Cob Workshops

All the Basics of Building…the Fast Cob Way!
2024-06-20 15:30 - 2024-06-24 11:00 (America/Vancouver) | Lasqueti Island, 1 Beautiful Bicycle Lane, Lasqueti Island, BC, V0R 2J0, Canada
We are continuing our 18 year tradition of hosting Fast Cob Natural Building Workshops…with our All-the-Basics-of-Building Fast Cob Workshop.
Every All-the-Basics-of-Building Fast Cob Workshop includes:
Natural Building Design: working with nature to make long lasting, beautiful structures;
Fast Cob: how to mix it and build with it, including windows and doors…it is now at least 30x faster than “traditional” cob;
Foundations: how we stack rocks to keep our buildings solid and safe;
Roofs: we’ll show you various options and simple, elegant designs (we are also offering a Roofing Workshop for Fast Cobbers!);
Plumbing and Electrical: you’ll see just how easy it is with Fast Cob!

Our Workshops begin on a Thursday evening with a welcoming dinner and end with a Farewell breakfast on Monday before you depart on the 11 am ferry.
Food, Food, and more Homemade Organic Food!
Every workshop day, we start with a hot, hearty breakfast (with a Q&A), after which we start learning. In the morning, two hands-on sessions sandwich a hearty snack break. A hot, hearty lunch (with another Q&A session), to make sure we have the strength and stamina to absorb all the learning we can, precede a longer afternoon session. After an hour break to clean-up, a hot gourmet dinner accompanies a daily recap on lessons learned and sets the stage for an evening discussion among ourselves or with an invited guest from the Community.
Please visit our workshop page for all the details and to fill in our online application. Although not required, this course is best taken after completing the Focus-on-Finishing workshop in May.
We also offer discounts to those who register in pairs or who take multiple workshops with us.
There is only 1 spot remaining in this workshop. However, we are now offering this workshop from July 11-15 here.

1-Day Intro to Plaster
2024-06-22 | Mud Dauber School Campus, Snow Camp, NC, 27349, United States
INSTRUCTORS: Greg + Danielle

STUDENT #: 15 students [maximum]

COST:
– $150 Early Bird Rate (30 days in advance)
– $175 Regular Rate
– 5% discount for family + friends participating together
– 10% discount for BIPOC participants
DESCRIPTION:
Clay plaster is the best introduction to the vast world of natural paints + plasters, because it is forgiving in its application, has a simple recipe, and is safe and fun to apply by trowel or by hand. Join us to get hands-on experience with the mixing and application. Together, we’ll be adding a fresh layer on one of our natural walls, which is a really satisfying transformation to be a part of!
This is a perfect course for those who are interested in natural plastering, but are not ready to commit to the more intensive 3-Day Plasters + Paints course. We’ll also tour our campus to see and discuss our demonstration cottages, cob oven, and cob/strawbale garden walls.

TOPICS COVERED:

* mixing and applying earthen plaster
* artistic and sculptural opportunities with plaster
* campus tour!

Intro to earthen floor workshop
2024-07-05 09:00 - 2024-07-07 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | WA
Intro to earthen floors! learn how to build an earthen floor from the ground up, on our beautiful property, nestled in the Oregon woods, with other participants

All the Basics of Building…the Fast Cob Way!
2024-07-11 15:30 - 2024-07-15 11:00 (America/Vancouver) | Lasqueti Island, 1 Beautiful Bicycle Lane, Lasqueti Island, BC, V0R 2J0, Canada
We are continuing our 18 year tradition of hosting Fast Cob Natural Building Workshops…with our All-the-Basics-of-Building Fast Cob Workshop.
Every All-the-Basics-of-Building Fast Cob Workshop includes:
Natural Building Design: working with nature to make long lasting, beautiful structures;
Fast Cob: how to mix it and build with it, including windows and doors…it is now at least 30x faster than “traditional” cob;
Foundations: how we stack rocks to keep our buildings solid and safe;
Roofs: we’ll show you various options and simple, elegant designs (we are also offering a Roofing Workshop for Fast Cobbers!);
Plumbing and Electrical: you’ll see just how easy it is with Fast Cob!

Our Workshops begin on a Thursday evening with a welcoming dinner and end with a Farewell breakfast on Monday before you depart on the 11 am ferry.
Food, Food, and more Homemade Organic Food!
Every workshop day, we start with a hot, hearty breakfast (with a Q&A), after which we start learning. In the morning, two hands-on sessions sandwich a hearty snack break. A hot, hearty lunch (with another Q&A session), to make sure we have the strength and stamina to absorb all the learning we can, precede a longer afternoon session. After an hour break to clean-up, a hot gourmet dinner accompanies a daily recap on lessons learned and sets the stage for an evening discussion among ourselves or with an invited guest from the Community.
Please visit our workshop page for all the details and to fill in our online application. Although not required, this course is best taken after completing the Focus-on-Finishing workshop in May.
We also offer discounts to those who register in pairs or who take multiple workshops with us.

Natural Plasters and Floors
2024-07-13 - 2024-07-21 | Wanosh Forest Gardens, Willits, CA, United States
Are you ready for a deep dive into natural finishes? This workshop includes seven full days of skill-building in many aspects of natural plasters and earthen floors, taught by a team of experts with decades of international experience. For more information, see website: https://wanosh.org/arts-of-natural-plasters

“Create Sacred Space” 15 day Cob Workshop
2024-07-14 15:00 - 2024-07-28 17:00 (America/Denver) | Nevada City, CA
In this comprehensive 15 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 installing the beams and rafters for the 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 an oak grove overlooking the South Yuba River canyon, 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.

Intro to Cob and Straw Workshop
2024-07-15 - 2024-07-19 | This Cob House, Greeneville, TN, 37743, United States
Dates: July 15 – July 19, 2024 (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 and Straw Workshop! We will be constructing both a cob building and a straw-clay building. This workshop is perfect for beginners and experts alike! You will get the expert knowledge to build with cob and straw! Either for small-scale structures or large-scale projects like homes and buildings.

This workshop is a great experience to learn how to build with cob and straw, and to get a broad learning overview of natural building techniques. You will get a solid foundation in natural building fundamentals. You will learn the advantages of high thermal mass cob versus high insulation straw materials. We will be constructing the walls on a new cob building and a straw-clay building, mixing and applying lime plaster, and studying Natural Building together each day. After this workshop, you will have the basic experience and confidence to design and build your own cob and straw constructions or buildings.

Hands-On Work Topics:
– How to make cob (learn how to make cob with the tarp method and with machinery)
– How to build cob walls using traditional hand-sculpting and using innovative slipforms (learn all the great advantages of building cob walls with forms)
– How to make straw-clay (also known as light-straw-clay)
– How to build highly insulating straw-clay walls (learn how to frame and pack the walls)
– Selecting and testing soils for cob and straw-clay (learn several ways to test your soil composition)
– Lime Plaster Finishing (learn how to mix and apply lime plaster finishes to your walls)
– Creating window and door frames in cob walls (learn how to install frames into cob walls)

Classroom and Discussion Topics:
– Site selection and design (includes Passive Solar design principles)
– Materials and tools (covers traditional and modern cob building toolset and materials)
– Building Solid Foundations (learn all about constructing proper building foundations)
– Building codes and how to successfully get building permits for cob homes and straw homes.
– Best practices for building a healthy, non-toxic home.
– Basic Electrical and Plumbing integration for cob homes and straw homes
– Installing windows and doors
– Roofing and Bond Beams. Proper roof ventilation practices!
– Natural plasters and finishes (Vapor Permeable / “Breathable” finishes)
– Overview of all Natural Building materials, and how to hybridize them!

This workshop is a unique experience for people to learn about building cob homes and light-straw-clay 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 and strawbale 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 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.

Alpaca Farm and Fiber Mill Tour!
As another added bonus to the workshop, we also offer a free alpaca farm and fiber mill tour at our neighbor’s Two Roots Farm. They have over 50 friendly alpacas, a fiber mill, and a gift shop! We usually go on this tour Wednesday after class.

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 portable 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 & Group 10% Discounts
Ask about the 10% discount. 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.

Interior Plaster & Paints Workparty
2024-07-18 11:00 - 2024-07-21 15:00 (America/Denver) | WA
A 4-day workparty teaching about interior plasters and paints over a strawbale wall system! We will cover the essentials of the interior plaster prep and application process specific to using natural insulations and clay plaster base coats. The interior currently has clay plasters that are in need of repair, the plaster was applied during a previous learning experience before the client called our company to help fix and finish the home. This is a unique opportunity to see how to repair errors and learn what not to do! We will go over plaster finish options and showcase the art of natural plasters by also using ready mixes from our favorite natural material suppliers. This work is being completed on a fire rebuild home in Paradise, CA. We are utilizing grant funding to complete this house for a lovely women who has been living in a trailer for the past years. There is no cost to attend these workparties, our hope is to have many hands make light work and get us closer to a finished home years after these devastating fires. We appreciate you coming to learn with us and using your hands to help finish this home.
This workshop will cover:

How to source the raw materials that make up natural plasters

How to source clay and lime plasters and climate appropriate options

Aggregates and what is appropriate for use in plasters

Using carbon sequestering building materials and what that means for our planet

How to test and ensure good plaster and paint mixes

Mixing techniques and efficiency

Application techniques and what tools to use

Natural wall systems and appropriate substrates specific to natural plasters & paints

How to properly prepare wall systems to receive natural plasters & paints

This course is suitable for both beginners and experts. You will learn everything from the basics, how to test recipes, and apply that mix. You will leave with a confidence and understanding of how to apply exterior plaster to your own home.

Cob Oven Workshop in Scotland
2024-08-06 16:00 - 2024-08-10 12:00 (America/Denver) | Old Deer, Scotland, Mavis Bank, Old Deer, Grampian, AB42 5JT, United Kingdom
Join us in the beautiful North East Scotland where we will build a cob oven.
Expect to get dirty, have lots of fun, see some castles, whisky distilleries, and beautiful countryside.
The cob oven will be a Highland Cow sculpture with a cob oven in the belly. Cat is an artist and enjoys sculpting. This will be a unique opportunity to see an artist at work.

Roofing for Fast Cobbers!
2024-08-08 15:30 - 2024-08-12 11:00 (America/Vancouver) | Lasqueti Island, 1 Beautiful Bicycle Lane, Lasqueti Island, BC, V0R 2J0, Canada
The Roofing for Cobbers 3 day intensive workshop is new for 2024! After building almost 20 roofs of 5 different materials, including Lasqueti’s Arts Centre, it’s time to share these skills with you. I’ve delayed this offering because being off the ground is inherently dangerous, but this year we’ll have a roof design that uses two different “shed” styles that will be easily accessible from low, stable scaffolding. Of course, safety will be foremost in our minds at all times.
The roof itself will be made of metal, the longest-lasting (other than slate) and lowest cost (over its lifespan) material currently available. We’ll see and examine liquid membrane roofs, hand-split cedar shake roofs, and many other metal roof examples in between our workshop sessions.
Every roof has multiple layers, and we’ll experience installing all the standard ones: the main decking, tar paper, and then the metal itself. We’ll also install a glass skylight that is far from standard but has proven to work like a charm without the exorbitant cost of building in and buying commercial skylights.
Our Workshops begin on a Thursday evening with a welcoming dinner and end with a Farewell breakfast on Monday before you depart on the 11 am ferry.
Food, Food, and more Food!
Every workshop day, we start with a hot, hearty breakfast (with a Q&A), after which we start learning. In the morning, two hands-on sessions sandwich a hearty snack break. A hot, hearty lunch (with another Q&A session), to make sure we have the strength and stamina to absorb all the learning we can, precede a longer afternoon session. After an hour break to clean-up, a hot gourmet dinner accompanies a daily recap on lessons learned and sets the stage for an evening discussion among ourselves or with an invited guest from the Community.
Please visit our workshop page for all the details and to fill in our online application. This course will complete your learning journey and allow you to complete your own natural buildings!
We also offer discounts to those who register in pairs or who take multiple workshops with us.

Natural building extravaganza
2024-08-16 15:00 - 2024-08-25 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Allie and Chloe’s land, 25563 Hall Rd, Junction City, OR, 97448, United States
The full 9 day workshop! Learn how to build your own COB house from foundation to roof. Camp on our beautiful property, nestled in the Oregon woods, with other participants. Enjoy three home cooked organic meals a day. Use the outdoor showers and composting toilets. Cost $1200**Discounts available. Just ask!

Contact us to get started! 541-285-3369 or AllieMaggio74@gmail.com

Natural Building with Clay, Stone and Wood
2024-08-18 - 2024-08-24 | Tan Oak Park, Laytonville, California
A week-long 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 build beautiful and energy-efficient human shelters. 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.
About 6 hours per day will be spent developing practical building skills under the supervision of instructors with more than 5 decades of combined experience. Hands-on work sessions will include:
• Cob mixing, wall building, and sculpting
• Harvesting, processing and framing with round poles
• Stone and mortar foundations
• Prospecting for and harvesting clay soil, stone and gravel
• Clay plasters to protect and beautify earthen walls
• Installing a durable earthen floor
• Developing and testing recipes for cob, clay plasters and earthen floors
About 2 hours each day will be dedicated to understanding the theory behind sustainable building in order to prepare participants for their own design and construction projects. Lectures include:
• Materials selection and harvesting to improve forest health
• Overview of a wide range of natural wall systems
• Understanding clay soils and other natural building materials
• Alternative foundations (with little or no cement)
• Fire-resistant building techniques
• Energy-efficient passive solar design for your bioregion
In addition, participants will encounter:
• Epic swimming
• Delicious, nutritious food (as much as possible sourced locally and organic)
• Campfire fun
• Meeting new friends with shared values and objectives
• Positive, practical EMPOWERMENT
Instructors include renowned natural building author and educator Michael G. Smith (strawclaywood.com) and veteran professional natural builder Colin Gillespie(polecraftsolutions.com).
Hosted at Tan Oak Park. The accommodations are camping decks. Car camping is welcomed. Showers and flush toilets are available. Three high quality organic meals per-day will be provided.
Email organize@nm-era.org for questions. Inquire for children, work-trades, and scholarships.
Cost $800

Cob Oven Build in Corbett, Oregon
2024-08-22 - 2024-08-25 | WA
Earthen ovens have been used by humans for thousands of years to cook everything from pizza to roasted meat and vegetables. They offer a beautiful and functional addition to any home or backyard. In this introductory natural building course, students will learn to source and mix local clay soil to construct and plaster a large cob oven over a dry stacked stone foundation. We will explore the many benefits of building with earth and gain an intimate understanding of the strength and sculptural freedom cob offers as a material.

Complete Pallet-Cob Cabin in Mossyrock, Washington
2024-09-15 - 2024-10-13 | Caya Sanctuary, 686 Winston Creek Road, Mossyrock, WA, 98564, United States
Join us for an unforgettable end to your 2024 Summer, living and building in community on the healing grounds of CAYA Sanctuary, nestled in the foothills of Mt. St . Helen’s. In this four week workshop, we will explore different elements of natural building, design, and carpentry while completing a 180 sq ft Pallet Cob Dwelling with a reciprocal frame living roof, earthen-lime floor, cob sculptures, earthen plaster, and clay and lime paints. CAYA Sanctuary is the perfect setting for this experience, offering idyllic forest campsites, wood-fired hot tubs, refreshing river swims, saunas, cacao-fueled dance sessions, weekly community bonding circles, and an optional evening of breathwork with a soothing sound bath. In addition to gaining the skills necessary to build your own healthy, earthen home, we will deplete d our capacity for living communally, and empower each other to become better versions of ourselves.

Cob Outdoor Kitchen with Oven, Rocket Cooktop & Reciprocal Roof in the Azores Islands (São Miguel)
2024-09-15 12:00 - 2024-10-13 12:00 (Atlantic/Azores) | WA
THE PROJECT

Santa Fe CruzinCobGlobal Workshop, 2021

In this workshop we will be building a wonderful clay-based outdoor kitchen, as well as a beautiful reciprocal roof structure to go over it. The kitchen will include a wood-fired cob oven, great for baking and making pizza, and a Rocket-Lorena stove. The Lorena stove was developed by the Pueblo Indians as an ingenious way to efficiently cook and store heat. Between oven and stove we will install prep and serving stations, a sink, and some cob benches and “half” walls (time permitting).

DETAILED WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION & SCHEDULE

5-week workshop students building a reciprocal roof in the Azores in 2023

In the first week we will learn how to install a reciprocal frame roof structure on an existing wood support, followed by a green roof covering. In weeks 2 & 3 we will start with building various dimensions of interconnected lava stone foundations to support our Cob Oven, Rocket Stove Cooktop, and Counter/Work Table and Shelving and then begin making cob as we learn the technical building of an Oven and Rocket Stove & Cooktop. In week 4 we will complete our work by finishing the cob with beautiful earthen plasters. All materials will be local, of course, to the island, except the refractory bricks and possibly one straw bale.

The beginning of the rocket stove

This workshop is designed as a crash course to familiarize participants with the global skills for building an outdoor kitchen. A lot of material will be covered and a lot of different tasks and processes will be happening simultaneously. As such, as a student, expect to be toggling between different areas of interest and be prepared to absorb a lot of information. Every other day we will engage in theoretical discussions and lectures after lunch to help contextualize the work we will be doing.
For anyone interested in learning beforehand, listed below is some recommended reading:
* “The Rocket Mass Heater Builder’s Guide” by Ernie and Erica Weisner
* “Build Your Own Earthen Oven” by Kiko Denzer
* “The Hand Sculpted House” by Ianto Evans, Michael Smith and
* “The Complete Cob Construction Guide” by Michael Smith
Participants in this workshop will learn:
1. the ins and outs of earth-based building, including cob, wattle and daub & earthen plasters
2. how to design and install a reciprocal frame roof structure
3. all about rocket stove technology: history, design, principles of combustion, fuel selection, best practices, and how to integrate one into other cooking systems such as the Lorena stove
4. how to design, build, and operate a clay-based oven
5. a general approach towards designing an outdoor kitchen, including space optimization and efficiently locating appliances
4-Week Schedule:
Week 1: Reciprocal roof
Week 2: Foundations and drainage, Cob, Rocket Stove Core, and plumbing prep
Week 3: Oven and Lorena stove, install cabinet, shelving, storage and prep surfaces, and begin plaster prep
Week 4: Finish plaster prep, plaster, pizza party
Daily Schedule:
7:30-8:15 Breakfast
8:30-1:00 Class
1:00-2:30 Lunch
2:30-5:30 Class & Lectures
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!

Rammed Earth, Cob, and Straw Workshop - East Tennessee
2024-09-16 - 2024-09-20 | This Cob House, Greeneville, TN, 37743, United States
Dates: September 16 – September 20, 2024 (YES. We are still having the workshop as scheduled.)

Location: Greeneville, Tennessee

Come and join us in beautiful eastern Tennessee for our Rammed Earth, Cob and Straw Workshop! We will be working hands-on with rammed earth, cob building, and straw-clay building. This workshop is very unique because you will get hands-on experience with three different building techniques in one class. This workshop is perfect for beginners and experts alike! You will get the expert knowledge to build with rammed earth, cob and straw! Either for small-scale structures or large-scale projects like homes and buildings.

This workshop is a great experience to learn how to build with rammed earth, cob and straw, and to get a broad learning overview of natural building techniques. You will get a solid foundation in natural building fundamentals. You will learn the advantages of high thermal mass rammed earth and cob versus high insulation straw materials. We will be constructing demonstration projects with each material so you get hands-on experience and a feel for each method. We will also be mixing and applying lime plaster on an existing cob building, and studying Natural Building together each day. After this workshop, you will have the basic experience and confidence to design and build your own rammed earth, cob and straw constructions or buildings.

Hands-On Work Topics:
– How to build and set up rammed earth forms for walls and structures.
– How to properly mix and compact rammed earth material into forms.
– How to choose the right materials for rammed earth, and how to add color to your layers.
– How to make cob (learn how to make cob with the tarp method and with machinery)
– How to build cob walls using traditional hand-sculpting and using innovative slipforms (learn all the great advantages of building cob walls with forms)
– How to make straw-clay (also known as light-straw-clay)
– How to build highly insulating straw-clay walls (learn how to frame and pack the walls)
– Selecting and testing soils for cob, rammed earth, and straw-clay (learn several ways to test your soil composition)
– Lime Plaster Finishing (learn how to mix and apply lime plaster finishes to your walls)
– Creating window and door frames in cob walls (learn how to install frames into cob walls)

Classroom and Discussion Topics:
– Site selection and design (includes Passive Solar design principles)
– Materials and tools (covers traditional and modern cob building toolset and materials)
– Building Solid Foundations (learn all about constructing proper building foundations)
– Building codes and how to successfully get building permits for rammed earth homes, cob homes and straw homes.
– Best practices for building a healthy, non-toxic home.
– Basic Electrical and Plumbing integration for rammed earth homes, cob homes and straw homes
– Installing windows and doors
– Roofing and Bond Beams. Proper roof ventilation practices!
– Natural plasters and finishes (Vapor Permeable / “Breathable” finishes)
– Overview of all Natural Building materials, and how to hybridize them!

This workshop is a unique experience for people to learn about building rammed earth homes, cob homes and light-straw-clay 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 rammed earth workshops, cob workshops and strawbale 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 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, which is dedicated to teaching people about cob and earthen building techniques. Alex 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.

Alpaca Farm and Fiber Mill Tour!
As another added bonus to the workshop, we also offer a free alpaca farm and fiber mill tour at our neighbor’s Two Roots Farm. They have over 50 friendly alpacas, a fiber mill, and a gift shop! We usually go on this tour Wednesday after class.

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 is the Briggs Brothers Ranch in Parrottsville, TN, and the Hot Springs Resort in Hot Springs, North Caolina.
Campers will have access to a private portable 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 & Group 10% Discounts
Ask about the 10% discount. 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.

10-Day Natural Building Techniques
2024-09-21 17:00 - 2024-10-01 12:00 (America/Denver) | 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+ 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 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 s
tack 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)
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.
$1165 tuition includes a $200 non-refundable deposit to secure your spot. Only if NaturalBuildingOrg has to cancel the workshop for some unforeseen reason will this deposit be refundable. Save $100 automatically if your registration includes two or more people. Active duty military personnel and honorably discharged veterans with valid ID or DD214 receive 20% off, and eligible Cob Hill Lifetime of Learning (L.o.L.) contact us for a discount code before booking.

Rammed Earth, Cob, and Straw Workshop - East Tennessee
2024-10-21 - 2024-10-25 | This Cob House, Greeneville, TN, 37743, United States
Dates: October 21– October 25, 2024 (YES. We are still having the workshop as scheduled.)

Location: Greeneville, Tennessee

Come and join us in beautiful eastern Tennessee for our Rammed Earth, Cob and Straw Workshop! We will be working hands-on with rammed earth, cob building, and straw-clay building. This workshop is very unique because you will get hands-on experience with three different building techniques in one class. This workshop is perfect for beginners and experts alike! You will get the expert knowledge to build with rammed earth, cob and straw! Either for small-scale structures or large-scale projects like homes and buildings.

This workshop is a great experience to learn how to build with rammed earth, cob and straw, and to get a broad learning overview of natural building techniques. You will get a solid foundation in natural building fundamentals. You will learn the advantages of high thermal mass rammed earth and cob versus high insulation straw materials. We will be constructing demonstration projects with each material so you get hands-on experience and a feel for each method. We will also be mixing and applying lime plaster on an existing cob building, and studying Natural Building together each day. After this workshop, you will have the basic experience and confidence to design and build your own rammed earth, cob and straw constructions or buildings.

Hands-On Work Topics:
– How to build and set up rammed earth forms for walls and structures.
– How to properly mix and compact rammed earth material into forms.
– How to choose the right materials for rammed earth, and how to add color to your layers.
– How to make cob (learn how to make cob with the tarp method and with machinery)
– How to build cob walls using traditional hand-sculpting and using innovative slipforms (learn all the great advantages of building cob walls with forms)
– How to make straw-clay (also known as light-straw-clay)
– How to build highly insulating straw-clay walls (learn how to frame and pack the walls)
– Selecting and testing soils for cob, rammed earth, and straw-clay (learn several ways to test your soil composition)
– Lime Plaster Finishing (learn how to mix and apply lime plaster finishes to your walls)
– Creating window and door frames in cob walls (learn how to install frames into cob walls)

Classroom and Discussion Topics:
– Site selection and design (includes Passive Solar design principles)
– Materials and tools (covers traditional and modern cob building toolset and materials)
– Building Solid Foundations (learn all about constructing proper building foundations)
– Building codes and how to successfully get building permits for rammed earth homes, cob homes and straw homes.
– Best practices for building a healthy, non-toxic home.
– Basic Electrical and Plumbing integration for rammed earth homes, cob homes and straw homes
– Installing windows and doors
– Roofing and Bond Beams. Proper roof ventilation practices!
– Natural plasters and finishes (Vapor Permeable / “Breathable” finishes)
– Overview of all Natural Building materials, and how to hybridize them!

This workshop is a unique experience for people to learn about building rammed earth homes, cob homes and light-straw-clay 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 rammed earth workshops, cob workshops and strawbale 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 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, which is dedicated to teaching people about cob and earthen building techniques. Alex 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.

Alpaca Farm and Fiber Mill Tour!
As another added bonus to the workshop, we also offer a free alpaca farm and fiber mill tour at our neighbor’s Two Roots Farm. They have over 50 friendly alpacas, a fiber mill, and a gift shop! We usually go on this tour Wednesday after class.

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 is the Briggs Brothers Ranch in Parrottsville, TN, and the Hot Springs Resort in Hot Springs, North Caolina.
Campers will have access to a private portable 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 & Group 10% Discounts
Ask about the 10% discount. 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.

Bioconstruction & Natural Building Techniques
2024-11-17 - 2024-12-01 | Snow White Sanctuary, 1636 Arledge Road, Vinton, LA, 70668, United States
Bioconstruction is a sustainable building method that uses natural materials & techniques to minimize a building’s environmental impact.
Join us for a very special two weeks as we come together to learn & honor Indigenous natural building techniques on a 24-acre 68 animal Farm & Nature Sanctuary in Southwestern Louisiana.
This workshop is priced on a sliding scale in daily increments: come for a weekend, or the whole two weeks. Two meals a day and a campsite provided with reservation. Optional upgraded accommodations are available, as well. For more information, check out our form at bit.ly/HRPHOMB

A Complete Introduction to Earthen Building Techniques (Cob, Wattle and Daub, and Timber Framing) in the Cloud Forests of El Salvador
2024-11-17 15:00 - 2024-11-24 08:00 (America/Denver) | Clouds of El Pital Eco-Tourism Cooperative, El Pital Mountain, San Ignacio, Chalatenango, 503, El Salvador
Come and experience our natural building oasis, agroecology farm, and ecotourism project in the cloud forests of El Salvador´s highest mountain range!
This workshop is being hosted by the Nubes del Pital (Clouds of El Pital) agroecology farm and ecotourism project. Over the past ten years, we have collectively built 14 different cob houses, restaurants, and cabins to host tourists in the beautiful El Trifinio Biosphere on the slopes of El Salvador´s highest mountain. The nearby cloud forest offers a beautiful site to learn about natural building techniques, permaculture, agroecology, and sustainable living. Besides participating in the actual building workshop, you will also be staying on a beautiful permaculture farm presenting the opportunity to learn about regenerative homesteading, organic farming, and different ways to integrate earthen structures into the landscape.
During this workshop, we will be building a new earthen cabin on a small coffee farm and food forest surrounded by three beautiful rivers, waterfalls, and pristine natural forest. Participants will have the opportunity to experience and learn about all aspects of the building process, from rubble trenches and rock foundations, building cob, wattle and daub, and cordwood walls, timber framing, installing doors and windows, incorporating recycled materials/bottles into the structure, plastering, natural clay-based paints, and more.
This workshop offers you the opportunity to see, experience, and live in several different naturally-built structures on our farm. Besides staying in beautifully furnished cob and timber-framed cabins with fantastic views of El Salvador´s highest mountain, you will also have plenty of hands-on experience to learn a wide variety of natural building techniques.
The six full-day workshop costs $600 USD per person, and includes:

7 nights of lodging in private cob/wood cabins (check out the AirBnb links below to see where you´ll be staying)
3 locally-harvested meals a day
All the coffee, tea, and water you can drink
Local transportation from the cabins where you will be staying to the build site on the coffee farm.
The workshop learning experience
Several free e-books on cob and natural building
A half-day hiking trip to visit the mystical cloud forest of El Pital
We will also be visiting different cob and wood homes that have been built in our community to learn how natural building positively impacts local communities.

For more information or to sign up and secure your place (we have a maximum of 15 participants for our workshops) you can send us an email at: tobiasroberts20@hotmail.com, or contact us via Whatsapp at +503 7024 6928
Again, we have a maximum of 15 spots available for this workshop, so contact us today with any questions you might have!
AirBnb links for cabins where you will be lodged during the workshop:
El Trigal: https://es.airbnb.com/rooms/21275949?source_impression_id=p3_1619801916_%2BfUb85GeymVwYS2%2F
Rosa de Montaña: https://es.airbnb.com/rooms/21276181?source_impression_id=p3_1619801948_yxNkVtnQ2belaboO
El Colibrí: https://es.airbnb.com/rooms/21239316?source_impression_id=p3_1619801993_zTZq4GvUXh5%2F75pZ
La Libélula: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/857860869520040145?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=3c389b44-9f00-48b6-8c3c-3b3dc3b43bb5
El Roble: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/682837356124333465?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=d47301bf-7538-4cb0-939d-fd24477ff274
El Abeto: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/683176565394719587?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=08e24cbd-d67e-43d4-9d83-1e6dd1d9c760

Build a Cob Bohío/Cottage in Borikén/Puerto Rico in January/February 2025
2025-01-19 16:00 - 2025-02-23 17:00 (America/New_York) | Finca Don Chu, Naguabo, Puerto Rico
THE PROJECT

Utuado, Puerto Rico Workshop, February 2024
The best roof ever for all of our Cob Buildings!
We will be building a 14m2/150ft2 round Cob Bohío for the “Healing through Art” Center where workshops and classes will be held for the community and others. The reciprocal roof we build in all of our workshops is the strongest roof there is due to its interlocking spiral structure. In addition it represents the horizontal social structure favored in indigenous societies for council circles and other gatherings. Building in hurricane zones like Puerto Rico requires a strong resistant roof well-connected to our heavy-walled earthen buildings.

Students in this Advanced Cobber Certification training will, as always, learn all the steps to building a complete Cob Building from scratch: digging the trench and building a stone foundation and pouring the floor in week 1, building the monolithic cob wall with all its detailed insertions in weeks 2 & 3, sculpting the wall in week 3, plastering in week 4, building the completed roof in weeks 4 & 5 and finishing the wall and the second floor coat at the end of week 5.
Jade & Arica in Pescadero: A new CobBond!
We especially invite non-White and multiracial students who are curious or already interested and passionate about earthen construction to come learn the art and technique of cob building with CCG in Borikén, the indigenous name of the island. We want a workshop that feels comfortable for non-white students, and in which white students are not the majority. CCG has taught in many countries of the world and our mission is to create access to everyone interested, especially the local people so we can create international cob building families. We aim to create intercultural and interhuman bonding experiences through our Cob building workshops to heal the world one Cob house at a time. So please follow your Heart & Soul, listen to the Call, and come and embark on a life-changing adventure in 2025.

DETAILED WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

Day 1 : Foundation & The Rocks, Day 1 in Pescadero, CA., 2024
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 Monday, Wednesday and Friday 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 Instructors Tom Van Well and Christian Eder. Monday morning we begin digging the trench for our Cob Building!!!!
Trimmin’ the Wall in CA. 2024
Following Breakfast from 7:30-8:15am, the morning learning/building session begins at 8:30 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 right after the rest time. After class in the afternoon there is a 90-minute break before dinner (served from 7pm to 8pm), in which students are encouraged to stretch, do some type of relaxation/movement practice, go swimming, walking and just relax.
Our most recent soon-to-be certified Advanced Cobbers in Pescadero, California with Instructors Branden & Daniel holdin’ down the passionate Cob Crew!
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 mostly free and sometimes students offer informal courses in their specialties and passions. Tuesdays are reserved for our weekly Council Circle, where we do a deeper sharing and listening to attend to the inner worlds of our students, staff & Host(s) during this intense experience.
Always a healthy spread at our workshops thanks to our conscious caring Hosts!
On weekends students are free to explore the area, rest onsite, and even continue building, subject to Instructor approval. All weekend meals are provided by students who are welcome to use the kitchen. Host and/or other students can carpool into town for weekend food provisions.
The 35-day Course will offer practical learning by building a complete 15m2 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 Housing & Plumbing preparation), 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 (to be decided closer to the date).
The daily schedule (subject to slight modifications due to climate/time of year) will be:
7:30-8:15 Breakfast
8:30-1:00 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 housing and outlet/switch boxes (when applicable)*
insert PVC pipe for plumbing in walls (when applicable)*
sculpting
preparing and applying earthen plaster (1 coat)
pouring an earthen floor (2 coats)
preparing walls for roof connection
building reciprocal roof frame
putting on roof sheathing and other elements
installing green roof
making small-scale cob designs of future projects, time permitting
In addition to Cob Building practices, the Course material
also includes:
legal cob construction practices & the international cob code (Appendix AU in the IRC)
cost analysis
creating a cob business (building/teaching)
assisting, interning and teaching with CruzinCobGlobal
*While the insertion of electrical housing and one or more outlet/switch boxes and PVC pipes to hold plumbing are always included in the workshops, the simplicity or complexity depends on the host’s design and preferences. There will be no electrical wiring or plumbing pipes installed during workshop. That is beyond the focus of this course and requires professional experience and certification/licensing.

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 (for stone work)
Tape Measure
Box Cutter
Wood Hand Saw (cheap)*
Level (2ft)*
Hammer*
Japanese plastering trowel(s) (email:goldhillclayplaster@gmail.com)
Ear Plugs (roof week)
Wood Chisel*
4”-6” Diameter Round Plastic Container Lids (for plastering)
Good Moisturizer
Hat
Sunglasses
Water Bottle
Notebook/Pen/Camera
Safety Glasses
Carpenter Pencil & Sharpener
Sample of your Soil (optional)
Any other power tools like skilsaw, grinder wth metal blade, cordless drill, chop saw…will be very welcome if you are driving in.
*These tools will be very helpful to bring if you can, to minimize sharing and waiting, but if you can’t the Host will provide them of course.

***VERY IMPORTANT INFO***

All are welcome, no experience needed, just a positive open attitude and mucho energy!
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 and lecture learning hours unless absolutely incapable due to illness or have some other significant/emergency 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.
Pouring the floor on Day 5, Pescadero, 2024
We need and depend on everyone’s full participation in each day of the workshop. This is a total group effort on all levels: physically, mentally, emotionally and energetically.. If someone is physically absent from the site and lectures due to illness or other urgency for more than one full day, they will need to make up the days missed in a subsequent workshop to receive the Certificate (only paying food costs). If physically injured or ill (and capable), it is requested students still be present at the site and for lecture and other required evening activities to not miss out on information and learning by observation, and to qualify for the Certificate.
Digging the trench on Day 1, Pescadero 2024
The workshop intensity changes from week 1 to week 5 with the focus of the week. 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 week and part of the third week 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. On Thursday & Friday of week 3, the workshop takes a turn and slows down and the body can rest as students
And the roof begins at end of week 4 with setting up the primary rafters, Pescadero 2024
tap into their creative source now and design and sculpt the walls and around niches, shelves, windows, etc. This is a very special rewarding experience and time of the workshop, decorating the walls with visual beauty and meaning as expressed by each unique student. Usually there is an overarching theme decided on by Host(s).
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. On day 5 of week 4, the roof begins. This part is the beginning of a change of pace from the earthen building work to carpentry skills, power tools, drilling, hammering, screwing, trimming, etc. But now the workshop is in its final stretch and there is a boost of energy to wrap up the roof, close the top of the wall, and tend to finishing touches….the grand finale.
Ahhhhh, finally, a loooong breath after the intensity of the first 4 weeks!
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” and “Essential Cob Construction” (see website Resources page) before the workshop begins and any other books they find or listed on our Resources page, ideally on plastering and reciprocal roof building, as well as watching our “International Cob Workshop” videos on Claudine’s YouTube channel, the new educational YouTube series “Building a Mud Home” by Cooper Green, posted by Natural Buildings and created from our North Carolina workshop footage, 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).
The Dessert after the hard work! Tania plastering in Puerto Rico
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 sometimes help the building part in less physically  demanding ways if you have physical limitations, ie cutting straw, sifting for plaster, hammering nails into frames or shelves, sculpting, plastering, cutting bottles. There is alot to do to support making and building with cob!!!!
Finally, please bring a watch or use your phone to be prompt and ready for each part of the Course including meals. Please make sure you share your dietary restrictions/allergies with CCG in your
Pescadero California Cob Crew!
registration form. 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 will 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 playlists, speaker, 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!

CO-INSTRUCTORS

Christian Eder

COB CO-INSTRUCTOR
Hello I am Christian and I grew up in Südtirol, a German-speaking area in the Alps in Northern Italy, surrounded by mountains and beautiful woods and lakes. From a young age nature and sustainability were part of my values, and that is why this particular style of building makes a lot of sense to me.
After finishing high school with a focus on economics, I worked in a trading company for some time, which didn’t satisfy me much. So I decided to do a computer science training, after which I worked as a web developer, but then decided to go traveling around the world for some years, and worked as a shepherd, industrial climber, fruit picker and waiter. I travelled following my passions like climbing, hiking, nature, and Eastern philosophy, specifically meditation and yoga in India. I love to get to know people from around the world, their cultures and their food. In essence I love the diversity of our planet and getting to know it first hand. On the way, I have learned many languages: German and Italian at home, then English, Spanish, and some French during my studies and life, and am currently learning Portuguese.
Compost Toilet Intensive in the Azores
After settling in Italy again, I worked as a landscape gardener, where I was able to gain experience that helped spark my interest in the Cob building path. When I saw my first Cob Building in California a few years ago, Natural Building got my attention and Cob, especially, felt like the path I wanted to dedicate myself to. Studying by myself with books and gaining some basic knowledge, I felt like going deeper into this new/old field. That’s when I decided to sign up for my first Complete Cob Building Workshop taught by CruzinCobGlobal Instructor Nicolas Pimentel on the beautiful island of São Miguel in the Azores.
I immediately felt drawn to building naturally with no huge impact on Nature. I am fascinated with building, not only the construction side itself, but the community aspect as well. To create something with like-minded people feels right and is fulfilling and fun. I also attended a bench and oven workshop where I met Tom, my Co-Instructor and went on to build a compost toilet as a return student at Quinta da Vida Beleza, Claudine’s Ecovillage Farm in the Azores.
Since then I have been practicing with more projects. Last winter, my friend Zoe, who I also met at a CCG workshop, and I taught and built with local people in Zanzibar at a Volunteer project in which we built an outdoor classroom. My mission is to continue on this path, by learning, building and passing on my knowledge.
You too will fall in love with this beautiful world of Natural Building.

Tom Van Well
COB CO-INSTRUCTOR
I’m Tom from the Netherlands and living and working in Portugal now. After I was born in Amsterdam my parents decided to take me out of the big city, and we ended up in Maastricht! Other cultures and languages were never far away, in Belgium and Germany right next door.
Doing honor to the region I took my bachelor in ‘European Studies’, with no clue where I wanted it to take me. However, taking example from an entrepreneurial father I’d always known I wanted to do something for myself. Exploring different paths led me to be in South America for more than a year, finish my bachelor’s degree in Berlin, and staying there to work in a café, which I had been doing since the age of 14.
Leaving all my stuff in Berlin I decided to head to Portugal, and never returned. Life took me on a rollercoaster and since that felt good, I did not resist. While living on farms, my partner and I learned about distillation of wild plants for essential oils and hydrosols. Over the last 2 years we have ntake people on hands-on distilling experiences and travelled around the Lisbon selling our products at markets.
Happy Cob Sculptor!
Four years after leaving Berlin, I still find myself in Portugal, climbing its rocks, taking cold bathsevery morning in the Atlantic, playing guitar on its beaches, building my community of like-minded people, developing my own COB projects and continuing the business of artisanal distillation projects, all while enjoying life!
I have been living on Permaculture farms in different countries over the last few years, where the concept of natural building was always present in theory and in practice. The accessibility and intuitive approach that is inherent to COB enchanted me like nothing else. I started following this interest, reading everything I got my hands on and practicing whenever I could until I naturally flowed into really dedicating my being to the study and practice of this ancient technique.
Tom starting to teach his own personal workshops this year in Portugal
After some years of study, I found CruzinCobGlobal and registered for two workshops back to back: a Cob Oven course in the Azores and a 5-week Full Build in Tennessee. This turned out to be a catalyst for my skills and the beginning of the next new chapter of my Life: building independently, sharing knowledge through workshops and growing my COB community in Portugal.
The 5-week Full Build Workshop in Puerto Rico is a continuation of my teaching and learning journey. I feel blessed co-teaching this workshop with my friend Christian, whom I met in a CCG workshop! I am excited for you to join us, as these workshops are a life-changing experience, and have definitely been for me.

MEALS & ACCOMMODATIONS

Host Nicole’s layout in Pescadero, CA, 2024
We will serve three meals a day from Monday through Friday including the Welcome and Celebration Dinners and Farewell Brunch. Weekends students will be on their own for food and may use the onsite kitchen. Meals will be vegetarian and locally-based as much as possible, including farm produce and eggs!
We will attend to vegan and gluten-free diets if needed but any other restrictions & allergies that require extensive preparation needs will not be able to be honored. And kitchen will only be accessible on weekends for students.
Camping in your own tent with your own bedding is the only accommodations offered at the workshop. Other possible local indoor housing like Airbnbs may be available and may require a vehicle. Please inquire with Claudine. Please bring a good tent and warm sleeping bag, pad, pillow and blanket just in case… or camping hammock.

TRANSPORTATION

Students can fly in to San Juan Airport (SJU) and a shuttle will be arranged for students to the workshop site on Saturday and Sunday (arriving onsite by 2pm at the latest). There is also a closer airport, Jose Aponte de la Terra, only 25 minutes to the farm. The shuttle costs will be covered by the students separately. Local students may also be able to pick others up in San Juan. Students will be responsible for their meals and food until Dinner on Sunday. Host MAY offer these additional meals for an additional fee.

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT

Very Early Bird Rate: USD$2500, paid in full by September 19th, 2024
Early Bird Rate: USD$2600, paid in full by November 19th, 2024
Standard Rate: USD$2700, paid in full by January 5th, 2025
We are offering 4 work trade positions which give you a $250 discount on either food or tuition for working one hour each weekday supporting the site before breakfast or preparing & putting away breakfast. Two persons for each service. These are the first options to go. Depending on when you pay in full, the discount is taken off the appropriate amount.
Payment can be made using Zelle, Paypal and Venmo to claudinedesiree@gmail.com. Europeans and other international students can pay in USD using the Wise app/website using same email.
Please contact claudine@cruzincobglobal.org or Whatsapp +1(831) 212-7225 to register and ask any questions.
To hold your spot (there are 12 for new students and 3 for returning students), you can make a 50% deposit. The balance owed depends on the date of payment in full. Final payment deadline is January 5th, 2025.
Estudiantes boricuas con bajo ingreso pueden contactar Claudine al claudinedesiree@gmail.com para saber más sobre las opciones para residentes.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Students who have paid and cancel by November 19th, 2024 can get a full refund minus a 5% administrative/inconvenience fee on the amount they have paid.
Students who have paid and cancel by December 19th, 2024 will receive a credit for a future workshop within two years minus a 10% administrative/inconvenience fee.
Students who have paid and cancel after December 19th, 2024 will not receive a refund or credit unless they have proof of an emergency situation or other reason out of their control, in which case they will receive a credit for two years minus the 10% admin fee.
Local Puerto Rican residents who need financial support please contact Claudine at +18312127225 (Whatsapp).

SEE YOU IN THE MUUUUUUD!

Build a Cob Community Roundhouse at Mlango Farm in Ngecha, Kenya in February/March 2025!
2025-02-09 16:00 - 2025-03-16 16:00 (America/Denver) | Mlango Farm, Ngecha, Kenya
A PERSONAL WORD FROM CLAUDINE….

I am so excited that CruzinCobGlobal will be back on the vibrant and diverse continent of Africa after an 8-year hiatus. We led several multicultural Cob workshops in Senegal and Morocco between 2015 & 2016, building bungalows and ovens, and half a dozen full-builds between 2016 and 2022 in Cabo Verde, the African islands off the coast of Senegal. Now we have a long-awaited opportunity to be hosted in East Africa, in the Limuru region of Kenya, just outside of Nairobi, by Els Breet and her Mlango (door to a better world) Organic Farm crew. We are wanting to create a workshop consisting of students coming from Kenya, other parts of Africa, and of course from the immediate local community.

OUR HOST

Our Host Els with her beloved Kamande

Mlango Farm was started in 2007 on the Mundia family land in Ngecha by Els Breet Kamande and her late husband, Kamande Njenga (1960-2023). Kamande’s broad business experience, sense of hospitality, his knowledge of Kenya and its people together with Els’ work experience in international diplomatic, environmental and educational institutions proved a good base to start a farm together. Over the years a neglected farmland was turned into a heaven on earth, a beautiful organic farm with over 50 different types of crops growing, providing a livelihood for people from the Ngecha community. The passion and love for the project can be seen and felt when guests are visiting the family home at Mlango Farm.

Our source of veggies for the workshop! Lucky us!

We are developing a natural playground in the forest. For over 17 years, we’ve been pioneers in Kenya, growing organic vegetables with love and care. We’ve welcomed over 10,000 children, mostly from the bustling city of Nairobi, and shown them how we work in harmony with nature—because we believe their future depends on it.
But we’re dreaming even bigger. Our new goal? We want to give far more than 10,000 children the chance to experience nature, to taste it, to smell it. We want to create a large natural playground to explore, be creative and learn in and from nature. And that’s just the beginning.

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Mlango Farm supports the Mlango Farm Foundation, an organization that offers school visits and various courses on agriculture on the farm. The educational work of the Mlango Farm Foundation is supported by the Stichting Mlango Farm in The Netherlands.
Mlango Farm grows in a sustainable way, following the rule of the 5 R’s: we Refuse, Reduce, Recycle, Re-use, and Rot our resources as much as we can. We make and collect Ecobricks (building blocks made of plastic waste) to reduce the amount of plastic waste in our environment. Soon we will build a cottage made of ecobricks and cob. We will be happy to tell you more about it!
At Mlango Farm we aim at a sustainable way of farming, without using chemical pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. We follow the principles of Permaculture and regenerative farming.
For individual households in Nairobi we deliver weekly farmshare baskets with a variety of fresh vegetables. We literally share the harvest with our ‘share-holders’. The basket comprises of at least 10 varieties and changes weekly, depending on availability. One basket is enough for 4 or 5 meals.
Following Mlango Farm’s commitment to sustainability, reducing our carbon footprint, and supporting greener living, we deliver the baskets by electric bicycle, to different areas in Nairobi.
Mlango Farm grows the following vegetables, herbs, and a few fruits: Arrowroot, Avocado, Baby Carrot, Bananas (+ matoke), Beetroot, Borage, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrots, Celery, Cherry tomatoes, Chinese cabbage, Chioggia, Chives, Chayote, Courgette, Cucumber, Daikon, Dhania/Coriander, Eggplant, Fennel, Green capsicum, Kohlrabi, Leek, Lemongrass, Lemon Verbena, Lettuce (12 different types), Mint, Mizuna, Nasturtium, NewZealand Spinach, Pakchoi, Parsley, Peaches (only in November), Radish, Red Cabbage, Rosemary, Rucola, Sage, Savoy cabbage, Spinach, Spring Onion, Sukuma Wiki, Sweet potato, Swiss Chard, Tarragon, Tatsoi, Tree tomatoes, Turnips, White Sapote.
The Home Art Gallery at Mlango Farm is run by Njee Muturi (of Zanji Art). The collection consists of a wide range of African art: paintings from known and less known (mainly Kenyan) artists, masks, sculptures and wood carved furniture. Often we have an ‘artist in residence’ staying with us at the farm. We also organize workshops on ‘nature print’ and we support the Ngecha Artists group with workshops with different materials and different techniques.
Our Host has been a COB-aholic for a long time and while her staff have made a Kenyan-style cob house with stick framing, now Els and her team will get to experience Euro-American-style cob building as taught by CruzinCobGlobal and built by the workshop students.

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THE PROJECT

We will be building a 14m2/150ft2 round Cob Community Space for the temporary volunteers and visitors as well as the permanent residents of Mlango Farm to meet as a community for Council Circles, Healing Work, classes, trainings, meditation, ceremonies and other personal activities . The reciprocal roof we build in all of our workshops symbolizes an interdependent community in which all are equal at their essence. It is the strongest roof there is due to its interlocking spiral structure, which reflects the individuals sitting together below and the strength of their interconnection. It represents the horizontal social structure favored in indigenous and traditional societies.

Students in this Advanced Cobber Certification training will, as always, learn all the steps to building a complete Cob Building from scratch in the following order:
Week 1: digging the trench and building a stone foundation and building the first floor layers
Weeks 2 & 3: building a circular monolithic cob wall with all its detailed insertions with sculpting
Week 4: plastering the inside and outside of the wall & building the primary rafter structure
Week 5: completing the wood roof structure, green roof, the top of the wall & the 2nd floor coat

Pescadero, California workshop July/August 2024

We especially invite non-White and multiracial students to come learn the art and technique of cob building with CCG in Kenya, in the Motherland of Humanity. We want a workshop that feels comfortable for non-white students, and in which there is a healthy balance of races and cultures. CCG has taught in many countries of the world and our mission is to create access to everyone interested, especially the local people so we can create international cob building families. We aim to create intercultural and interhuman bonding experiences through our Cob building workshops to heal the world one Cobber and one Cob house at a time. So please listen to your Soul Calling and the excitement of your Heart when thinking of joining us in Kenya or anywhere else we are teaching, and come and embark on a life-changing adventure in 2025. And be part of creating a New World…

DETAILED WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

A new Cob Family ready to go!

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 Monday, Wednesday and Friday 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 Instructor Claudine Desiree and Assistant Tania de Froberville. Monday morning we begin digging the trench for our Cob Building!!!!

Snack time….after a long day finishing the roof!

Following Breakfast from 7:30-8:15am, the morning learning/building session begins at 8:30 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. Most Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays there is a 60-minute lecture, followed by another session of construction and demonstrations. Tuesdays and Thursdays students begin the building and learning session again right after the rest time. After class in the afternoon there is a 90-minute break before dinner (served from 7pm to 8pm), in which students are encouraged to stretch, do some type of relaxation/movement practice, go swimming, walking and just relax.

Appreciating the finish work!

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 mostly free and sometimes students offer informal courses in their specialties and passions and we will also enjoy local music and dance, fire, singing and whatever other surprises our Host Nyakio has in store for the group. Tuesdays are reserved for our weekly Council Circle, where we do a deeper sharing and listening to attend to the inner worlds of our students, staff & Host(s). This is a required and essential element of our workshops to keep a balance between the physical work and emotional/spiritual needs that will come up, in a safe and intimate setting.

Placing the roof shims on the rafters

On weekends students are free to explore the area, rest onsite, and even continue building, subject to Instructor approval. All weekend meals are provided by students themselves, who are welcome to use the kitchen. Host and/or other students can carpool into town for weekend food provisions. Students are encouraged to visit the surroundings and eat in local eateries and will be guided by Nyakio. Also there will be information and transport options available for those who want to go on weekend getaways to see other parts of Kenya. These are always an additional cost of course.

Enjoying the accomplishment of a beautiful niche

The 35-day Course will offer practical learning by building a complete 15m2 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 Housing & Plumbing preparation), Floor, Plaster & Roof. Students who have to miss more than ONE day of the workshop will receive a temporary partial Certificate naming the parts they have completed and will need to complete all the missed time in another workshop to get the final Certificate.

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. International students should arrive a day or two before Sunday to acclimate and settle in (please let us know) but will need to cover their own food  needs unless a work trade or payment option is approved by Host (to be decided closer to the date).
The daily schedule (subject to slight modifications due to climate/time of year) will be:
7:30-8:15 Breakfast
8:30-1:00 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 completing a full construction depends on the whole group being present and working together: physically, energetically, emotionally.

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 housing and outlet/switch boxes (when applicable)*
insert PVC pipe for plumbing in walls (when applicable)*
sculpting
preparing and applying earthen plaster (1 coat)
pouring an earthen floor (2 coats)
preparing walls for roof connection
building reciprocal roof frame
putting on roof sheathing and other elements
installing green roof
making small-scale cob designs of future projects, time permitting
In addition to Cob Building practices, the Course material
also includes:
legal cob construction practices & the international cob code (Appendix AU in the IRC)
cost analysis
creating a cob business (building/teaching)
assisting, interning and teaching with CruzinCobGlobal
*While the insertion of electrical housing and one or more outlet/switch boxes and PVC pipes to hold plumbing are always included in the workshops, the simplicity or complexity depends on the host’s design and preferences. There will be no electrical wiring or plumbing pipes installed during workshop. That is beyond the focus of this course and requires professional experience and certification/licensing.

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 (for stone work)
Tape Measure
Box Cutter
Wood Hand Saw (cheap)*
Level (2ft)*
Hammer*
Japanese plastering trowel(s) (email:goldhillclayplaster@gmail.com)
Ear Plugs (roof week)
Wood Chisel*
4”-6” Diameter Round Plastic Container Lids (for plastering)
Good Moisturizer
Hat
Sunglasses
Water Bottle
Notebook/Pen/Camera
Safety Glasses
Carpenter Pencil & Sharpener
Sample of your Soil (optional)
Any other power tools like skillsaw, grinder with metal blade, cordless drill, chop saw…will be very welcome if you are driving in and able to bring them.
*These tools will be very helpful to bring if you can, to minimize sharing and waiting, but if you can’t because you are flying in, the Host will provide them of course.

***VERY IMPORTANT INFO***

Finishing the roof in Puerto Rico

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 timeframe. 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 and lecture learning hours unless absolutely incapable due to illness or have some other significant/emergency 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 we will have, 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.

Morning stretching is critical to a successful workshop and creates time for meaningful connection before starting the day

We need and depend on everyone’s full participation in each day of the workshop. This is a total group effort on all levels: physically, mentally, emotionally and energetically.. If someone is physically absent from the site and lectures due to illness or other urgency for more than one full day, they will need to make up the days missed in a subsequent workshop to receive the complete Certificate (and will only pay food costs). If physically injured or ill (and capable), it is requested students be present at the site and for lecture and other required evening activities to not miss out on information and learning by observation, and to qualify for the Certificate. For those who have any disabilities that may interfere with these requirements and would like to participate in the workshop, please contact Claudine.

Working with the Ancestors

The workshop intensity changes from week 1 to week 5 with the focus of the week. 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 week and part of the third week 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. On Thursday & Friday of week 3, the workshop takes a turn and slows down and the body can rest as students their creative source now and design and sculpt the walls and around niches, shelves, windows, etc. This is a very special rewarding experience and time of the workshop, decorating the walls with visual beauty and meaning as expressed by each unique student. Usually there is an overarching theme decided on by Host(s) but sometimes students are free to create the theme and design and present to Host.

Someone enjoys the finishing work!

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. On day 5 of week 4, the roof begins. This part is the beginning of a change of pace from the earthen building work to carpentry skills, power tools, drilling, hammering, screwing, trimming, etc. But now the workshop is in its final stretch and there is a boost of energy to wrap up the roof, close the top of the wall, and tend to finishing touches….the grand finale. The group also begins the process of letting go and tending to the new relations they have made and talking about the future.
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” and “Essential Cob Construction” (see website Resources page) before the workshop begins and any other books they find or listed on our Resources page, ideally on plastering and reciprocal roof building, as well as watching our “International Cob Workshop” videos on Claudine’s YouTube channel, the new educational YouTube series “Building a Mud Home” by Cooper Green, posted by Natural Buildings and created from our North Carolina workshop footage, and the ones posted on CruzinCobGlobal’s website under Gallery/Videos, 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).

The joy of sculpting after all the heavy work is done

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 sometimes help the building part in less physically  demanding ways if you have physical limitations, ie cutting straw, sifting for plaster, hammering nails into frames or shelves, sculpting, plastering, cutting bottles. There is alot to do to support making and building with cob!!!! But this has to be discussed and approved with Claudine so it does not impact the schedule of construction.

the usual fine dining our Hosts provide to show their gratitude for the hard work of the students

Finally, please bring a watch or use your phone to be prompt and ready for each part of the Course including meals. Please make sure you share your dietary restrictions/allergies with CCG in your registration form. 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 will 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 playlists, speaker, 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 international COB family for life!

Mud on the Brain after 4 weeks!

MEALS & ACCOMMODATIONS

We will serve three meals a day from Monday through Friday including the Welcome and Celebration Dinners and Farewell Brunch. Weekends students can either be on their own for food and may use the onsite kitchen, or choose to have meals made by the staff for a rate of 15€/day or 3€ for breakfast and 6€ for lunch or dinner. Meals will be mostly vegetarian and locally-based as much as possible, including farm produce and eggs, but we will attend to meat eaters several times a week if desired!
We will also attend to vegan and gluten-free diets if needed but any other restrictions & allergies that require extensive preparation needs will not be able to be honored. Kitchen will not be accessible on weekends for students, but there are plenty of places to eat in the surrounding neighborhoods!
Camping in your own tent is free and available for everyone. Please bring your camping gear. Our host is also offering a limited number of beds (first come first serve) in various locations on the Farm. The fee will be 6€/night. Students can buy camping gear or just blankets in Nairobi with the help of our host if they don’t want to travel with it.

TRANSPORTATION

International students will fly into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi and can share an Uber or Bolt (cheapest) to the site, an hour away. The distance to the site is only 25 miles/40km from Nairobi. Students should arrive on Saturday and can eat with the residents before the workshop for a small fee or choose to have meals prepared for a larger fee or bring their own food to make.
ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT TRAVEL INFORMATION:
ELECTRONIC TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION (ETA)
As of January 1st, 2024, all foreign nationals, regardless of nationality, can enter Kenya without a visa for tourism or business travel for stays up to 90 days.
However, you must obtain a new Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) online prior to travel.
To apply, visit the ETA Platform. Please note that this is the only website you should be using, any other website you may find on Google is a scam!
The ETA costs $30, is valid for 90 days from the day when you make the payment (i.e. the day you apply) and it takes about seven days to be processed and approved.
Hence, we recommend to apply around two weeks before the trip.
The ETA is only valid for one trip and travelers must obtain a new ETA for each visit to Kenya.
Make sure your passport is still valid for at least 6 months after your planned trip and that you have at least two blank pages.
If you plan to travel to other East African countries, it may make sense to get an East African visa.
It’s best to print your ETA and have a paper copy.
VACCINES
There is no mandatory vaccine required to enter Kenya, unless you are arriving from countries where yellow fever is endemic. In that case, you will need a valid yellow fever certificate.
If you are arriving from Europe, Mauritius or the USA, you will not need a yellow fever or any other vaccine, however there are a few recommended ones.
Please visit the Travel Health Pro website for more info.
With regards to Malaria, Kenya is not on the list of the high risk countries. As a result, the choice of taking Malarone (or any other drug) as a prevention is very personal.
Please consult your GP should you have any more questions.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
We recommend anyone to get a Travel Insurance to cover your trip in Kenya.
You can refer to Europe Assistance or World Nomads as providers.

COB INSTRUCTOR
Claudine Desiree

La Reina del Barro!

Founder and Director of CruzinCobGlobal, Claudine Desiree has been well-known in the world of Cob Workshops for 20 years, since holding her first workshop in her downtown Santa Cruz, California home in 2004. After many years in California teaching shorter-format workshops, in which part of a building was built or finished, while holding many careers and raising her three sons, she launched her GlobalCobTrotter Tour in December of 2014, and realized a life-long dream of traveling the world by bike for an extended period of time. To keep earning a living while combining her two passions, she decided to organize cob workshops on the road in all the countries she wanted to bike to and through. The journey ended up going for 5 years in which 30 workshops in 15 countries were held, in Africa, South America,

Azores livin’

Europe and the US. The new CruzinCobGlobal was born in 2015 with a website and a new seriousness and organization and consistency that have, together with the unusual goal of building a complete cob cottage in 5 weeks from feet to head and all the fixins in between, brought CCG its global reputation as the only and best complete and intensive professional cob training in the world today.
At this point, and after creating her first Cob Ecovillage, “Quinta da Vida Beleza” from 2020 to 2023 in the Azores, with workshop students and others, she has now stepped back from the teaching role to honor and train her best students on this path. However, when the workshop takes place in a new location of interest, like Kenya, she may decide to step in for old time’s sake, to keep stoking her passion and love of international cob teaching!

COB ASSISTANT
Zoë Verbaant

In Zanzibar building a cob permaculture center last year

Hi! I’m Zoë, 34, I’m from the Netherlands, and currently I live wherever I lay my head down.
I have always been very passionate about the world, nature, humanity, and how everything is related. As a child I would philosophy about these topics. I was fascinated with indigenous tribal peoples living exclusively of the land they walk on. I dreamed of living like that too, in a house made of bamboo, or mud, that I’d built myself.
Growing up, I ‘did life’ differently than the people around me, trying to follow my passions. I eventually studied ecology, nature and wildlife management, dreaming to contribute to conservation of primary ecosystems. I’d travel everytime I had managed to save up with waitress jobs. Not only because I love exploring every corner of the world, also because of my strong need to put my energy into conservation related projects. Through these endeavours I eventually ended up volunteering at a place in Spain, in 2015, where 2 elderly people were re-designing their lifestyle to a more connected life, and that included natural building – restoring the ruined dry stone wall buildings.
I loved doing that, and in 2017 I joined a massive earth bag build in Australia, that also incorporated rammed earth walls and a cob oven. It was a very beautiful holistic experience. And somehow it felt as though I had built like it before. A puzzle piece fell in place.. From then on, in my travels I would often look for opportunities to build, restore or beautify people’s homes, slowly learning more, gaining skills, growing as a person and feeding my soul. I’ve been interested in all the different possibilities within the concept of natural building…. and there are many.
Besides the above, I worked on 2 hempcrete builds in the Netherlands, a round timber frame gazebo with reciprocal green roof in France, restoring an old wattle/daub tudor house in Germany, a cob roundhouse in Spain. And a month ago a mud brick house in Thailand. I have done several plastering and paint jobs here and there, using earthen and lime mixes. Adding to that I have done some small works, learning about slip straw, pallet cob, scrafito and other plaster murals, tadelakt and building rocket mass heaters.
I joined the Cruzing Cob Global cob house and oven+bench workshop, on Sao Miguel in 2023. I really wanted a start to finish experience, combining all the techniques involved. It gave me a big boost in my building skills and I made great friendships.
Moving on from there I felt confident I could have a go at designing and teaching building, which I did in Tanzania. We made a gazebo style classroom with coral rock, earth and wood.
And now it’s very exciting to continue the journey of sharing the knowledge, with CruzinCobGloblal, in Kenya, alongside Claudine.
I know we will have an amazing time.

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT

Very Early Bird Rate: 2250€, paid in full by November 9th, 2024
Early Bird Rate: 2350€, paid in full by December 31st, 2024
Standard Rate: 2450€, paid in full by January 26th, 2025
We are offering 2 work trade positions which give you a 250€ discount on either food or tuition for working one hour each weekday preparing the building site from 6:30AM to 7:30AM. These are the first options to go. Depending on when you pay in full, the discount is taken off the appropriate amount.
Payment can be made in Euros using Wise to CruzinCobGlobal at the following IBAN: [REDACTED] or to claudinedesiree@gmail.com at Venmo, Paypal (including the transaction fee) or Zelle with current Euro to USD conversion.
Please contact claudine@cruzincobglobal.org or on Whatsapp +1(831) 212-7225 to register and ask any questions.
To hold your spot (there are 12 for new students and 3 for returning students), you can make a 50% deposit. The balance owed depends on the date of payment in full. Final payment deadline is January 26th, 2025.
Special Note:
Local, Kenyan and African students with a locally-sourced income and with full-time residence on the African continent:
Tuition and Weekday Meals: 1525€ (accommodations & weekend meals extra)
Camping with own equipment is free (2 tents available to borrow from Host)
Bunkbed: 6€/night
Weekend meals: 15€/day (Breakfast: 3€ Lunch: 6€ Dinner: 6€)
We are working to complete our 4th 1000€ scholarship for a local very motivated Kenyan student Students will need to make the food payment with their own funds or raising money on their own.
Please help this happen by supporting our GoFundMe fundraiser here: (link coming soon)
Gratitude

CANCELLATION POLICY

Students who have paid and cancel by December 9th, 2024 can get a full refund minus a 5% administrative/inconvenience fee on the amount they have paid.
Students who have paid and cancel by January 9th, 2025 will receive a credit for a future workshop within two years minus a 10% administrative/inconvenience fee.
Students who have paid and cancel after January 9th, 2025 will NOT receive a refund or credit unless they have proof of an emergency situation or other reason out of their control, in which case they will receive a credit for two years minus the 10% admin fee.

CAN’T WAIT TO GET MUDDY WITH YOU!!!!

5-Week Cob Workshop in New Zealand
2025-02-10 09:00 - 2025-03-18 15:00 (Pacific/Auckland) | WA
We are building a cob cottage from the ground up in this 5-week course in beautiful Northland, New Zealand. Anyone interested in learning about earth building can sign up for one week of instruction and hands-on experience in a particular topic, or sign up for the entire 5-week build. Taught by certified cob instructors, we’ll cover foundation, walls, living roof, earth floor, finish plaster, pallet cob and more. Details on the flyer below.

A Complete Introduction to Earthen Building Techniques (Cob, Wattle and Daub, and Natural Plasters) in the Cloud Forest of El Salvador
2025-03-09 16:00 - 2025-03-16 08:00 (America/Denver) | Clouds of El Pital Eco-Tourism Cooperative, El Pital Mountain, San Ignacio, Chalatenango, 503, El Salvador
Come and experience our natural building oasis, agroecology farm, and ecotourism project in the cloud forests of El Salvador´s highest mountain range!This workshop is being hosted by the Nubes del Pital (Clouds of El Pital) agroecology farm and ecotourism project. Over the past ten years, we have collectively built 15 different cob houses, restaurants, and cabins to host tourists in the beautiful El Trifinio Biosphere on the slopes of El Salvador´s highest mountain. The nearby cloud forest offers a beautiful site to learn about natural building techniques, permaculture, agroecology, and sustainable living. Besides participating in the actual building workshop, you will also be staying on a beautiful permaculture farm presenting the opportunity to learn about regenerative homesteading, organic farming, and different ways to integrate earthen structures into the landscape.
During this workshop, we will be building a new cob sauna in a food forest and ecotourism project. The workshop site is surrounded by a beautiful pine and cedar forest, along with a coffee, avocado, and other fruit trees. Participants will have the opportunity to experience and learn about all aspects of the building process, from rubble trenches and rock foundations, building cob, wattle and daub, and cordwood walls, timber framing, installing doors and windows, incorporating recycled materials/bottles into the structure, plastering, natural clay-based paints, and more.
This workshop offers you the opportunity to see, experience, and live in several different naturally-built structures on our farm. Besides staying in beautifully furnished cob and timber-framed cabins with fantastic views of El Salvador´s highest mountain, you will also have plenty of hands-on experience to learn a wide variety of natural building techniques.
The six full-day workshop costs $650 USD per person, and includes:
• 7 nights of lodging in private cob/wood cabins (check out the AirBnb links below to see where you´ll be staying)• 3 locally-harvested meals a day• All the coffee, tea, and water you can drink• Local transportation from the cabins where you will be staying to the build site on the coffee farm.• The workshop learning experience• Several free e-books on cob and natural building• A half-day hiking trip to visit the mystical cloud forest of El Pital• We will also be visiting different cob and wood homes that have been built in our community to learn how natural building positively impacts local communities.
For more information or to sign up and secure your place (we have a maximum of 15 participants for our workshops) you can send us an email at: tobiasroberts20@hotmail.com, or contact us via Whatsapp at +503 7024 6928
Again, we have a maximum of 15 spots available for this workshop, so contact us today with any questions you might have!
AirBnb links for cabins where you will be lodged during the workshop:El Trigal: https://es.airbnb.com/rooms/21275949…Rosa de Montaña: https://es.airbnb.com/rooms/21276181…El Colibrí: https://es.airbnb.com/rooms/21239316…La Libélula: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/857860869520040145?guests=1…El Roble: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/682837356124333465?guests=1…El Abeto: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/683176565394719587?guests=1…

POSTPONED TO NOVEMBER 2025: Bioconstruction II
2025-03-12 - 2025-03-16 | Snow White Sanctuary, 1636 Arledge Road, Vinton, LA, 70668, United States
Join us for Phase 2 of our Bioconstruction Workshop series.
With Habitat Recovery Project, we are creating a hexagonal Sanctum as a spiritual beacon. This project brings together folks from near and far to learn to construct with nontoxic materials. In Phase 1, we used many bioconstruction techniques: cordwood, cob, light clay straw, Bousillage (a Louisiana regional cob method), bottle-bricks, roundwood framing, natural plasters. We had additional education sessions on chainsaw safety and felling trees. We held classroom sessions with special guests about environmental racism, local indigenous history, and construction sites culture.
During this time frame, we we will doing

Finishing Plasters
Natural Paints
Glass Bottle Bricks
Cob Construction
Building envelope education

Natural Building Materials Used

Land-Harvested Wood
Local Clay
Local Sand
Straw Bales
Spanish Moss
Upcycled Glass
Upcycled Hardware

Join Us to touch clay, meet new friends, and sing a few campfire songs.
REGISTER HERE: http://bit.ly/HRPEARTHRISE
Reach out with any questions: +1 540.908.0218

Workshop Series: Building a Community Tool Library – Day 1
2025-03-22 08:00 - 15:30 (America/Denver) | RCRCD, 4500 Glenwood Drive, Riverside, CA, 92501, United States
Join Us in Building a Tool Library at Riverside Corona Resource Conservation District, (RCRCD)
We’re using the Palletable Cobin Method, developed by Miguel Elliot, to create a sustainable, low-cost, and waste-conscious structure. This method uses fewer heavy earth materials, requires less cob, and repurposes more salvaged materials—making it faster and more efficient to build!
Day 1 Workshop:
🛠️ Setting posts
🔨 Digging & filling the rubble drainage trench
🧱 Building the stem wall
📦 If time allows, adding pallets & framing
This is a 6-part workshop series—join for one or all! Register by making a donation that fits your budget using the link below. All donations are used to purchase materials, tools, supplies and insurance. For scholarship requests, contact Susan at 310-990-8695.

Community Healing Cob "Cabina" in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica!
2025-03-23 14:00 - 2025-04-27 14:00 (America/Costa_Rica) | Eso Terra, Playa Chiquita, Puerto Viejo, Limón, Costa Rica
LOCATION

The workshop will be held at Eso Terra’s cozy jungle-immersed campus, located a short walk from Playa Chiquita, and close to the town of Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast near the Panamanian border. More mellow then the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica, it also has a more African influence and calm waters. We are not only perfectly located between Manzanillo National Park and Puerto Viejo town, but also situated just a short ten-minute walk from one of the nicest beaches in town, Playa Chiquita, safe and beautiful, with numerous cafes & restaurants for after-class and weekend hanging out. Puerto Viejo itself is a creative and vibrant town, bustling with visitors from all over the world, and infused with Caribbean and indigenous Bri Bri cultures.

La Playa Chiquita

At your fingertips will be nature like you’ve never experienced – monkeys, sloths, hummingbirds, etc. Most unique about the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica is the “jungle meets ocean” experience. Our home is situated in the jungle, which walks right up to the incredibly stunning beaches nearby. This is a true paradise! But not for the faint of heart. While the days are mostly sunny, and the temperature not too hot (though sometimes it can be quite humid), there are certainly hard rains, insects, scorpions and spiders – and any other animals that come in a jungle rain forest environment.

Second Floor Communal Space in the treetops

The house is a unique open air rustic refuge. Troupes of monkeys, hummingbirds, and toucans regularly dance amidst the trees here. You’ll arrive through an open air kitchen with an open bathroom layout. We have a communal table in the open kitchen, inviting community cooking and chats. Upstairs is our lounge and co-working and community space, where people can eat, meet, work and connect, and another bathroom space.
There are two bedrooms upstairs and one downstairs. Upstairs bedrooms have canopy views, open access to the communal lounge area, and a shared bathroom. The downstairs room lacks windows, and feels more enclosed. This will be the location for indoor camping with mattresses, for people who want slightly upgraded indoor living conditions
We have outdoor exposed and covered spaces for camping and can offer a wooden bungalow/ cabina, which can sleep up to two people, for an additional fee. This space would be perfect for a couple who wishes to have private living quarters, or could be outfitted with two beds/ and mattresses to fit two individuals who would like a private indoor room rather than a camping setup. We also have Mary Luz hotel just down the hill (on the way to the beach) for anyone looking for shared rooms at a relatively cheap price ($20-$25/ per person per night).
Our community here is one of a kind – there are ecstatic dances, sound and medicine journeys, sweat lodges, fresh markets, yoga, kundalini and art classes at your fingertips weekly. We are surrounded by waterfalls, hikes, dolphins and nature excursions. Our diverse and vibrant community gathers regularly for singing circles, potlucks and bonfires under the stars. We welcome all you future Cobbers in this magical space and look forward to getting to know you and spending some magical time together!
GALLERY

Cabina

THE PROJECT
Through this collaboration, Eso Terra campus will have a beautiful Cob Cabina that will function as a central meeting space for ritual and connection. It will also serve as a meditation room and treatment room for guests to give and receive holistic treatments like massage, reiki, and purpose work. This will be a private and nourishing space for integrative community, restorative and healing experiences.

Azores, 2023

The 5-week Advanced Cobber Certification Workshop students will be building the Cob Cabina, as always, with 12 pairs of loving, muddy hands and feet. From the “boots”, or rock foundation, to the “hat”, or reciprocal green roof, we will cover everything in between! Students leave full of inspiration, motivation, passion, empowerment and hunger for more. Did we tell you that Cob is an addiction? The best kind!

Azores, 2024

We will be building our trademark 14m2/150ft2 round building (final size is always dependent on class number) for Eso Terra residents & guests to use. The breathtaking reciprocal roof structure we build in all of our workshops is the strongest roof there is, due to its interlocking spiral structure which holds itself up with no outward pressure on the monolithic round wall of the building. In addition, it mirrors the horizontal social structure favored in indigenous societies, who meet under these types of rooves for council circles and ceremonies, and thus acts as a spiritual support for any meaningful interactions taking place within our cob buildings. The Earthen walls provide the feel of being in a womb, protected from toxins, noise, and are visually nurturing & comforting in their irregular imperfect appearance & texture.

Students in this Advanced Cobber Certification training will, as always, learn all the steps to building a complete Cob Building from scratch. In week 1, we start off by digging the trench and fill it with gravel, a drainage pipe, and a sturdy aesthetic stone foundation to support the wall and roof. We finish the week off by pouring the adobe/cob floor on a gravel base. In weeks 2 & 3, we build the monolithic cob wall with all its detailed insertions and finish it with 1-2 days of relaxed sculpting. In week 4 we plaster our beautifully-decorated and strong wall with an earthen mix, followed by the reciprocal green roof installation that extends into week 5. On the last day of the workshop we close up the top of the wall and pour the final floor coat to complete the workshop.

2-Story Cob House, Azores, 2021

Note: We especially invite non-White and multiracial students who are curious or already interested and passionate about earthen construction to come learn the art and technique of cob building with CCG. We want a workshop that feels comfortable for non-white students, and aim for a healthy balance as our ideal. CCG has taught in many countries of the world and our mission is to create access to everyone interested, especially the local people, so we can create international cob building families where all students grow and learn on a personal and interpersonal level. We aim to create intercultural and interhuman bonding experiences through our Cob building workshops to heal the world one Cob house at a time. So please follow your Heart & Soul, listen to the Call, and come and embark on a life-changing adventure in 2025.

DETAILED WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

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 Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons to complement the hands-on experience.
Students arrive on Sunday between noon and 2pm and settle in. The Workshop begins at 4pm and ends on a Sunday, 5 weeks later, after the morning Closing Circle & Brunch, around 2pm. 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 or meal fee is approved by Host (to be decided closer to the date). The Opening Circle begins promptly at 4pm, followed by a Host Site Orientation at 5pm, Dinner at 6pm and an Introduction to the Project by the Instructors at 7pm.
We require that students arrive Saturday or Sunday by 2pm AT THE LATEST!!! We need to begin ALL TOGETHER, as the MOST important information for the success and smooth-running of the workshop and the well-being of the students will happen on Sunday between 4pm and 8:30pm. It is very inconvenient for late students, Host, Instructors and the group, when someone arrives late and misses any of the opening sessions. Please be punctual because Monday morning at 9 am we begin digging the trench for our Cob Building and students need to be prepared and ready to go!!!! Please aim to arrive to this workshop on Saturday, unless you are a local resident, to avoid issues due to flight delays or changes.

Following Breakfast from 7:30-8:15am, the morning learning/building session begins at 8:30 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, from 2:30pm-5:30pm. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays there is a 60-minute lecture at 2:30pm, followed by construction time. Tuesdays and Thursdays students begin building again right after the rest time. After class in the afternoon there is a 90-minute break before dinner (served from 7pm to 8pm), in which students are encouraged to stretch, do some type of relaxation/movement practice, go swimming, walking 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 mostly free and sometimes students offer informal courses in their specialties and passions. Tuesdays are reserved for our weekly Council Circle, where we do a deeper sharing and listening to attend to the inner worlds of our students, staff & Host(s) during this intense experience.
On weekends students are free to explore the area, go traveling, rest onsite, and even continue building, subject to Instructor approval. All weekend meals are provided by students who are welcome to use the kitchen. Host and/or other students can carpool into town for weekend food provisions. Puerto Viejo has bikes to rent and students can organize car rentals to explore farther on weekends.
The 35-day Course will offer practical learning by building a complete 15m2 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 Housing & Plumbing preparation), Floor, Plaster & Roof.

DAILY SCHEDULE

The daily schedule (subject to slight modifications due to climate/time of year) will be:
7:30-8:15 Breakfast
8:30-1:00 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 both physically & energetically! Out of respect for the Instructors & the group, we ask that students always communicate with Instructors if they are having any issues that cause them to be late or have to excuse themselves from class for something.

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 housing and outlet/switch boxes (when applicable)*
insert PVC pipe for plumbing in walls (when applicable)*
sculpting
preparing and applying earthen plaster (1 coat)
pouring an earthen floor (2 coats)
preparing walls for roof connection
building reciprocal roof frame
putting on roof sheathing and other elements
installing green roof
making small-scale cob designs of future projects, time permitting
In addition to Cob Building practices, the Course material
also includes:
legal cob construction practices & the international cob code (Appendix AU in the IRC)
time & cost analysis
creating a cob business (building/teaching)
assisting, interning and teaching with CruzinCobGlobal
*While the insertion of electrical housing and one or more outlet/switch boxes and PVC pipes to hold plumbing are always included in the workshops, the simplicity or complexity depends on the host’s design and preferences. There will be no electrical wiring or plumbing pipes installed during workshop. That is beyond the focus of this course and requires professional experience and certification/licensing.

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 (for stone work)
Tape Measure
Box Cutter
Wood Hand Saw (cheap)*
Level (2ft)*
Hammer*
Japanese plastering trowel(s) (email:goldhillclayplaster@gmail.com)
Ear Plugs* (roof week)
Safety Glasses*
Wood Chisel*
4”-6” Diameter Round Plastic Container Lids* (for plastering)
Good Moisturizer
Hat
Sunglasses
Water Bottle
Notebook/Pen/Camera
Carpenter Pencil & Sharpener
Sample of your Soil (optional)
Any other power tools like skilsaw, grinder wth metal blade, cordless drill, chop saw, extra hammers, trowels, saws, levels…will be very welcome if you have them and are driving in. Some students fly in wth only carry-on luggage and can’t bring some of these tools.
*These tools will be very helpful to bring if you can, to minimize sharing and waiting, but if you can’t the Host will provide them.

***PLEASE READ THIS VERY IMPORTANT INFO!!!***
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 and lecture learning hours unless absolutely incapable due to illness or have some other significant/emergency 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 and it disturbs the integrity of the group. It takes the whole village to see the building through from start to finish! In addition, Instructors set up building work according to students’ strengths and learning needs. In short, if you don’t feel that you will be able to be present every day for every session, please re-think your readiness for our Advanced Training. We attract serious and highly-motivated students so if that’s you, you will be surrounded by others with the same desire to learn and build!
We need and depend on everyone’s full participation in each day of the workshop. This is a total group effort on all levels: physically, mentally, emotionally and energetically.. If someone is physically absent from the site and lectures due to illness or other urgency for more than one full day, they will need to make up the days missed in a subsequent workshop to receive the Certificate (only paying food costs). If physically injured or ill (and capable), it is requested students still be present at the site and for lecture and other required evening activities, so as to not miss out on information and keep learning by observation, and thus still qualify for the Certificate.
The workshop intensity changes from week 1 to week 5 with the focus of the week. The first foundation week breaks people in with the work of moving, lifting, rolling and placing rocks and is a new and demanding physical and mental experience for most students. It also includes  the first layers and coat of cob floor. The second week and part of the third week of cob-making and building are similar to the rock foundation week in physical demand, but are more flowing, multi-faceted and cardiovascular in movement. On Thursday & Friday of week 3, the workshop takes a turn and slows down and the body can rest as students tap into their creative source now and design and sculpt the walls and around niches, shelves, windows, etc. This is a very special rewarding experience and time of the workshop, decorating the walls with visual beauty and meaning as expressed by each unique student. Usually there is an overarching theme decided on by Host(s). 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. On day 5 of week 4, the roof begins. This part is the beginning of a change of pace from the earthen building work to carpentry skills, power tools, measuring, sawing, drilling, hammering, screwing, trimming, etc. But now the workshop is in its final stretch and there is a boost of energy to wrap up the roof, close the top of the wall, and tend to finishing touches….the grand finale.
For students wanting a more mellow slow-paced cob experience, along with time for personal exploration and experimentation following their own rhythm, these workshops are not for you! However, you can find a more suitable workshop online with other organizations that offer 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” and “Essential Cob Construction” (see website Resources page) before the workshop begins, and any other books they find or are listed on our Resources page, ideally on plastering and reciprocal roof building. We ask that you watch the many videos on our our “International Cob Workshop” playlist on Claudine’s YouTube channel, the new educational YouTube series “Building a Mud Home” by Cooper Green, posted by Natural Buildings and created from our North Carolina workshop footage, 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 will aim to adjust appropriately. There is alot to do to support making and building with cob while respecting your physical limitations!!!
Finally, please bring a watch or use your phone to be prompt and ready for each part of the Course including meals. Please make sure you share your dietary restrictions/allergies with CCG in your registration form. 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 will 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 playlists, speaker, 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!

MEALS & ACCOMMODATIONS
We will serve three meals a day from Monday through Friday including the Welcome and Celebration Dinners and Farewell Brunch. Weekends students will be on their own for food and may use the onsite kitchen. Meals will be vegetarian and locally-based as much as possible, including farm produce and eggs! Carnivores & pescatarians & omnivores will, if desired, be offered non-vegetarian options of meals a few times a week and/or supplemented with canned fish, dried meats, cold cuts. They are also welcome to buy additions to cook on the side.
We will attend to vegan and gluten-free diets if needed, but any other restrictions & allergies that require extensive preparation needs will probably not be able to be honored. And kitchen will only be accessible on weekends for students.
Camping with your own tent and bedding is always free. There will be an inside floor option for camping for a limited number of people and a wooden cabina for two people to rent. Ask about the fee. The Mary Luz Hotel close by is another option for people but it’ always preferable to be onsite for many reasons.
There is Wifi, a Washer & Dryer (for a fee) & a Hot Shower!

TRANSPORTATION
Students from abroad will need to fly in to San José and take either another short flight for $125 to Limón and an $80 taxi to Eso Terra, a shared airport shuttle for $65 (4-5 hours) or a standard bus for $7 (cheapest). Shuttle can be organized just for the students by Host as we get closer to the arrival time and know how many people will arrive together, which will be cheaper.

NICOLAS PIMENTEL
Cob Instructor & Master Cobber

Happy Builder!

I was born and raised in Santiago, Chile, and had a childhood deeply connected to the arts and nature. From an early age, I felt a strong curiosity to travel and learn about other cultures, people, and places. During my university years as an architecture student, I went to study in Porto, Portugal in my final year. There, I first encountered the idea of natural building while attending a conference in Prague. After this brief introduction to theoretical knowledge, I wanted to get hands-on experience. In 2017, while searching online, I found a CruzinCobGlobal workshop taught by Claudine in the Azores Islands, and that was the beginning of this amazing journey of fascination with and passion for Earthen Building, as well as a great, long friendship with Claudine. After spending a long time on the islands, I returned to Chile to receive my degree in architecture. I also went to Colorado to assist in a CCG workshop lead by Claudine, and then assisted & co-taught 2 CCG workshops in Chile.

Nico leading the light straw clay 2nd floor of Claudine’s Cob Villa in 2021

I also learned other natural building techniques at TIBÁ in Brazil, and continued working independently in Chile, where I built my first light straw clay house in southern Chile. This is when I eventually settled in the northern Patagonian mountain town of Pucón, where I co-founded my architecture studio, PIWA. My focus is designing homes in rural areas, integrating bioconstruction and bioarchitecture techniques. Parallel to this, I returned to the Azores Islands to teach a light clay straw workshop on Claudine’s land in 2021 and a Complete Full Build Workshop in 2023.

Plaster Master!

My motivation to keep learning has never waned, and this drive took me to Marrakech to learn Tadelakt from ancient masters. I also constantly return to books to learn more about various techniques and experiment with them. In 2024, I began teaching online workshops as well as in-person workshops on earthen plasters in southern Portugal and southern Chile.
Currently, I work as an architect in my own studio, mainly designing in southern Chile. I am also co-founder of a conservation project called Jungla Peumayen, located in the central region’s mountains, where we focus on the conservation of flora and fauna, conducting rewilding efforts by reinserting wild animals, among other activities. I also co-founded Kalina, a creative space in nature located in northern Patagonia, where I reside and am currently building my second light straw clay home.
I love teaching these techniques and learning from other students. I believe every interaction is an opportunity for learning, and bringing earthen building to new environments and professionalizing it is a crucial task in contributing to this paradigm shift. The earth has built me and I am constantly growing and learning from it!

ALICIA SALAS
Cob Assistant

Beaming Cobber!

Hola, me llamo Alicia! I’m a Californian Tica (Costa Rican), who has led an unconventional
life. I have a major in International Relations and a minor in Spanish. My studies and travels have led me to live in the villages of Slovakia, the brilliant beaches of Brazil, a cacao farm in Costa Rica, and now Puerto Rico where I live.

Plastering in Puerto RIco

My first introduction to Natural Building was in Costa Rica in 2019, where I built and lived in a super adobe home. I then had the opportunity to learn and construct two adobe pizza ovens. Being inside my first Earthen home was life changing. I was amazed by the beauty, how I felt living in an Earthen home, and how it completely rewired my brain. I have always loved architecture, sustainability, and interior design, and this encompassed everything I love. Suddenly I didn’t just want to build my own house one day, I wanted to build an Earthen house. I started looking at different techniques, and that is when I discovered Cob.

The crew in the Azores led by Nico!

I built my first Cob house with CruzinCobGlobal in the Azores in Portugal in 2023, taught by Nico. After the house build I stayed on to build a beautiful cob oven and bench. I now live in Puerto Rico, working in construction on houses that were affected by hurricanes. In February 2024, CruzinCobGlobal came to Utuado Puerto Rico, and I came back as a return student for my second house build. This house was unique because we got to work with bamboo for the reciprocal roof. I am particularly fond of Earthen floors, plastering, and roofing! I love Cob, and I love the community and friends I have made along the way. Natural building has changed my life, and I am very excited to continue working in this field, with the dream of building my own Cob house one day!

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT

Very Early Bird Rate: USD$2500, paid in full by December 1st, 2024
Early Bird Rate: USD$2600, paid in full by February 1st, 2025
Standard Rate: USD$2700, paid in full by March 1st, 2025
We are offering 4 work trade positions which give you a $250 discount for working one hour each weekday from 6:30am to 7:30am either on the site prepping materials and other work as guided by the Instructors or preparing & putting away breakfast. Two persons for each service. These are the first options to go. Depending on when you pay in full, the discount is taken off the appropriate amount.
Payment can be made using Zelle, Paypal and Venmo to claudinedesiree@gmail.com. Europeans and other international students can pay in USD using the Wise app/website using same email.
Please contact claudine@cruzincobglobal.org or Whatsapp +1(831) 212-7225 to register and ask any questions.
To hold your spot (there are 12 for new students), you can make a 50% deposit. The balance owed depends on the date of payment in full. Final payment deadline is March 1st, 2025.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Students who have paid and cancel by January 1st, 2025 can get a full refund minus a 5% administrative/inconvenience fee on the amount they have paid.
Students who have paid and cancel by February 1st, 2025 will receive a credit for a future workshop within two years minus a 10% administrative/inconvenience fee.
Students who have paid and cancel after February 1st, 2025 will not receive a refund or credit unless they have proof of an emergency situation or other reason out of their control, in which case they will receive a credit for two years minus the 10% admin fee.

SEE YOU IN THE MUUUUUUD!

Workshop Series: Building a Community Tool Library – Day 2
2025-04-05 08:00 - 15:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | RCRCD, 4500 Glenwood Drive, Riverside, CA, 92501, United States
Join Us in Building a Tool Library at Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District (RCRCD)! 🔨🌱
We’re using the Palletable Cobin Method, developed by Miguel Elliot, to create a sustainable, low-cost, and waste-conscious structure. This technique reduces the need for heavy earth materials, requires less cob, and repurposes salvaged materials—making the process faster and more efficient!
Day 2 Workshop:
🛠️ Framing
📦 Adding pallets
🏗️ Starting the roof
This is a 6-part workshop series—join for one or all!
Register by making a tax-deductible donation that fits your budget using the link below.
All donations go toward materials, tools, supplies, and insurance.
For scholarship requests and/or more information, contact Susan at 310-990-8695.
#NaturalBuilding #CobBuilding #SustainableConstruction #RegenerativeDesign #CommunityBuilding #Permaculture #EcoBuilding #HandsOnLearning #UpcycledMaterials #RCRCD

Workshop Series: Building a Community Tool Library – Day 3
2025-04-19 08:00 - 15:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | RCRCD, 4500 Glenwood Drive, Riverside, CA, 92501, United States
Join Us in Building a Tool Library at Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District (RCRCD)! 🔨🌱
We’re using the Palletable Cobin Method, developed by Miguel Elliot, to create a sustainable, low-cost, and waste-conscious structure. This technique reduces the need for heavy earth materials, requires less cob, and repurposes salvaged materials—making the process faster and more efficient!
Day 3 Workshop:
Roof, Insulation, Exterior Cob
This is a 6-part workshop series—join for one or all!
Register by making a tax-deductible donation that fits your budget using the link below.
All donations go toward materials, tools, supplies, and insurance.
For scholarship requests and/or more information, contact Susan at 310-990-8695.
#NaturalBuilding #CobBuilding #SustainableConstruction #RegenerativeDesign #CommunityBuilding #Permaculture #EcoBuilding #HandsOnLearning #UpcycledMaterials #RCRCD

Workshop Series: Building a Community Tool Library – Day 4
2025-04-26 08:00 - 15:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | RCRCD, 4500 Glenwood Drive, Riverside, CA, 92501, United States
Join Us in Building a Tool Library at Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District (RCRCD)! 🔨🌱
We’re using the Palletable Cobin Method, developed by Miguel Elliot, to create a sustainable, low-cost, and waste-conscious structure. This technique reduces the need for heavy earth materials, requires less cob, and repurposes salvaged materials—making the process faster and more efficient!
Day 4 Workshop:
Roof, Interior Fixtures and Cob
This is a 6-part workshop series—join for one or all!
Register by making a tax-deductible donation that fits your budget using the link below.
All donations go toward materials, tools, supplies, and insurance.
For scholarship requests and/or more information, contact Susan at 310-990-8695.
#NaturalBuilding #CobBuilding #SustainableConstruction #RegenerativeDesign #CommunityBuilding #Permaculture #EcoBuilding #HandsOnLearning #UpcycledMaterials #RCRCD
