2023-06-16 | This Cob House, Greeneville, TN, 37743, United States
Dates: June 12 – June 16, 2023 (YES. We are still having the workshop as scheduled.)

Location: Greeneville, 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, mixing and applying lime plaster, building with cob, 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 buildings.

Hands-On Work Topics:
– How to make cob (learn how to make cob with the tarp method and with a mortar mixer!)
– How to build cob walls using traditional hand-sculpting and using innovative slipforms (learn all the great advantages of building cob walls with forms)
– Selecting and testing soils for cob (learn several ways to test your soil composition)
– Lime Plaster and Earth Plaster (learn how to mix and apply lime plaster and earth plaster)
– Creating window and door frames (learn how to install frames into cob walls)
– Rammed Earth Demonstration (building rammed earth forms and compaction process)

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)
– Building Solid Foundations (Learn all about constructing proper building foundations)
– 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 Greeneville, 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, straw, and natural building topics. We will break for lunch between 12:00 to 1:00 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 Earth Building Mason 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 earthen building techniques. Alex has a background in business and advertising, and has been practicing earthen 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 AirBnBs. Hotels are available in the neighboring towns of Greeneville, Newport, Parrottsville, and Hot Springs.
Nearby are the Meadow Creek Moundation Lodge in Parrottsville, TN, and the Hot Springs Resort in Hot Springs, North Caolina.
Campers will have access to a private compost toilet and a private outdoor shower.
The workshop location has running water available, but no electricity yet. Please bring your own solar generator if needed.

Food
Meals will not be included in this workshop so participants will need to provide their own food and drinks. There are several local restaurants and grocery stores nearby the workshop site. We even have an amazing corner-store within a walkable distance from the workshop site!
Each student is responsible for their own meal preparation. An hour for lunch is provided, allowing adequate time for food, a quick nap, or trip into town. There is no official kitchen on site yet. Coolers are welcome and encouraged!
Recreation & Surroundings
Greeneville 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 one hour driving time from the workshop site.
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.

Please email me to register with the group/family discount. For normal registration, please click the “Sign Up Now” button above.

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.

Round Pole Timber Framing with Eric Lasotavitch and Blair Phillips
2023-06-18 08:00 - 2023-06-28 17:00 (America/Denver) | Wanosh Forest Gardens, Willits, CA, United States
In this two-week hands-on round pole timber frame workshop we will show you how to set concrete piers according to plan and build the frame for a 10×12 gable roofed building. Round Poles have been previously harvested during forest health and fire remediation work onsite. The workshop will briefly cover pole selection and pole peeling, with the primary focus being framing and chiseling of mortise and tenon joinery. We will share with you how to read simple building plans and will also have slide show nights giving overview of other projects and earthen infill options to inspire your creativity. On the final day of the workshop we will assemble the frame in its forever home.

Cob Outdoor Kitchen
2023-06-25 09:00 - 2023-06-30 14:00 (America/New_York) | BC
This workshop is a great introduction to natural building materials and methods. We will build a wood-fired cob bread/pizza oven from start to finish. Students will build the stone foundation, firebrick hearth, cob structure, and finish the oven with earthen plasters. We will also build an attached straw bale and cob wall and a cast-in-place concrete countertop. You will learn the skills to go home and build your own oven, as well as take on other building projects with natural materials!
What to expect:
Our days will be spent engaged in hands-on building and learning with natural materials. Expect a rich weekend of natural and community building with the group. We’ll work, learn, eat, and relax with each other in a positive, hard-working, fun atmosphere. Conversation on natural building will provide constant background chatter throughout the weekend. Evenings are typically unscheduled so folks have time to enjoy the site, explore nearby towns, or relax around the fire.
We will make time for a few focused discussions on related natural building subjects such as straw-bale construction, passive solar design, wood framing, roofing, permits and codes, and more. Michael may give an interesting slideshow presentation.
The Site:
Our site is Chisels & Ginger, a 22 acre property in Richfield, Springs, NY. It is part of the Black Land Ownership Eco Hub. The property was purchased just over a year ago. Hosts Melissa and Chris have been working with the help of community and grants, to renovate and build a nature institute and artist residency for exploration, learning, and creative endeavors that empower change. They are dedicated to working with natural materials and learning/implementing alternative design and building methods that support integration and connection to nature. They are excited for you to be a part of their project!
Meals/Food preferences:
We will serve three meals daily, cooked on-site by staff. The food will be mostly vegetarian with a vegan option. Many of the ingredients will be sourced from local farms. Please indicate any food allergies upon registration.
Schedule:
The workshop will begin at 9am on Sunday the 25th. We will break for lunch around 1pm and work again until 5pm. The evening is informal and unscheduled, although a campfire hang-out will be available. Breakfast will be served at 8am with the workshop to follow. Participants may arrive Saturday evening to set up camp, but no meals will be provided until breakfast on Sunday.
Instructor:
Michael McDonough is a Troy, NY based building contractor, designer, and educator. His work can be found at the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Oxmoor Farm, and a number of happy homesteads around the east coast. He has taught about 20 natural building workshops.
What to bring:
* Camping equipment including tent, sleeping bag, flashlight
* Work clothes and shoes. Slip on/off shoes are recommended, such as crocks, sandals, etc.
* Work gloves
* Sunscreen, bug spray, hat, water bottle, rain gear
* Notebook, building plans or sketches to discuss
To Register:
Tuition is $850 and includes the camping fee, workshop experience and materials, and all meals. Group rates, discounts for previous students, or for taking multiple courses are possible.
You may register via paypal by sending the tuition to michael@risingearthbuilding.com
Or mail your tuition check to the address below and we will confirm your registration via email.
Rising Earth Natural Building
363 3rd St.
Troy, NY 12180
Call or email with questions:
(919) 685-0123
michael@risingearthbuilding.com

Humboldt Eco-Cob Workshop
2023-07-01 08:00 - 2023-07-03 17:00 (America/Denver) | Humboldt Experience Farmstay, Carlotta, 95528, United States
Beat the summer heat and join us in beautiful Carlotta, California for a 3-day natural building workshop for $450, followed by an optional 10-day permaculture summer camp. Sign up for the natural building and stay for the permaculture camp for as many days as you like for an affordable donation that fits your budget.
We will be learning the fundamental skills of natural building as we build a garden bench in the palletable cobin method that is translatable into a shed or small living structure. Then we will be working on the 12 permaculture principles in application and exercises.
We will start our 3-day cob workshop by constructing a rubble trench foundation and stacking a stem wall. We’ll continue hand sculpting a garden wall with cob, including built in benches and candle cubbies for the meditation garden. Then we will take a day off to enjoy the river and explore the redwood forest before we start our permaculture camp.
Humboldt Experience Farmstay is our venue, providing camping spots plus 3 vegetarian meals daily. Our host is known for their locally grown delicious nutrient dense food. Please bring camping gear and comforts plus any special dietary needs.
Arrive on June 30, 2023 for the cob workshop and depart on July 4th unless you decide to stay for the permaculture summer camp.
If you are driving, follow directions to Carlotta, CA and once you register, you will receive detailed directions to the venue.
If you are flying, book your ticket to Arcata Eureka Airport in McKinleyville California. Transportation to and from the site will be provided once on June 30th, once on July 4th and once on July 16th for $100 per van load. Cost is split between riders. Depending on your flight times, you may be spending time at the airport.
I look forward to seeing you for either or both.

4 day straw and cob immersion
2023-07-01 11:00 - 2023-07-04 15:30 (America/Denver) | SpiritWood Natural Building, Victor Montana, Victor, MT, 59875, United States
4 Day Natural Building Immersion

This four day workshop is the first half of our offered 9 day workshop. Sign up for our full nine day course here and save 10%!
​
During this four day immersion workshop you will learn the ins and outs of building a structure with natural materials. Working on a small guest house, participants will help build the earthbag foundation and strawbale and cob walls of the building. Roofs, floors, plaster, and other natural building elements will be discussed during this workshop.
​
Participants will also receive a tour of two complete structures; a balecob home and a strawbale workshop. These structure use Rocket Mass Heaters (batch and J-style) for winter heat, have finished earthen floors, and many other natural elements for discussion. Learn how you can build a home for less than a year of rent and still be comfortable and warm.
​
Camp sites are available at no cost. Please inquire ahead about availability for parking live in vehicles. Composting toilet and an outdoor shower are available for use.
​
An outdoor kitchen is available for community use with some staples provided (rice, bread, sugar, tea, coffee, etc.) as well as greens from the garden. We will be cooking pizzas in a cob fired oven on the first night of the course for those wishing to join.
​
Those joining us are welcome to explore the 5 acre property, forage (many berries), swim in the ponds, and walk to the frisbee golf course just down the road.
​
We love animals, but unfortunately no pets are allowed.
Space is limited to 10 participants.
Date: Saturday July 1 – Tuesday July 4
Start Time: 11am July 1
Cost: $500
5% discount for family + friends participating together
Location: SpiritWood Natural Building, Victor, MT

9 day balecob immersion
2023-07-01 11:00 - 2023-07-09 15:30 (America/Denver) | SpiritWood Natural Building, Victor Montana, Victor, MT, 59875, United States
9 Day Natural Building Immersion

This nine day immersion will take place from July 1-July 9. This class has a one day break on the July 5th to allow participants to explore the area, relax, and socialize.
​
During this nine day immersion workshop you will learn the ins and outs of building a structure with natural materials. Working on a small guest house, participants will help build the earthbag foundation and strawbale and cob walls. Participants will also apply clay based plasters for finishing natural structures. Roofs, floors, and other natural building elements will be discussed during this workshop.
​
Participants will also receive a tour of two complete structures; a balecob home and a strawbale workshop. These structure use Rocket Mass Heaters (batch and J-style) for winter heat, have finished earthen floors, and many other natural elements for discussion. Learn how you can build a home for less than a year of rent and still be comfortable and warm.
​
Camp sites are available at no cost. Please inquire ahead about availability for parking live in vehicles. Composting toilet and an outdoor shower are available for use.
​
An outdoor kitchen is available for community use with some staples provided (rice, bread, sugar, tea, coffee, etc.) as well as greens from the garden. We will be cooking pizzas in a cob fired oven on the first night of the course for those wishing to join.
​
Those joining us are welcome to explore the 5 acre property, forage (many berries), swim in the ponds, and walk to the frisbee golf course just down the road.
​
We love animals, but unfortunately no pets are allowed.

Space is limited to 10 participants.

Date: Saturday July 1 – Tuesday July 9
Start Time: 11am July 1
Cost: $900
5% discount for family + friends participating together

Location: SpiritWood Natural Building, Victor, MT

The Art of Natural Plasters: Clay & Lime Finishes
2023-07-02 - 2023-07-07 | Tirth, Tonasket, WA, United States
Instructors: Michael G. Smith, Athena Steen, Robert Kolden and Avani Leitz

The Art of Natural Plasters workshop is an immersive learning experience that focuses on the use of traditional and natural materials to create beautiful, durable and sustainable finishes for walls and other surfaces. Learn from instructors with over a century of combined experience in natural building and fine finishes! Participants will learn about the various types of clay and lime plasters and finishes, the techniques for applying them, and the benefits of using natural materials in building and design. These techniques are well-suited to natural wall systems such as straw bale and cob, but are equally appropriate over conventional materials such as drywall.
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Hands-on experience is a key component of the workshop. Approximately six hours each day will be spent mixing and applying plaster to a real natural home, allowing participants to develop application skills while plastering on different substrates and experimenting with various finishing techniques and textures. Lectures and discussions will cover the health benefits of natural finishes, how to select the most appropriate plaster type for your situation, the importance of proper surface preparation, what tools you will need, how to source the best ingredients and develop and test your own plaster recipes, how to calculate the amount of materials you will need, how to maintain and repair natural plasters, and how to design your home to minimize maintenance over time.
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This workshop will cover a wide range of natural wall finishes including:

Straw-clay base coat plasters ideal for protecting straw bales and for sculptural relief work

Lime scratch, brown and finish coats for wet and weather-exposed surfaces

Smoothed and polished clay finishes suitable for all interior walls

Lime-clay combinations

Sgraffito – the art of carving through multiple layers of different plasters to create a textured and multi-colored design

Simple, durable clay paints you can make yourself

Tadelakt – a highly polished and waterproof lime plaster from Morrocco

At the end of the workshop, participants will leave with a deeper understanding of natural plaster and finish techniques and the confidence to apply these techniques in their own projects. In addition to the practical skills and knowledge gained during the workshop, participants will also benefit from the opportunity to connect with a diversity of people and learn from experienced instructors in a supportive and collaborative environment.

4 day straw and cob immersion
2023-07-06 11:00 - 2023-07-09 15:30 (America/Denver) | SpiritWood Natural Building, Victor Montana, Victor, MT, 59875, United States
4 Day Natural Building Immersion
This four day workshop is the second half of our offered nine day workshop. Sign up for our full nine day course here and save 10%!
​
During this four day immersion workshop you will learn the ins and outs of building a structure with natural materials. Working on a small guest house, participants will help build the strawbale and cob walls of the building and learn the application of clay plasters. Roofs, floors, and other natural building elements will be discussed during this workshop.
​
Participants will also receive a tour of two complete structures; a balecob home and a strawbale workshop. These structure use Rocket Mass Heaters (batch and J-style) for winter heat, have finished earthen floors, and many other natural elements for discussion. Learn how you can build a home for less than a year of rent and still be comfortable and warm.
​
Camp sites are available at no cost. Please inquire ahead about availability for parking live in vehicles. Composting toilet and an outdoor shower are available for use.
​
An outdoor kitchen is available for community use with some staples provided (rice, bread, sugar, tea, coffee, etc.) as well as greens from the garden. We will be cooking pizzas in a cob fired oven on the first night of the course for those wishing to join.
​
Those joining us are welcome to explore the 5 acre property, forage (many berries), swim in the ponds, and walk to the frisbee golf course just down the road.
​
We love animals, but unfortunately no pets are allowed.
Space is limited to 10 participants.
Date: Saturday July 6 – Tuesday July 9
Start Time: 11am July 6
Cost: $500
5% discount for family + friends participating together
Location: SpiritWood Natural Building, Victor, MT

“Create Sacred Space” 10 day Cob Workshop
2023-07-06 16:00 - 2023-07-16 18:00 (America/Denver) | Grass Valley, CA
In this comprehensive 10 day workshop, you will learn all the basics of building a small cob cottage, by creating a 15′ diameter round Cob sauna temple space , with a timber framed earthen roof.
Cob saunas are a fantastic teaching project, as they are big enough to learn and practice your cob building skills, but small enough that we’ll have plenty of time to explore the other crucial aspects of the cob building process, which often get overlooked in workshops with larger cob projects.
We will take you on a journey through the most important aspects of cob construction so that you’ll feel confident in building your own cob cottage. You’ll get to experience firsthand the joys and challenges of building a cob house, and in the process, learn how to install doors, windows, a cedar floor and stone hearth, a wood-stove and chimney, carve niches, altars and practice bas-relief sculpture, make and apply earthen plaster from scratch and top it off with building a timber framed earthen roof. You’ll specifically be creating a cob sauna, which is a great starter project for when you return home.
We’ll also go into detail about various ways to mix cob, including with a tractor and a cement or mortar mixer, and will have at least one full demo of tractor cob, as that has been one of my specialties for over 20 years. We’ll also teach a moveable cob form system, which greatly speeds up the wall building process, and talk in detail about the latest in the cob permitting process, and how to prepare building plans to get a permit.
In addition to all this great cob fun, we’ll also be incorporating a morning yoga/movement/ meditation practice together, as we co-create this temple space together. We’ll also have a local natural building tour, visiting some local cob homes, saunas, temples and garden walls. And well have time to take a special river trip to our local South Yuba River for some excellent swimming and play.
Three gourmet meals a day, camping in a shady cedar grove on Deer Creek and hot showers included.
Rob Pollacek is a master cob builder, having been a professional cob and natural builder since 1999. He trained and apprenticed with the Cob Cottage CO. in 2000 and 2001, and specializes in tractor cob, moveable form systems, temples, sauna spaces, cob cabins, earth roofs, poured adobe floors, earth plasters, garden walls and teaching his “Create Sacred Space” cob workshops. He built a 3000 square foot permitted cob house from 2004-2007, and recently built a permitted cob building at Big Bend Hotsprings, and is currently building a permitted cob building near his home in Nevada City, CA, of which he did the architectural drawings for and organized the permitting process through his local building department.
He still loves his cob sauna projects and hopes to share his love of these wonderful spaces with you at this workshop.
Please check out his website, Californiacob.com for more information about this workshop and to see photos of many of his past projects.

A Cob Sanctuary in Vila Franca do Campo, São Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal
2023-07-09 08:00 - 2023-08-13 17:00 (Atlantic/Azores) | Quinta das Flores, Rua Outeiro dos Alamos Brancos, 14, Vila Franca do Campo, São Miguel, Azores, Portugal
OUR HOSTESS

Claudine and Ana at the annual Wine Festival on São Miguel, Azores

Ana Henrique is a Portuguese, passionate woman living in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean in a paradise called Azores. Her formal skills are tourism management and regenerative agriculture.
She lives in Quinta das Flores, an 8,600m2 orchard, located in Ribeira das Tainhas, a small parish in the Municipality of Vila Franca do Campo, where she and her young son Francisco, grow most of their veggies and fruits. At the moment they are introducing more biodiversity and polycultural strategies for more resilience and security on their food production system. Permaculture, Agroforestry and Biodiversity protection are the main action guides in their garden and life.

Endless green Azorean landscape!

Her love for the natural world led her into a great passion for herbs and plants. She is very curious about living food potential to nurture and heal the body and soul. Ana believes in natural, unpolluted, authentic food production as a healing instrument for individuals and communities. One of her dreams is to plant a giant Food Forest that can inspire and nurture others, encouraging them to step forward and embrace Earth Care. Natural soap is also one of her passions, integrating her paradigm shift of desiring a beautiful and healthy planet. She is passionate about holistic and systemic thinking and believes in the potential of regenerative behaviors, such as love, friendship, companionship and trust.
Ana has been waiting to build her Cob Sanctuary since 2017, when she first met Claudine while cooking for her first cob workshop in the Azores. Finally she is READY!

THE LOCATION

Vila Franca do Campo is the 4th largest town on the island of São Miguel, the largest and most diverse of the Azorean islands of Portugal. It is located in the central section of the island with great access to an offshore islet (see gallery below) for swimming and snorkeling/scuba diving/kayaking, wonderful hiking in all directions, hot springs only 20 minutes away in the famous town of Furnas, and an almost private small black sand beach just a 3 minute walk from Ana’s property, Quinta das Flores.

Amazing vegetable garden!

Students will have 5 weekends plus before and after the workshop to explore the natural wonderland of São Miguel with a variety of hot springs, hikes, restaurants, surf spots, biking, rock climbing, museums and three incredible botanical gardens!!!

Sunset oceanview from the Quinta with the islet in the distance

Ana loves to take people around to visit her island and if he isn’t too tired she may borrow her parents’ 9-person van to take students around on the weekend. Students can also share a rental car (reserve EARLY for good rates and availability), use the bus system or rent bikes for the 5 weeks.

Permaculture garden

Quinta das Flores is also a wonderful refuge from the world with its endless citrus groves, permaculture gardens, flower gardens. Students will be very fortunate to experience 5 weeks on Ana and her sons’ Quinta in summer with all its abundance and variety of healthy produce…not to mention Ana’s unforgettable meals! Forget about the COB;)!!!

Beach near Ana’s Quinta

Islet

the islet of Vila Franca

Mini-horses

Volunteers on the land

Lagoa do Fogo

Vila Franca

Yummies

view from the land

THE PROJECT

Students will be building a 10-15m2 cob cottage (size depends on number of students) for Ana’s personal sanctuary, away from the communal house.
The cottage will be built from foundation to reciprocal green roof including floor, sculpting and plaster, as well as electrical outlets, switches, housing and possibly plumbing connection. Students will receive an Advanced Cobber Certification for the 5-week training workshop.

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

Closing the reciprocal roof in Portugal, 2022

The 35-day Advanced Cob Building Workshop consists of 25 days (Monday through Friday) of learning & construction for 4 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon with theoretical instruction (lectures with graphics) on most Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays afternoons to complement the hands-on experience.
Students arrive on Sunday between noon and 2pm and settle in. The workshop begins at 4pm with the Opening Circle followed by a Host Site Orientation and Introduction to the Project. Dinner is served at 6pm, and will be followed by an Introduction to the 5-week Workshop by the Instructors Nicolas Pimentel and Alexandra Evans.

Demonstration by teacher Lea Zdarsky in Portugal

Monday morning we begin digging the trench for our Cob Building!!!!
Following Breakfast from 7:30-8:15am, the morning learning/building session begins at 8:45 am and lasts until 1pm with a 20-minute snack pause at 11am. Lunch break is from 1pm to 2:30pm, which includes a rest time before the 3-hour afternoon session begins. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays there is a 60-minute lecture, followed by construction time. Tuesdays and Thursdays students begin building again 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 some type of relaxation/movement practice, go swimming if possible, and just relax. There is sometimes a work trade student officially or informally leading yoga and movement practice in the mornings or afternoons (depending on student preference). 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 students offer informal courses in their specialties and passions. Mondays are reserved for our weekly Council Circle.Weekends students are free to explore the area, rest onsite, and even continue building, with Instructor approval.
The 35-day Course will offer practical learning by building a complete 10m2-15m2 (depending on number of students) curvilinear building from foundation to roof, as described in the “Project” section. 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 installation), Floor, Plaster & Roof.

DAILY SCHEDULE

The Advanced Cob Building Workshop begins on a Sunday at 4pm and ends on a Sunday, 5 weeks later, after the morning Closing Circle & Brunch. Students can arrive a day or two before to acclimate and settle in (please let us know) 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/time of year) will be:
8:00-8:45 Breakfast
9:00-1:00 Class
1:00-2:30 Lunch
2:30-5:30 Class (Lecture on MWF’s)
5:30-7:00 Rest/Yoga
7:00-8:00 Dinner
8:00-9:00 Slides/Videos/Discussion (once a week)
Students are expected to be on time and participate in all sessions and required activities as the goal of building a full construction depends on the whole group working together!

COURSE CONTENTS

Students will learn every phase of building a cob building from foundation through the reciprocal roof in hands-on building and 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, glass and other objects
inserting electrical wiring and plumbing in walls
sculpting
preparing and applying earthen plasters (1 coat)
pouring an earthen floor (2 layers)
preparing walls for roof connection
building roof frame
putting on sheathing and other elements
building green roof
In addition to Cob Building practices, the Course material
also includes:
legal cob construction practices & the international cob
code
cost analysis
creating a cob business (building/teaching)
assisting, interning and teaching with CruzinCobGlobal

REQUIREMENTS & IMPORTANT INFORMATION

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

***VERY IMPORTANT***

Cob sculptor at work…

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.

Cabo Verdeans loves making cob too!

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 more 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 to carpentry skills, power tools, drilliing, 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 and closing of the wall, 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 with other organizations that are usually for a shorter period building a garden wall, a bench, a compost toilet or some other smaller-scale project.

Almost done!

Students are required to read “The Hand-Sculpted House” before the workshop begins and any other books they find, as well as watching our “International Cob Workshop”
videos on Claudine’s YouTube channel, and the ones posted on CruzinCobGlobal’s website under Gallery, to get an idea of what is expected. Also it is a great idea to watch as many other videos on cob and reciprocal roofs as you can to come mentally prepared. 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 when registering so we can make sure the workshop is a good fit. If approved before the workshop begins, 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!!!!

Azores, Portugal 2022 “another job well done!”

Finally, please bring a watch or use your phone to be prompt and ready for each part of the Course
including meals. Please share your dietary restrictions/allergies with CCG as soon as you register. Note that very demanding dietary needs will not be able to be met (vegan & non-gluten ok) and those students may be recommended not to participate unless they are willing to meet their special needs on their own, which may not include kitchen access on weekdays. Please discuss with Claudine at time of desire to register. Also please 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.
We look forward to opening you to a whole new world of experience, skill, growth and transformation as you bond with your new COB family for life!

INSTRUCTORS
Nicolas Pimentel (Cob Instructor)

Nico in his happy place!

I was born and raised in Santiago de Chile and went to Architecture School. At the end of my studies, I travelled to Portugal to study Arts, and somehow I learned about natural building and a completely new perspective came to me. I took a CruzinCobGlobal workshop with Claudine in the Azores in 2017, and my life changed by learning this new technique.

After 2 years, I went back to Santiago to finish Architecture School, and specialized in BioArchitecture. I continued assisting workshops with Claudine in different places, while developing my own project (@piwaarq and @tierramigo). I built my “natural” home in 2020 in Pucón, south of Chile, where I am rooted now. I am involved with different projects nowadays, and have my own architecture studio and also participate in other projects related to nature, conservation, arts and tourism. I love to live surrounded by nature, mountains and good people.

Alexandra Evans (Cob Assistant)
Born in England and having spent most of my life in Germany, I am a lifelong dancer and mover, having lived and studied in South Africa and Europe. I developed my own business called Naturtanz, in which I take people out into Nature to dance and feel free in their bodily expression. I also developed therapeutic dance programs for children and have two sons of my own, 7 and 11, who live with me part-time in Germany.

the focused artist

I fell in love with the idea of building my own Cob house and took my first cob workshop in Portugal this past summer in trade for teaching a Sensuality Retreat at Claudine’s Quinta da Vida Beleza Ecovillage in the Azores. What a great deal! And boy did I learn about sensuality playing in the mud all day! Ultimately I became so empowered from this experience, knowing I could build my own beautiful natural house with my own hands and simple tools! I can’t wait to assist Nico and return back to the Azores and start building again!

MEALS & ACCOMMODATIONS
Students will have 3 delicious, hearty vegetarian meals a day Monday through Friday. There will also be a Welcome Dinner on the first Sunday night, a Celebration Dinner on the last Saturday night, and a Goodbye Brunch on Sunday morning after the Closing Circle.
On weekends students are on their own for food, and can travel and explore the area, go camping or stay onsite. They will have access to the kitchen and any leftovers from the week. Otherwise they will need to get their own food for the weekend and can collaborate to get rides to the food stores in town.
Students will be camping onsite for this workshop, in their own tents and with a few tents with pads and pillows available for 3€/night. There will also be 5 indoor spaces to rent for 7€/night (245€/35 nights) on mattresses on the ground with pillow provided. Students must provide their own sleeping bags. Decathlon on the island has sleeping bags.
Students can also stay offsite in local accommodations but should be within easy walking distance. Check Airbnb.
More information will be sent a month out in the Welcome Letter and students are also welcome to contact Ana our host once they are registered.

TRANSPORTATION

The arrival airport is PDL (Ponta Delgada) on the island of São Miguel, Azores, Portugal. The airlines that fly there from the US are SATA/Azores Airlines, TAP, United and Delta. From Europe take SATA, TAP or RyanAir. There are no ferries to the Azores, but you are welcome to find a private boat sailing here! Just dont be late for Day 1!
Once you arrive at the airport, or will be in Ponta Delgada before the workshop starts, we will be organizing a few shuttles on Saturday and Sunday to bring everyone to the site. Otherwise there is a public bus or shared taxi. It is recommended to arrive a few days early for the US folks, to get adjusted to the jet lag and new climate and visit the island before the workshop starts.

REGISTRATION

Thrifty Bird Rate : 2350€, pay in full by February 12th, 2023
Chill Bird Rate: 2450€, pay in full by April 9th, 2023
Super Chill Bird Rate: 2550€, pay in full by June 11th, 2023
Payment includes tuition, camping and weekday meals plus first and last dinners and last brunch.
To register, please email claudinedesiree@gmail.com or send standard text or Whatsapp text to (831) 212-7225 with your email address to receive the two registration forms. Payment can be made by Zelle, Venmo and Paypal using claudinedesiree@gmail.com. With Paypal, please check the “Send to Family and Friends” box or add 3% for the fee. If you are using a credit card with Venmo or Paypal please add 3% for the transaction fee. Venmo ID is @claudine-desiree. You can also use the Wise app or website for international low-cost transfers.
European students and others can make a bank transfer or use Wise as well. Information will be provided.
It is preferable that you pay in full when you pay however 50% deposit is required to hold your place with the rest due by June 11th at the latest.
We always offer four work trade discounts of 250€ each for an hour of work each class day. There are two kitchen work traders who prepare breakfast from 6:30-7:30am and two work traders that do site prep from 6:30 to 7:30am. If you want a work trade, please email or text Claudine (contact info above). These are first come first serve. Payment should be made in full or 50% deposit to hold your spot with final balance due by June 11th, 2023. Note that the work trade discount is applied to the amount that is being paid off in full. So if you are making your payment in full by the Thirfty Bird date, it will be deducted form that rate. If you pay in full after the Chill Bird deadline, then it will be deducted from the Super Chill Bird rate. Please see work trader cancellation policy below.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Students who cancel before May 14th, 2023 will receive a full refund minus a 5% administration fee or a credit for another workshop within 2 years.
Students who cancel after May 14th, 2023 and before June 11th, 2023 will receive a full refund minus 10% admin fee or a credit for another workshop within 2 years.
Students who cancel after June 11th will not receive a refund or a credit unless they have proof of an emergency situation beyond their control, in which case they will receive a credit to be used within 2 years, minus 10% fee.
*Work traders who cancel after May 14th will receive a refund of what they have paid minus 250€.

EXCITED TO COB WITH YOU IN 2023!!!

Introduction to Cob Workshop
2023-07-10 - 2023-07-14 | This Cob House, Greeneville, TN, 37743, United States
Dates: July 10 – July 14, 2023 (YES. We are still having the workshop as scheduled.)

Location: Greeneville, 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, mixing and applying lime plaster, building with cob, 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 buildings.

Hands-On Work Topics:
– How to make cob (learn how to make cob with the tarp method and with a mortar mixer!)
– How to build cob walls using traditional hand-sculpting and using innovative slipforms (learn all the great advantages of building cob walls with forms)
– Selecting and testing soils for cob (learn several ways to test your soil composition)
– Lime Plaster and Earth Plaster (learn how to mix and apply lime plaster and earth plaster)
– Creating window and door frames (learn how to install frames into cob walls)
– Rammed Earth Demonstration (building rammed earth forms and compaction process)

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)
– Building Solid Foundations (Learn all about constructing proper building foundations)
– 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 Greeneville, 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, straw, and natural building topics. We will break for lunch between 12:00 to 1:00 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 Earth Building Mason 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 earthen building techniques. Alex has a background in business and advertising, and has been practicing earthen 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 AirBnBs. Hotels are available in the neighboring towns of Greeneville, Newport, Parrottsville, and Hot Springs.
Nearby are the Meadow Creek Moundation Lodge in Parrottsville, TN, and the Hot Springs Resort in Hot Springs, North Caolina.
Campers will have access to a private compost toilet and a private outdoor shower.
The workshop location has running water available, but no electricity yet. Please bring your own solar generator if needed.

Food
Meals will not be included in this workshop so participants will need to provide their own food and drinks. There are several local restaurants and grocery stores nearby the workshop site. We even have an amazing corner-store within a walkable distance from the workshop site!
Each student is responsible for their own meal preparation. An hour for lunch is provided, allowing adequate time for food, a quick nap, or trip into town. There is no official kitchen on site yet. Coolers are welcome and encouraged!
Recreation & Surroundings
Greeneville 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 one hour driving time from the workshop site.
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.

Please email me to register with the group/family discount. For normal registration, please click the “Sign Up Now” button above.

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 Plasters and Earthen Floors
2023-07-13 15:00 - 2023-07-18 15:00 (America/Denver) | Cob hill natural building school, hughes springs, TX, 75656, United States
Sought-after natural builder and artist Athena Steen will show you how to beautifully plaster your walls and floors with natural clays. Educator, designer, builder for over 28 years of strawbale, adobe, and other natural buildings with artistic vision and sustainable design. Co-author of several books including, “The Straw Bale House”,”The Beauty of Strawbale Homes,” “Built by Hand,” and “Small Strawbale.” Co-director and founder of a small non-profit, The Canelo Project, dedicated to creative and simple living, growing and building practices that connect people, culture and nature. Visit caneloproject.com for more information about Athena.

Versaterra Weekend Intro to Earthen Building
2023-07-15 08:00 - 2023-07-16 21:00 (America/Denver) | Be the Change Project, 2055 McCloud Avenue, Reno, NV, 89512, United States
Be the Change Project
Reno, NV
July 15-16, 2023 (Saturday & Sunday)

Number of Students: up to 12
Cost: $320 ($280 for locals)
Class Description
Our two-day introductory workshop will get you started on natural building. We give you a taste of all the steps involved with making a cabin or garden wall. Your learning will be enhanced by all of the natural and alternative features at our urban homestead including four earthy cabins, a cob oven, cob walls and appropriate technologies in use from greenhouses to solar wall heaters solar showers. If you’re curious about natural and earthen building and want to test the waters before taking a longer course, this is the opportunity for you.
We’ll start early on Saturday with the basics of a rubble trench and earth bag stem wall and move on to cobbing and adobe brick making. From there we’ll do some infill techniques like cordwood cob, light straw clay (slip straw), and bale cob. We’ll demonstrate how to put in windows and doors and take time for basic plastering, carving, and art.
On Sunday night we’ll have a pizza party that will showcase our cob oven.
Each participant will receive Conrad’s book, “House of Earth” in the mail prior to the course.
About the Site
The Be the Change Project is a Reno-based nonprofit, centered on our half-acre urban homestead where we have offered classes, tours, and workshops since 2011. That year we were able to buy what was a run down and neglected house on a half-acre through fundraising and crowdfunding. Since then we have enjoyed living an alternative and off-the-grid lifestyle while transforming the property into a verdant oasis. It has become a center for neighborhood uplift as well as a model for simpler living in the urban/suburban context. We were a Mother Earth News Magazine Homestead of the Year in 2013.
Reno is in the high desert on the western edge of the Great Basin. The weather in May and June is usually warm, clear, and sunny during the days with much cooler nights. It can get hot, and rain is unlikely.
Along with earthen cabins, landscape walls, ovens, and plasters on site, we’ve developed and use many systems for living more sustainably in town which you’ll get to know and use during the workshop:

Solar cooking and wall heaters

Small scale solar PV

Wood stove and solar thermosiphon water heating

Composting – vermicomposting and conventional aerobic piles

Alternative septic system – the Watson Wick

Basic principles and practices of Permaculture

Organic small plot intensive gardening including season extenders like hoop houses, root cellaring and solar dehydrating

ScAvenging! – upcycling and salvaging materials from the urban waste stream

Living with little electricity and fossil fuels

Wood-fired hot tub

Lodging
We have a variety of lodging options including cob cabins, rooms, and tent sites, and parking for camper vans.
Participants are welcome to arrive on Friday evening to get settled for the next morning.
Food
Participants are responsible for their own meals except for the the pizza party on Sunday evening for which we’ll provide all of the food. Please bring your own mess kits.
We will make coffee to share in the mornings.
Registration, Payment, & Refunds
This workshop requires a $100 deposit to hold your space. When a deposit is made, Kyle will reach out to you, welcome you to the course, and get you in the email loop with all the details.
Go here to make a Venmo deposit or send a check for $100 made out to Cobitat and mailed to 2055 McCloud Avenue, Reno, NV 89512. Full payments are also gladly accepted.
Deposit is refundable (minus $50 for books and mailing cost if they’ve already been shipped to you) until 6 weeks before the start of the class. If you cancel with less than six weeks before the start of the class and your spot can be filled, we will issue a refund minus book costs. If it can’t be filled, your deposit will not be refunded.
Full payment is requested by two weeks before the start of each class.
The Daily Schedule
We are aware that students make a big investment in a workshop like this. We honor your time and do the best we can to share our knowledge and experience. Expect two full days with lots of building and learning. We always strive to make the workshop itself a comfortable, memorable and fun experience.
7:30 breakfast
8:30 site tour on day 1, building session one
1:00 lunch
2:30-6:00 building session two: other techniques, lecture, appropriate technologies…
7:00 Dinner
Instructors
Lead instructor Kyle Isacksen has been building with earth since 2010 and teaching natural building since 2011 with House Alive and the Be the Change Project. Kyle has a background in construction, teaching, and simple living. He’s worked as a framer, carpenter, and commercial roofer and recently finished building a “green” conventional house in his neighborhood in Reno. He was a science teacher for 7 years, is a frequent speaker on sustainable living, and is a contributing writer for Mother Earth News magazine and blog. Kyle enjoys basketball, hiking, reading, and martial arts.
Katy Chandler is the co-founder of the Be the Change Project and has lived in and played with natural building materials for many years. She is a prolific gardener, certified permaculture designer, urban garlic farmer, and former math teacher and school designer. She loves to dance, laugh, and pore over seed catalogs while cozied up to the wood stove on long winter nights. Kyle and Katy also have two teenage sons.

First Mini Complete Cob Build in only 9 days!!! A Cob Playhouse for the McCarall Family in Chattanooga, Tennessee
2023-07-15 12:00 - 2023-07-23 16:00 (America/New_York) | Casa Miguel, 3624 Elder Mtn Rd, Chattanooga, TN, United States
HOST & LOCATION

Lennie, Ellie, Jamie and Sean: a beautiful family!

Hello everybody! I am Sean and Jamie (my wife), Lennox (3), Ellie (4 months) and Alfur (my niece who lives with us) are super excited to host our first cob building adventure. Learning about cob building interests us for multiple reasons. The first being we intend to provide affordable housing for friends, family, and travellers in the future. I’ve looked into traditional home building and even on a small scale it costs a small fortune to build. We hope to learn the process and be able to continue to construct small shelters with our family and friends. Second, I am interested in the eco-friendly nature of cob building seemingly made from more sustainable resources, requiring less upkeep, and lasting longer than traditional homes. And lastly the potential for lots of aesthetic appeal. Once we understand the fundamentals I feel as though it can be a truly artistic outlet to creating all different designs in buildings. Something I have not tapped into since I was a child. Having received the “Hand-Sculpted House” as a gift from Claudine who we hosted as she biked through Tennessee (how we met), we are now even greater cob aficionados and super excited to build with y’all!

Taco Fiesta with the McCarall Family!

A little background on us, we love the outdoors and experiencing new things. In our free time we enjoy traveling, meeting new people, cooking, biking, hiking and camping. My wife and I are geologists by trade and spent 10 years in west Texas living out of our motorhome working and saving up. Then we decided to prioritize building a family and moved to Chattanooga, TN to start that. We now have a VERY funny 2 year old son and an old soul little 6 month daughter who we want to experience some of the cob magic with us too.

We are nestled into a home by Raccoon Mtn and only 10 minutes from downtown Chattanooga. There is plenty of space for everyone whether you would like to stay indoors or out. My wife cooks most of our meals and enjoys changing up cuisine, while trying to stay healthy so there will always be something good to eat. We look forward to hosting and connecting with everyone and hope you are able to join us on our journey of learning this craft. Expect the weather to be hot (90’s) but with plenty of shade and cool breezes. Bugs are not usually an issue.

The McCarrall Family

Our cozy shaded backyard where we will build the playhouse!

Me and the Fam in April

My Goodbye Dinner

Jamie n’ Ellie

Taco Fiesta Dinner!!!

Mom’s happy! Notice Baby Mohawk:)

THE PROJECT

A cob cottage and sauna built by a workshop in the Azores

This is the very first CruzinCobGlobal 9-day Complete Playhouse Build in which students will learn every step of building a cob building on a micro-scale. From foundation to reciprocal frame roof, including cob floor and plaster, sculpting, electricity and plumbing, we will build a 30ft2 round playhouse for Lennie and Ellie. The idea is to give you a taste of what it’s like to build with cob and, if you are already a builder or super savvy, you will DEFINITELY be able to transfer this knowledge and experience to building a full-size cottage. This workshop is ideal for those who are short on time and money for attending our traditional 35-day full build or who want a taster before committing to the extended workshop (we have one happening just 2 hours east in Pulaski, TN August 27th to October 1 with time to register…https://cruzincobglobal.org/events/complete-cob-bungalow-in-southern-tennessee-pulaski/).
This workshop will be easy on the energy as we will build right behind the family’s home in their tree-studded Tennessee backyard, in the shade, and as everything will be small-scale, each step will be completed in about 1/3 of the time of a usual build, in which there are 25 working days. The maximum group size will be 8 as opposed to 15 in the longer-term build. Students will receive a Certificate for a Mini Complete Cob Building Workshop! Even though this is a Playhouse, the workshop is strictly for teens and adults as it will still be an intensive training in order to reach our goal!
Please be prepared to work hard and have fun doing so, bring your favorite playlists and comfortable clothing!

Success!

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

The Mini Complete Cob Building Workshop consists of 9 days (Saturday 12pm through Sunday 4pm) of learning & construction for 4 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the afternoon with theoretical instruction (lectures with graphics) to complement the hands-on experience.

Cabo Verdean student making cob breads

Students arrive on Saturday morning between 10am and noon to settle in (camping or indoors). The workshop begins with a delicious lunch by Chef Jamie at noon, followed by our traditional Opening Circle, a Host Site Orientation, and an Introduction to the Project by Instructor Krystal Alexander. We will open the hands-on learning by digging the trench and filling it up with the first elements of a foundation on Saturday afternoon.
A Breakfast buffet will be served from 7:15-8:15am and the morning learning/building session begins at 8:45 am and lasts until 1pm with a 20-minute snack pause at 11am. Lunch break is from 1pm to 2:30pm, which includes a rest time before the 3-hour afternoon session begins.

Sifting plaster materials

There will be a lecture each day from 2:30-3:30, followed by more construction time. After class in the afternoon there will be a 60-minute break before dinner at 7:30pm, in which students are encouraged to stretch, do some type of relaxation/movement practice, and/or just relax. There is sometimes a student informally leading yoga and movement practice in the mornings or afternoons (depending on student preference). There will also be one or more evenings after dinner for showing slides, videos and having Course-related discussions. Other evenings are free and sometimes students offer up informal courses in their specialties and passions just for fun. Fire circle, music, singing, dancing…are all part of our workshops! The last night (Saturday) there will be a Council Circle, also a CruzinCobGlobal tradition.

DAILY SCHEDULE

The Mini Complete Cob Building Workshop begins on a Saturday at noon and ends on a Sunday at 4pm (a week later) with Lunch and a Closing Circle/Graduation. If necessary due to long-distance travel, students may arrive on Friday afternoon to acclimate and settle in (please let us know) 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/time of year) will be:
7:15-8:15 Breakfast
8:45-1:00 Class
1:00-2:30 Lunch
2:30-6:30 Lecture/Class 6:30-7:30 Rest/Yoga
7:30-8:30 Dinner
8:30-9:30 Slides/Videos/Discussion (once a week)
Students are expected to be on time and participate in all sessions and required activities as the goal of building a full construction depends on the whole group working together!

COURSE CONTENTS

Students will learn every phase of building a cob building from foundation through the reciprocal roof in hands-on building and 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 , and budgeting.
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, glass and other objects
inserting electrical wiring and plumbing in walls
sculpting
preparing and applying earthen plasters (1 coat)
pouring an earthen floor (1 coat)
preparing walls for roof connection
building roof frame
putting on sheathing and other elements
building green roof
In addition to Cob Building practices, the Course material
also includes:
legal cob construction practices & the international cob code
cost analysis

REQUIREMENTS & IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Students will need to come prepared for physical work from Day 1.
This includes bringing:
Work clothes appropriate for the country and climate we are in
Work boots or other closed-toe shoes (for foundation and roof)
Flip-flops (for cobbing/plaster days)
Rubber dishwashing gloves (for lime mortar)
Work Gloves
Tape Measure
Box Cutter
Carving Knife
Wood Hand Saw (cheap)
Hammer (if u can)
Rounded triangular trowel (5 inches long)
Level (2-foot)
Ear Plugs (roof week)
Wood Chisel (standard)
4”-6” Diameter Round Plastic Container Lids (for plastering)
Good Moisturizer
Hat
Sunglasses
Safety Glasses
Water Bottle
Notebook/Pen/Camera
Sample of Your Soil (Optional)

INSTRUCTOR

Krystal Alexander (Cob Instructor & Builder)

Krystal is always joyful when she’s cobbin’!

The desire to incorporate healthier practices into modern day living has led Krystal to a life of natural building. After years of growing her practice as a Massage and Sound Therapist she was ready to take the next step on her journey of creative and self-sufficient living. As an artist clay has always been her medium of choice, so once her feet hit the mud she was hooked. From that first workshop with CruzinCobGlobal in 2017, she has dedicated her time to traveling and learning with others (making lifelong friends around the globe). She has assisted, instructed and helped to build 6 earthen structures as well as 5 cob pizza ovens!

Krystal is fueled by the passion to spread awareness that living consciously and comfortably is an attainable (and sustainable) reality. She believes that through this hands-on work, we can unlock our creative potential to share our truth with the world around. When she is not cobbin’ she is running her bodywork practice back home in St. Louis, MO. One day she plans on settling down with her little family on a plot of land and building earthen structures galore. Krystal is eager to share the healing and empowering benefits of cob and community with all!

MEALS & ACCOMMODATIONS

Students will have 3 delicious, hearty vegetarian/vegan meals every day. Animal protein (meat or fish) may be added to some meals if there are non-vegetarians in the group. Also vegan and gluten-free restrictions can be honored. There will be a Welcome Lunch on the first Saturday, and a Celebration Lunch on the last Sunday, followed by our Closing Circle.
All students can camp onsite or sleep indoors on various pull-out couches and on the floor. Students can also choose to stay in other local accommodations (ask Host for suggestions) but will need to be able to get to the site on time every day. They can also carcamp.

TRANSPORTATION

Students driving in will receive directions to the workshop site in the Welcome Letter sent two weeks before the start date. Nearest airports are Chattanooga and Nashville, and also Atlanta. More information will be sent regarding transportation from the airports to the site, unless students want to share rental cars.

REGISTRATION

The $900 Fee for the workshop includes tuition, camping and daily meals.
To register, please email claudine@cruzincobglobal.org or send standard text or Whatsapp text to (831) 212-7225 with your email address to receive the two registration forms. Payment can be made by Zelle, Venmo and Paypal using claudinedesiree@gmail.com. With Paypal, please check the “Send to Family and Friends” box or add 3% for the fee. If you are using a credit card with Venmo or Paypal please add 3% for the transaction fee. Venmo ID is @claudine-desiree.
Europeans and others who want to pay internationally can use Wise to pay in USD. Pls ask Claudine for more info and an invite with a free first transfer.
It is preferable that you pay in full when you pay however 50% deposit is required to hold your place with the rest due by July 1st at the latest.
We will offer 2 work trade discounts of $90 each for an hour of work each class day, onsite or making breakfast from 6:30-7:30am. Full payment or 50% deposit to hold your spot with final balance due by July 1st. Please see work trader cancellation policy below.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Students who cancel before June 1st, 2023 will receive a full refund minus a 5% administration fee or a credit for another workshop within 2 years.
Students who cancel between June 1st, 2023 and June 15th, 2023 will receive a full refund minus 10% admin fee or a credit for another workshop within 2 years.
Students who cancel after June 15th will not receive a refund or a credit unless they have proof of an emergency situation beyond their control, in which case they will receive a credit to be used within 2 years, minus 10% fee.
*Work traders who cancel after June 15th will receive a full refund of what they have paid minus $90.

EXCITED TO COB WITH YOU IN 2023!!!

Natural Building Intensive
2023-07-17 - 2023-07-29 | Wanosh Forest Gardens, Willits, CA, United States
Instructors: Michael G. Smith, Avani Leitz, and Blair Phillips
Want to build an earthen sauna?

In this two-week course, get your hands muddy and leave with the skills to build a small structure from the ground up. We will be building the foundation for a sauna, then adding earthen walls and a round-pole roof structure for a living roof. This workshop will include:

• Wall systems including cob, redwood bark and slip, and others
• Gravel bag foundations – a simple, low cost, low-carbon foundation
• Intro to natural plasters including clay-straw and lime-sand base coats
• Simple roof structure for a living roof

Daily hands-on building sessions will be supplemented with lectures on the theoretical background you need to design and build effective natural structures, including a thorough grounding in both the structural and thermal properties of different natural materials and the fundamentals of passive solar design.
The course will be five days of intensive learning (17th-21st), followed by a weekend tour (22nd & 23rd) of local natural building sites and a restorative nature excursion, with the hands-on intensive resuming from 24th-29th. Camping is included and all meals are prepared for you with food grown on site or locally sourced with your optimal health in mind. Families are welcome. Inquire for kiddo participation.
Get a 5% discount off the price of this or any other 2023 Wanosh workshop by entering the coupon code “Michael5” when you check out. Other offerings this year include round pole timber-framing, Rocket Mass Heaters, and more! https://wanosh.org/

Natural Building Intensive (sauna build) with Michael G. Smith, Avani Leitz, and Blair Phillips
2023-07-17 08:00 - 2023-07-29 17:00 (America/Denver) | Wanosh Forest Gardens, Willits, CA, United States
In this two-week course, get your hands muddy and leave with the skills to build a small structure from the ground up. We will be building the foundation for a sauna, then adding earthen walls and a round-pole roof structure for a living roof.
Daily hands-on building sessions will be supplemented with lectures on the theoretical background you need to design and build effective natural structures, including a thorough grounding in both the structural and thermal properties of different natural materials and the fundamentals of passive solar design.
Camping is included and all meals are prepared for you with food grown on site or locally sourced with your optimal health in mind.

Oakland, CA Cobin Workshop
2023-07-21 08:00 - 2023-07-23 17:00 (America/Denver) | Funky Turtle Ecovillage, El Sobranto, CA, 94803, United States
Learn to convert small sheds and wood frame structures into a backyard tiny home, animal housing or storage. We will be spending time at the Funky Turtle Ecovillage near Oakland, CA, working with earthen materials and growing our community of natural builders. You may attend one, two or three days. Experience, instruction, camping and simple meals are included for $75 per day or $175 for all three days. Just bring your camping gear and comforts. Visit the website for more information and to register for July 21-23. You will receive an information document with details when you sign up.

Cob Oven Build
2023-07-22 - 2023-07-23 | Be the Change Project, 2055 McCloud Avenue, Reno, NV, 89512, United States
Build it with Earth: The Cob Pizza Oven

Complete Oven Build & Pizza Party

Be the Change Project Urban Homestead
Reno, NV July 22 & 23 (Saturday and Sunday)

Number of Students: up to 10
Cost: $320
The Building Project
A two-day complete oven build from the foundation all the way to the finish plaster. We’ll build a new oven at our neighbor’s place and re-plaster our existing oven at the Be the Change Project.
After this weekend, participants will have the knowledge and skills to build an earthen oven on their own. Oven builds are great for learning so many of the basic natural building techniques that are transferable to other projects: cob, light straw clay, fix-all plaster, brown coat, and finish plasters and sculpting.
While at our homestead, participants will get to experience the other examples of natural building and appropriate technologies on site including earthen cabins, garden walls, solar wall heaters, a root cellar with a green roof, a solar PV system, and more.
Each participant will receive Kyle’s book, “Build it with Earth: the Cob Pizza Oven” in the mail prior to the course.
The course concludes with a pizza party on Sunday night.
About the Site
The Be the Change Project is a Reno-based nonprofit, centered on our half-acre urban homestead where we have offered classes, tours, and workshops since 2011. That year we were able to buy what was a run down and neglected house on a half-acre through fundraising and crowdfunding. Since then we have enjoyed living an alternative and off-the-grid lifestyle while transforming the property into a verdant oasis. It has become a center for neighborhood uplift as well as a model for simpler living in the urban/suburban context. We were a Mother Earth News Magazine Homestead of the Year in 2013.
Reno is in the high desert on the western edge of the Great Basin. The weather in May and June is usually warm, clear, and sunny during the days with much cooler nights. It can get hot, and rain is unlikely.
We’ve developed and use many systems for living more sustainably in town which you’ll get to know and use during the workshop:

Solar cooking and wall heaters

Small scale solar PV

Wood stove and solar thermosiphon water heating

Composting – vermicomposting and conventional aerobic piles

Alternative septic system – the Watson Wick

Basic principles and practices of Permaculture

Organic small plot intensive gardening including season extenders like hoop houses, root cellaring and solar dehydrating

ScAvenging! – upcycling and salvaging materials from the urban waste stream

Living with little electricity and fossil fuels

Wood-fired hot tub

Lodging
We have a variety of lodging options including cob cabins, rooms, tent sites, and parking for camper vans.
Registration, Payment, & Refunds
This workshop requires a $100 deposit to hold your space. When a deposit is made, Kyle will reach out to you, welcome you to the course, and get you in the email loop with all the details.
Go here to make a Venmo deposit or send a check for $100 made out to “Cobitat” and mailed to 2055 McCloud Avenue, Reno, NV 89512. Full payments are also gladly accepted.
Deposit is refundable (minus $20 for books and mailing cost if it’s already been shipped to you) until six weeks before the start of the class. If you cancel with less than six weeks before the start of the class and your spot can be filled, we will issue a refund minus book costs. If it can’t be filled, your deposit will not be refunded.
Full payment is requested by two weeks before the start of each class.
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 two full days with lots of building and learning. We always strive to make the workshop itself a comfortable, memorable and fun experience.
7:30 breakfast
8:30 building session one
1:00 lunch
3:00-6:00 building session two: other techniques, lectures, and oven building
7:00 Dinner
Delicious home-cooked meals are provided and will be vegetarian with occasional meat options.
Instructors
Lead instructor Kyle Isacksen has been building with earth since 2010 and teaching natural building since 2011 with House Alive and the Be the Change Project. Kyle has a background in construction, teaching, and simple living. He’s worked as a framer, carpenter, and commercial roofer and recently finished building a “green” conventional house in his neighborhood in Reno. He was a science teacher for 7 years, is a frequent speaker on sustainable living, and is a contributing writer for Mother Earth News magazine and blog. Kyle enjoys basketball, hiking, reading, and martial arts.
Katy Chandler is the co-founder of the Be the Change Project and has lived in and played with natural building materials for many years. She is a prolific gardener, certified permaculture designer, urban garlic farmer, and former math teacher and school designer. She loves to dance, laugh, and pore over seed catalogs while cozied up to the wood stove on long winter nights. Kyle and Katy also have two teenage sons.

35-Day MASTER Natural Building Workshop – Strawbale, PermaHome, Off-Grid
2023-07-31 08:00 - 2023-09-03 17:00 (America/Denver) | BC
From July 31st to September 3rd we will start another 35-Day Natural Building MASTER Certificate Workshop in Powell River, Canada. 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/hut/studio/guestroom for yourself. The highlights of this workshop are building winter-proof, with passive heat management, a natural rock foundation, a wooden frame and roof, strawbale walls, earthen floors, earthen plasters, a tiled roof, and even cob sculpting.

For more details and registration, visit https://permaskills.org/natural-building-workshop

Rocket Stove Series with Viva Hansen
2023-08-07 08:00 - 2023-08-25 17:00 (America/Denver) | Wanosh Forest Gardens, Willits, CA, United States
This 3-week workshop is designed to immerse participants in the world of rocket stoves.
(you can take just one of the weeks)
Taught by earth bender & stove expert Viva Hansen.
Attended as a series, this course includes the construction of three rocket stoves over three weeks, a new stove each week, with weekends off.
This is an advanced Rocket Mass Heater course designed to explore clean combustion; from principles to building and arranging advanced Rocket Stoves and Rocket Mass Heater systems.
This is a hands-on class in which students will experience several Rocket Stove types, change their configurations and experience the differences, similarities, advantages and disadvantages of system types firsthand. Covering Dakota Fire Pits, L-Tube and J-Tube design, and Batch Box Rocket Stoves, this course integrates hands-on construction of stoves with lectures, demonstrations, and AMAs.

In the first week (August 7th – 11th) of the course we will build an 8” J-Tube style Rocket Mass Heater inside of a 10’x12’ cob studio.

In the second week (August 14th – 18th) we will build an 8” Batch Box Rocket to act as the primary heat source for a cob sauna.

The third week (August 21st – 25th) we will build another 8” Batch Box (this time with an adjacent heated bench) to supply primary heat to a 30’ yurt.

Although each week acts as its own standalone workshop, we have designed the course to support those wanting to immerse themselves in the rocket stove world, and finish the course feeling confident and sufficiently prepared to build a Rocket Mass Heater on their own.

Cob Oven & Benches at Quinta das Flores on São Miguel Island, Azores (Portugal)
2023-08-13 16:00 - 2023-08-19 17:00 (Atlantic/Azores) | Quinta das Flores, Rua Outeiro dos Alamos Brancos, 14, Vila Franca do Campo, São Miguel, Azores, Portugal
OUR HOSTESS

Claudine and Ana at the annual Wine Festival on São Miguel, Azores

Ana Henrique is a Portuguese, passionate woman living in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean in a paradise called Azores. Her formal skills are tourism management and regenerative agriculture.
She lives in Quinta das Flores, an 8,600m2 orchard, located in Ribeira das Tainhas, a small parish in the Municipality of Vila Franca do Campo, where she and her young son Francisco, grow most of their veggies and fruits. At the moment they are introducing more biodiversity and polycultural strategies for more resilience and security on their food production system. Permaculture, Agroforestry and Biodiversity protection are the main action guides in their garden and life.

Endless green Azorean landscape!

Her love for the natural world led her into a great passion for herbs and plants. She is very curious about living food potential to nurture and heal the body and soul. Ana believes in natural, unpolluted, authentic food production as a healing instrument for individuals and communities. One of her dreams is to plant a giant Food Forest that can inspire and nurture others, encouraging them to step forward and embrace Earth Care. Natural soap is also one of her passions, integrating her paradigm shift of desiring a beautiful and healthy planet. She is passionate about holistic and systemic thinking and believes in the potential of regenerative behaviors, such as love, friendship, companionship and trust.
Ana has been waiting to build her Cob Sanctuary since 2017, when she first met Claudine while cooking for her first cob workshop in the Azores. Finally she is READY!

THE LOCATION

Vila Franca do Campo is the 4th largest town on the island of São Miguel, the largest and most diverse of the Azorean islands of Portugal. It is located in the central section of the island with great access to an offshore islet (see gallery below) for swimming and snorkeling/scuba diving/kayaking, wonderful hiking in all directions, hot springs only 20 minutes away in the famous town of Furnas, and an almost private small black sand beach just a 3 minute walk from Ana’s property, Quinta das Flores.

Amazing vegetable garden!

Students will have 5 weekends plus before and after the workshop to explore the natural wonderland of São Miguel with a variety of hot springs, hikes, restaurants, surf spots, biking, rock climbing, museums and three incredible botanical gardens!!!
Ana loves to take people around to visit her island and if he isn’t too tired she may borrow her parents’ 9-person van to take students around on the weekend. Students can also share a rental car (reserve EARLY for good rates and availability), use the bus system or rent bikes for the 5 weeks.

Permaculture garden

Quinta das Flores is also a wonderful refuge from the world with its endless citrus groves, permaculture gardens, flower gardens. Students will be very fortunate to experience 5 weeks on Ana and her sons’ Quinta in summer with all its abundance and variety of healthy produce…not to mention Ana’s unforgettable meals! Forget about the COB;)!!!

Beach near Ana’s Quinta

Islet

the islet of Vila Franca

Mini-horses

Volunteers on the land

Lagoa do Fogo

Vila Franca

Yummies

view from the land

THE PROJECT

Under the expert guidance of Chilean natural builder and architect Nicolas Pimentel, students will build a beautiful Cob Oven as a centerpiece for an outdoor eating area with artistic sculpted Cob Benches and, time permitting, a work table and wood storage area. Students will start from the lava stone foundation and end with sculpting and plaster and ideally, a pizza party!

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

New Mexico Outdoor Kitchen Workshop, 2022

The Cob Oven & Benches Workshop consists of 7 days of learning & construction for 4 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon with theoretical instruction (lectures with graphics) to complement the hands-on experience.
Students arrive on Tuesday August 15th, 2023 between noon and 2pm and settle in. The workshop begins at 4pm with the Opening Circle followed by a Host Site Orientation and Introduction to the Project. Dinner is served at 6pm, and will be followed by an Introduction to the 7-day Workshop by the Instructor Nicolas Pimentel.
Wednesday morning we begin digging the trenches for the Oven & Benches Foundations and building them!
Following Breakfast from 7:30-8:15am, the morning learning/building session begins at 8:45 am and lasts until 1pm with a 20-minute snack pause at 11am. Lunch break is from 1pm to 2:30pm, which includes a rest time before the 3-hour afternoon session begins. Monday, Wednesday and Friday there is a 60-minute lecture, followed by construction time. Tuesdays and Thursdays students begin building again 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 some type of relaxation/movement practice, go swimming if possible, and just relax. There is sometimes a work trade student officially or informally leading yoga and movement practice in the mornings or afternoons (depending on student preference). There will also be 1 evening after dinner for showing slides and having Course-related discussions. Other evenings are free and sometimes students offer informal courses in their specialties and passions. We will have a Council Circle on Friday evening. In the afternoons after class students can go swimming at the nearby beach and kayaking to the islet.

Pucón, Chile Outdoor Kitchen with Cob Oven Workshop, 2019

DAILY SCHEDULE

The Cob Oven & Benches Workshop begins on a Tuesday at 4pm and ends on a Tuesday, 1 week later, after the morning Closing Circle & Brunch. Students can arrive a day before to acclimate and settle in (please let us know) 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/time of year) will be:
8:00-8:45 Breakfast
9:00-1:00 Class
1:00-2:30 Lunch
2:30-5:30 Class (Lecture on MWF’s)
5:30-7:00 Rest/Yoga
7:00-8:00 Dinner
8:00-9:00 Slides/Videos/Discussion on Wed or Thurs
Students are expected to be on time and participate in all sessions and required activities as the goal of building a full construction depends on the whole group working together!

COURSE CONTENTS

Students will learn to make cob and build an oven and benches in hands-on building and lectures/theory. In addition to the lectures, slideshows will be shown to support and enhance their understanding of cob materials, cob building, and design.
Our hands-on practice will include:
digging foundation trenches
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
making decorations in cob
sculpting
preparing and applying earthen plasters (1 coat)

REQUIREMENTS & IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Students will need to come prepared for physical work from Day 1.
This includes bringing:
Work clothes appropriate for the country and climate we are in
Work boots or other closed-toe shoes (for foundation and roof)
Flip-flops (for cobbing/plaster days)
Rubber dishwashing gloves (for lime mortar)
Work Gloves
Tape Measure
Two-foot Level
Rounded triangular trowel
4”-6” Diameter Round Plastic Container Lids (for plastering)
Good Moisturizer
Hat
Sunglasses
Safety Glasses
Water Bottle
Notebook/Pen/Camera
Sample of Your Soil (Optional)

INSTRUCTOR

Nicolas Pimentel (Cob Instructor)

Nico in his happy place!

I was born and raised in Santiago de Chile and went to Architecture School. At the end of my studies, I travelled to Portugal to study Arts, and somehow I learned about natural building and a completely new perspective came to me. I took a CruzinCobGlobal workshop with Claudine in the Azores in 2017, and my life changed by learning this new technique.

After 2 years, I went back to Santiago to finish Architecture School, and specialized in BioArchitecture. I continued assisting workshops with Claudine in different places, while developing my own project. I built my “natural” home in 2020 in Pucón, south of Chile, where I am rooted now. I am involved with different projects nowadays, and have my own architecture studio and also participate in other projects related to nature, conservation, arts and tourism. I love to live surrounded by nature, mountains and good people.

MEALS & ACCOMMODATIONS

Pizza time!

Students will have 3 delicious, hearty vegetarian meals a day. There will also be a Welcome Dinner on Tuesday night, a Celebration Dinner on Monday night, and a Goodbye Brunch on Tuesday morning after the Closing Circle.
Students will be camping onsite for this workshop in their own tents or can inquire about renting a tent from Ana for 3€/night. There will also be five indoor mattress spaces in a communal room for 7€/night. All students renting should bring their own sleeping bags. Pillows and blankets can be provided.
Students can also stay offsite in local accommodations but should be within easy walking distance. Check Airbnb.
More information will be sent a month out in the Welcome Letter and students are also welcome to contact Ana our host once they are registered.

TRANSPORTATION

The arrival airport is PDL (Ponta Delgada) on the island of São Miguel, Azores, Portugal. The airlines that fly there from the US are SATA/Azores Airlines, TAP, United and Delta. From Europe take SATA, TAP or RyanAir. There are no ferries to the Azores, but you are welcome to find a private boat sailing here! Just dont be late for Day 1!
Once you arrive at the airport, or will be in Ponta Delgada before the workshop starts, we will be organizing a shuttle on Tuesday to bring everyone to the site. Otherwise there is a public bus or shared taxi. It is recommended to arrive a day early for the US folks, to get adjusted to the jet lag and new climate and visit the island before the workshop starts.

REGISTRATION

Thrifty Bird Rate : 650€, pay in full by March 15th, 2023
Chill Bird Rate: 700€, pay in full by May 15th, 2023
Super Chill Bird Rate: 750€, pay in full by July 15th, 2023
Payment includes tuition, camping and weekday meals plus first and last dinners and last brunch.
To register, please email claudinedesiree@gmail.com or send standard text or Whatsapp text to (831) 212-7225 with your email address to receive the two registration forms. Payment can be made by Zelle, Venmo and Paypal using claudinedesiree@gmail.com. With Paypal, please check the “Send to Family and Friends” box or add 3% for the fee. If you are using a credit card with Venmo or Paypal please add 3% for the transaction fee. Venmo ID is @claudine-desiree. You can also use the Wise app or website for international low-cost transfers.
European students and others can make a bank transfer or use Wise as well. Information will be provided.
It is preferable that you pay in full when you pay however 50% deposit is required to hold your place with the rest due by July 15th at the latest.
We always offer 2 work trade discounts of 70€ each for an hour of work each class day. There is one kitchen work trader who prepares breakfast from 6:30-7:30am and one work trader that does site prep from 6:30 to 7:30am. If you want a work trade, please email or text Claudine (contact info above). These are first come first serve. Payment should be made in full or 50% deposit to hold your spot with final balance due by July 15th, 2023. Note that the work trade discount is applied to the amount that is being paid off in full. So if you are making your payment in full by the Thirfty Bird date, it will be deducted form that rate. If you pay in full after the Chill Bird deadline, then it will be deducted from the Super Chill Bird rate. Please see work trader cancellation policy below.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Students who cancel before June 15th, 2023 will receive a full refund minus a 5% administration fee or a credit for another workshop within 2 years.
Students who cancel after June 15th, 2023 and before July 15th, 2023 will receive a full refund minus 10% admin fee or a credit for another workshop within 2 years.
Students who cancel after July 15th will not receive a refund or a credit unless they have proof of an emergency situation beyond their control, in which case they will receive a credit to be used within 2 years, minus 10% fee.
*Work traders who cancel after June 15thth will receive a refund of what they have paid minus 70€.

EXCITED TO COB WITH YOU IN 2023!!!

Build a Regenerative Tiny Home and Furnishings
2023-08-20 - 2023-08-25 | Tan Oak Park, Laytonville, California
A five-day immersion in practical skills for developing a healthy reciprocal relationship between people and place. Imagine inhabiting the landscape in a way that simultaneously enhances the health and resilience of the local ecosystem while harvesting materials to meet human needs. Such a lifestyle is not only possible but has been the standard practice of many cultures around the world. Learn with us how to re-evolve a regenerative place-based culture.

Instructors include renowned natural building author and educator Michael G. Smith (strawclaywood.com), veteran professional natural builder Colin Gillespie (polecraftsolutions.com), and esteemed pole furniture craftsmen John Cunnan and Vincent Brown.

Participants will encounter:
• Round pole framing and furniture crafting
• Clay-based floor and wall construction (cob, light clay-fiber, wattle-and-daub, etc.)
• Alternative foundations (with little or no cement)
• Materials selection and harvesting to improve forest health
• Fire-resistant building techniques
• Energy-efficient design and planning
• Epic swimming
• Delicious, nutritious food
• Campfire fun
• Positive, practical EMPOWERMENT

On-site camping and cabins available. This workshop is a production of the Northern Mendocino Ecosystem Recovery Alliance. For more info or to register, go to nm-era.org

A Complete Cob Bungalow in southern Tennessee (Pulaski, TN, USA)
2023-08-27 08:00 - 2023-10-01 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Fairy Forest, Pulaski, TN, United States
OUR HOSTESS

Arrrriella trimming the wall in Casais, September 2022

nurse carpenter, go girl!

Welcome fellow cob enthusiasts! My name is Ariella (the Ar is pronounced like a pirate would say Rrrr ? I’ve always had a dream to help people. I became a nurse at a young age and have had some amazing opportunities to work all over the U.S. in nursing. I love music, festivals, dancing, traveling, yoga, friends and family, fires, all things nature, and naps. As my passion for alternative modalities for health have grown, so has my vision for creating a space for healing, personal growth, and authentic sharing. In 2020 my best friend (Pearl) and I bought 28 acres in a small town in Tennessee called Pulaski. My dream has been to build a few small and comforting spaces for people to stay while they reconnect with nature along with their inner truth, eventually expanding the dream into hosting retreats and workshops. When I learned about earthen homes, I knew they were just the perfect spaces I had envisioned. Many adventures have ensued with learning about Cob, the last one being a 35-day workshop in Portugal with CruzinCobGlobal. I learned so much and I absolutely loved the aesthetic and natural feel of cob, it really called to me.

La casa

This will be the first cob house built on the property. There is already a brick home on the property a little further from the building site that Pearl and I live in. While you are in Pulaski, you will have access to my kitchen, bathroom (shower), and living room with plenty of spots to set up a tent outside. There is some flat room at the top of the driveway to bring RV’s and camper vans. Mostly what surrounds us is neighbors with small homes and similar or more acreage.
There are deer and cows that love to roam about. Although I have never seen them on the property, this part of the U.S. does have snakes, spiders, mosquitos, and coyotes. The weather in September is in the process of changing between summer and winter temperatures. Early September will be between high 70’s and low 80’s farenheit and decrease as the month goes on. While it’s rare, nights could get down into the high 40’s to low 50’s, so warm clothes are recommended.

LOCATION

The workshop site will be on my and Pearl’s land we call Fairy Forest! The town of Pulaski is about 15 minutes away. A gas station, two restaurants, and a motel are 3 miles away and take about 5 minutes to get to from the property by car. In the town are some cute shops, restaurants, and a small grocery store. There is a Walmart and home Depot 20 minutes from the building site (5 more minutes down the road from the town.)
Pulaski is exactly in the middle of Nashville, TN and Huntsville, AL. The most cost effective airport is BNA in Nashville. Nashville is one hour north of Pulaski and is known as music city. Nashville has many museums, bars, restaurants, shows, and attractions. I grew up in Huntsville which is an hour south of Pulaski (also has an airport but usually more expensive). Huntsville was voted the best place to live in 2022 by the US News & World Report. Some of that can be attributed to the Marshall Space center, a vibrant growing art scene, and Monte Sano (lots of hiking and biking there).
There is Tim’s Ford which has some camping, hiking, and swimming about an hour away in a different direction from the property. I would love to explore some places in the area that I haven’t seen yet and could arrange some day trips. If you are looking to help build the first cob house on this property, I know it will be nothing short of an exciting adventure with the satisfaction of seeing a project to completion. I am very excited to welcome each and everyone of you to my home and looking forward to all of the experiences and growing that only cob can bring. See you soon!

THE PROJECT

Students will be building a 10-15m2 cob cottage (size depends on number of students) for Ariella as a guest space/studio on her land.
The cottage will be built from foundation to reciprocal green roof including floor, sculpting and plaster, as well as electrical outlets, switches and housing and plumbing connection. Students will receive an Advanced Cobber Certification for the 5-week training workshop.

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

Sifting for plaster mix

The 35-day Advanced Cob Building Workshop consists of 25 days (Monday through Friday) of learning & construction for 4 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon with theoretical instruction (lectures with graphics) on most Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays afternoons to complement the hands-on experience.
Students arrive on Sunday between noon and 2pm and settle in. The workshop begins at 4pm with the Opening Circle followed by a Host Site Orientation and Introduction to the Project. Dinner is served at 6pm, and will be followed by an Introduction to the 5-week Workshop by the Instructors Krystal Alexander and Merle Jahn.

Our host Ariella (on the right) at her first cob workshop in Portugal!

Monday morning we begin digging the trench for our Cob Building!!!!
Following Breakfast from 7:30-8:15am, the morning learning/building session begins at 8:45 am and lasts until 1pm with a 20-minute snack pause at 11am. Lunch break is from 1pm to 2:30pm, which includes a rest time before the 3-hour afternoon session begins. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays there is a 60-minute lecture, followed by construction time. Tuesdays and Thursdays students begin building again 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 some type of relaxation/movement practice, go swimming if possible, and just relax. There is sometimes a work trade student officially or informally leading yoga and movement practice in the mornings or afternoons (depending on student preference). 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 students offer informal courses in their specialties and passions. Mondays are reserved for our weekly Council Circle.Weekends students are free to explore the area, rest onsite, and even continue building, with Instructor approval.
The 35-day Course will offer practical learning by building a complete 10m2-15m2 (depending on number of students) curvilinear building from foundation to roof, as described in the “Project” section. 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 installation), Floor, Plaster & Roof.

DAILY SCHEDULE

The Advanced Cob Building Workshop begins on a Sunday at 4pm and ends on a Sunday, 5 weeks later, after the morning Closing Circle & Brunch. Students can arrive a day or two before to acclimate and settle in (please let us know) 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/time of year) will be:
8:00-8:45 Breakfast
9:00-1:00 Class
1:00-2:30 Lunch
2:30-5:30 Class (Lecture on MWF’s)
5:30-7:00 Rest/Yoga
7:00-8:00 Dinner
8:00-9:00 Slides/Videos/Discussion (once a week)
Students are expected to be on time and participate in all sessions and required activities as the goal of building a full construction depends on the whole group working together!

COURSE CONTENTS

Students will learn every phase of building a cob building from foundation through the reciprocal roof in hands-on building and 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, glass and other objects
inserting electrical wiring and plumbing in walls
sculpting
preparing and applying earthen plasters (1 coat)
pouring an earthen floor (2 layers)
preparing walls for roof connection
building roof frame
putting on sheathing and other elements
building green roof
In addition to Cob Building practices, the Course material
also includes:
legal cob construction practices & the international cob
code
cost analysis
creating a cob business (building/teaching)
assisting, interning and teaching with CruzinCobGlobal

REQUIREMENTS & IMPORTANT INFORMATION

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

***VERY IMPORTANT***

Closing the reciprocal roof, Casais 2022

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.

Casais, Portugal 2022 “ahhh, plaster bliss”

Teacher Lea leading the plaster mix instruction

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 more 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 to carpentry skills, power tools, drilliing, 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 and closing of the wall, 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 with other organizations that are usually for a shorter period building a garden wall, a bench, a compost toilet or some other smaller-scale project.
Students are required to read “The Hand-Sculpted House” before the workshop begins and any other books they find, as well as watching our “International Cob Workshop”
videos on Claudine’s YouTube channel, and the ones posted on CruzinCobGlobal’s website under Gallery, to get an idea of what is expected. Also it is a great idea to watch as many other videos on cob and reciprocal roofs as you can to come mentally prepared. 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 when registering so we can make sure the workshop is a good fit. If approved before the workshop begins, 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!!!!

Always a masterpiece!

Finally, please bring a watch or use your phone to be prompt and ready for each part of the Course
including meals. Please share your dietary restrictions/allergies with CCG as soon as you register. Note that very demanding dietary needs will not be able to be met (vegan & non-gluten ok) and those students may be recommended not to participate unless they are willing to meet their special needs on their own, which may not include kitchen access on weekdays. Please discuss with Claudine at time of desire to register. Also please 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.
We look forward to opening you to a whole new world of experience, skill, growth and transformation as you bond with your new COB family for life!

INSTRUCTORS

JOSHUA BURG (Cob Instructor)

Josh with North Carolina Hosts and co-teacher Paula Carneiro celebrating the end of the build and their new home!
I am a carpenter and residential remodeler based out of Portland, OR, and have been transitioning out of conventional construction and into the world of natural building. Growing up in an adobe home in central New Mexico, earthen architecture has always held a special place in my Soul. Years of conventional building have convinced me that the way forward is really to look backwards…to our collective heritage as muddy humans making homes from healthy, abundant, earthen materials. As a teaching assistant in 2022, I brought my carpentry experience to help build a community space at the CruzinCobGlobal
relaxing after the completion of another reciprocal roof primary structure…
Headquarters in the Azores.
Then earlier this year, I joined fellow Brazilian cobber Paula Carneiro to co-teach a 5-week full build workshop in North Carolina, where we completed a beautiful 175 sq ft “cobbin” for hosts Molly and Daniel, above. I am so excited to further my CCG journey in Tennessee, where I will be the Main Instructor assisted by my student and colleague, Sara Crippen. Vamos!

SARA CRIPPEN (Cob Assistant)

home sweet home…
I was born and raised in the Great Plains of Iowa, where my love for the Earth, building, tending land, and connecting with the Divine through movement was first fostered. I grew up working in conventional construction and landscaping with my family. In 2012 I had the opportunity to be a natural building apprentice with The Possibility Alliance in NE Missouri. Having seen the
first-hand effects of conventional construction, from irresponsible resource extraction to health problems of families living in those dwellings, I recognized the infinite possibilities for freedom and abundance that natural building offers. Over the years I honed my skills while living in the mountains of
teaching women in Mexico
south-central Mexico by building with strawbale, light clay straw, cob ovens, living roofs, superadobe, earthen floors, lime plasters, and clay plasters. While there, I hosted and taught natural building and permaculture workshops for women in Spanish.
This year I dove into building a whole cob cottage with CCG and fell in love all over again with Natural
Building, as well as the community here in the US. Cob embodies all the qualities I hope to foster in my daily life. It is forgiving, abundant, cozy, protective, purifying, and flexible, yet sturdy. Cob creates community and cohesiveness between the land and humanity. I can’t wait to build something beautiful with all of you.

MEALS & ACCOMMODATIONS

Students will have 3 delicious, hearty vegetarian meals a day Monday through Friday. There will also be a Welcome Dinner on the first Sunday night, a Celebration Dinner on the last Saturday night, and a Goodbye Brunch on Sunday morning after the Closing Circle.
On weekends students are on their own for food, and can travel and explore the area, go camping or stay onsite. They will have access to the kitchen and any leftovers from the week. Otherwise they will need to get their own food for the weekend and can collaborate to get rides to the food stores in town.
All students will be camping onsite for this workshop. Students who don’t want to camp can find other local accommodations (ask Host for suggestions) but will need to be able to get to the site on time every weekday. They can also carcamp obviously.

TRANSPORTATION

Students driving in will receive directions to the workshop site in the Welcome Letter sent a month before the start date. Nearest airports are Huntsville, Alabama and Nashville, TN. More information will be sent regarding transportation from the airports to the site, unless students share rental cars. There will be one shuttle on Saturday and one on Sunday from Nashville/Huntsville to site, depending on where students are arriving.

REGISTRATION

Super Chill Bird Rate: $2700, pay in full by July 30th, 2023
Payment includes tuition, camping and weekday meals plus first and last dinners and last brunch.
To register, please email claudinedesiree@gmail.com or send standard text or Whatsapp text to (831) 212-7225 with your email address to receive the two registration forms. Payment can be made by Zelle, Venmo and Paypal using claudinedesiree@gmail.com. With Paypal, please check the “Send to Family and Friends” box or add 3% for the fee. If you are using a credit card with Venmo or Paypal please add 3% for the transaction fee. Venmo ID is @claudine-desiree.
Europeans and others who want to pay in Euros can make a bank transfer to a European account or use Wise to convert into Euros.
It is preferable that you pay in full when you pay however 50% deposit is required to hold your place with the rest due by July 30th at the latest.
We always offer four work trade discounts of $250 each for an hour of work each class day. These positions are filled at this time. Full payment or 50% deposit to hold your spot with final balance due by July 30th.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Students who cancel before June 25th, 2023 will receive a full refund minus a 5% administration fee or a credit for another workshop within 2 years.
Students who cancel after June 25th, 2023 and before July 30th, 2023 will receive a full refund minus 10% admin fee or a credit for another workshop within 2 years.
Students who cancel after July 30th will not receive a refund or a credit unless they have proof of an emergency situation beyond their control, in which case they will receive a credit to be used within 2 years, minus 10% fee.
*Work traders who cancel after June 25th will receive a full refund of what they have paid minus $250.

EXCITED TO COB WITH YOU IN 2023!!!

Arts Of Mosaic and Stone with Teo Briseno
2023-09-01 08:00 - 2023-09-08 17:00 (America/Denver) | Wanosh Forest Gardens, Willits, CA, United States
In this week long course, learn from Teo Briseno, landscape choreographer of 30 years professional experience. Get your hands and body weight into this playful conversation with age old materials and leave with the skills to start applying what you have learned at your home or in your professional journey. We will start with the basics of materials selection, and design conception and cover all the ways they can be mosaicked for the magic of transforming a space for both energy function and beauty. During the workshop we will be focusing on the theme of water within the Wanosh commons area. This will lead to weaving colored tile and different types of stone into the flagstone floors and both standard as well as curved steps .

Complete Cob Compost Toilet: A Mini Full-Build Foundation to Roof on São Miguel Island (Azores, Portugal)
2023-09-01 16:00 - 2023-09-10 16:00 (Atlantic/Azores) | Quinta da Vida Beleza, Lagoa, Azores, 9560-418, Portugal
Students will be building a 5m2 cob compost toilet with 2 chambers and oceanview! The structure will be built from foundation to reciprocal green roof including plumbing for bidets, sculpting and plaster, as well as instruction on inserting electrical outlets, switches and housing (the toilet will not have electricity). Students attending this Mini Full-Build will learn almost everything we teach in the 5-week Advanced Cobber Certification Training (minus the cob floor) on a small scale and without inserting electricity. They will have all the skills to transfer to a larger build. However in order to assist a 5-week workshop they would need to take the longer workshop. They will still be eligible to build on CCG building projects.
For all the details visit: https://cruzincobglobal.org/events/complete-cob-compost-toilet-a-mini-full-build-foundation-to-roof-on-sao-miguel-island-azores-portugal/

Introduction to Cob Workshop
2023-09-11 - 2023-09-15 | This Cob House, Greeneville, TN, 37743, United States
Dates: September 11 – September 15, 2023 (YES. We are still having the workshop as scheduled.)

Location: Greeneville, 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, mixing and applying lime plaster, building with cob, 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 buildings.

Hands-On Work Topics:
– How to make cob (learn how to make cob with the tarp method and with a mortar mixer!)
– How to build cob walls using traditional hand-sculpting and using innovative slipforms (learn all the great advantages of building cob walls with forms)
– Selecting and testing soils for cob (learn several ways to test your soil composition)
– Lime Plaster and Earth Plaster (learn how to mix and apply lime plaster and earth plaster)
– Creating window and door frames (learn how to install frames into cob walls)
– Rammed Earth Demonstration (building rammed earth forms and compaction process)

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)
– Building Solid Foundations (Learn all about constructing proper building foundations)
– 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 Greeneville, 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, straw, and natural building topics. We will break for lunch between 12:00 to 1:00 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 Earth Building Mason 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 earthen building techniques. Alex has a background in business and advertising, and has been practicing earthen 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 AirBnBs. Hotels are available in the neighboring towns of Greeneville, Newport, Parrottsville, and Hot Springs.
Nearby are the Meadow Creek Moundation Lodge in Parrottsville, TN, and the Hot Springs Resort in Hot Springs, North Caolina.
Campers will have access to a private compost toilet and a private outdoor shower.
The workshop location has running water available, but no electricity yet. Please bring your own solar generator if needed.

Food
Meals will not be included in this workshop so participants will need to provide their own food and drinks. There are several local restaurants and grocery stores nearby the workshop site. We even have an amazing corner-store within a walkable distance from the workshop site!
Each student is responsible for their own meal preparation. An hour for lunch is provided, allowing adequate time for food, a quick nap, or trip into town. There is no official kitchen on site yet. Coolers are welcome and encouraged!
Recreation & Surroundings
Greeneville 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 one hour driving time from the workshop site.
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.

Please email me to register with the group/family discount. For normal registration, please click the “Sign Up Now” button above.

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.

A 7-Day Cob Rocket Stove Kitchen Workshop on São Miguel Island (Azores, Portugal)
2023-09-17 14:00 - 2023-09-24 14:00 (Atlantic/Azores) | Quinta da Vida Beleza, Lagoa, Azores, 9560-418, Portugal
Eight students will build a high-efficiency (low fuel consumption and maximum burning efficiency) rocket stove for cooking in the cob cottage that will be completed in the previous workshop. Rocket stoves were developed for ecological and economic sustainability, especially targeting the poor countries where access to wood has become harder. The rocket stove system’s efficiency is due to the thermal insulation together with the double combustion and retro-heating of the airflow producing a longer duration of the heat inside the system and thus less heat loss to the outside. The enclosed chimney prevents cold air from coming in and directs any smoke to the outside, though since all the fuel is burned so efficiently, hardly any smoke or heat leaves the exit chimney, and is all directed to the cooking. While rocket stoves can be used for many different functions, ie air heating, water heating, stove, oven, smoker, furniture heating, floor heating, etc, we will focus on channeling the heat for cooking on a stovetop. Of course a by-product of the cooking heat in the cottage will be air heating.
More details at: https://cruzincobglobal.org/events/a-7-day-cob-rocket-stove-kitchen-workshop-in-the-azores-sao-miguel-island/
