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UID:8745-1788688800-1788712200@cobworkshops.org
SUMMARY:Clay and Lime Plaster Workshop-- Montana
DESCRIPTION:Clay and Lime Plaster Workshop\n\n\nIn this one day workshop you will learn how to mix and apply earth based plasters. \n\nThis hands on class is located at Spiritwood Natural Building\, in Victor Montana. Attendees will join Katherine and Daniel Ray of Spiritwood Natural Building to learn how to mix and apply earth based plasters onto earthen walls. \n\nEarthen plasters can be used to protect wall systems against the elements while also being aesthetically pleasing. This class will give participants the opportunity to apply thick protective plasters and work with much finer finish plasters to make a beautiful finish! \n\nParticipants will also see examples of how cob is used to construct a balecob house and rocket mass heaters. \n​ \nFood is not provided. Participants should bring a lunch to this workshop. \n\nSpace is limited to 15 participants.  \n\nDate: Sunday\, September 6 \nTime: 10:00 am – 4:30 pm \nCost: $150 \n5% discount for family + friends participating together \n\nLocation: SpiritWood Natural Building\, Victor\, MT
URL:https://cobworkshops.org/event/earth-based-plasters/
LOCATION:SpiritWood Natural Building\, Victor Montana\, Victor\, MT\, 59875\, United States
CATEGORIES:Workshop
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ORGANIZER;CN="SpiritWood%20Natural%20Building":MAILTO:spiritwoodnaturalbuilding@gmail.com
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DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260919T120000
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LAST-MODIFIED:20260307T161948Z
UID:10055-1788696000-1789819200@cobworkshops.org
SUMMARY:Morocco Natural Building
DESCRIPTION:The Building Project \nWe’ll help build a 400 square foot earthen cabin alongside local craftsmen at beautiful Farm Finn. We’ll also build and use a cob oven. \nWe’ll teach foundations\, wall building and how to attach a roof. You’ll learn cob\, adobe\, slipstraw\, cordwood cob\, balecob\, rammed earth\, and the basics of base and finish plasters. We’ll also have time for sculpting and carving and earthen floor basics. The course will include instruction from a local tadelakt experts and deep dives into the sustainability systems on site. \nGo here for all the info \nThis is a special class for us at Cobitat. In addition to having a fascinating culture and history\, diverse geography and ecosystems\, and serving as the gateway between Europe and Africa\, Morocco has a long history of earthen building. Earthen blocks\, cob\, and rammed earth walls along with lime plaster called tadelakt have all been used for centuries and into the modern era. But\, like many vernacular building styles around the world\, this knowledge is being lost as less sustainable and industrialized materials like concrete take over. Farm Finn\, however\, has worked with local knowledgeable craftsmen to build an earthen house and are excited to host us to help foster an exchange of learning around natural building. But\, it doesn’t end there. \nFor us\, natural building is just one part of living in a way that helps create a new and regenerative paradigm to foster a more just\, verdant\, and beautiful future. Farm Finn is working to be a part of that new paradigm by utilizing tourism at it’s organic and “permacultured” farm and micro-hotel to support traditional ways of life while demonstrating how to adapt to a changing environment. \nOur host Paul has spent decades working with organizations like Oxfam\, UNICEF\, and Save the Children helping communities around the globe clean and protect water resources\, improve sanitation\, and adapt to a changing climate. Farm Finn is his attempt to do the same work on a local and regional scale over a longer period while rooted in a community. His vision includes creating a climate change adaptation learning center that will teach and demonstrate permaculture\, natural building\, and other appropriate and democratic technologies. \nWe are excited to be a part of that vision and hope you’ll join us on this a once-in-a-lifetime natural building experience in Morocco.
URL:https://cobworkshops.org/event/complete-cabin-morocco/
LOCATION:CA
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ORGANIZER;CN="Cobitat":MAILTO:cobitat@gmail.com
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DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261011T140000
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CREATED:20260124T213042Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260418T235003Z
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SUMMARY:Tennessee Complete Cob Cottage For ALL in the Fall!
DESCRIPTION:OUR LOVELY HOSTS\n  \n\n \nA Southern-Style Welcome awaits us with River & Mike:) \n\n  \nRiver & Mike will welcome us with open hearts and smiles into their sanctuary home for this southern-style US workshop! Born in South Dakota\, River has travelled throughout the States constantly\,  led by her deep hungry passion for learning all kinds of primitive\, survival and natural wilderness living skills. She loves attending workshops and as a host she will be very well-prepared after attending her first full-build cob workshop taught by CruzinCobGlobal in Tasmania in 2026. Her partner\, Mike\, is an Ohio native. He is a full-time dentist who loves carpentry and building with his hands\, and taking care of people’s teeth who can’t afford it. Together\, Mike and River enjoy gardening and spending time in nature\, whether it’s kayaking the local rivers\, hiking mountain trails\, or foraging for mushrooms. \n  \n\n \nSoil testing lookin’ good! \n\n  \nOur home in the woods is set on a 30-acre plot in Decatur\, TN\, halfway between Knoxville and Chattanooga. This cozy homestead is one-third relaxing forest and two-thirds rolling grassy pasture. Deer and many small forest animals call this place home. The host site will have many beautiful and varied camping spots in the woods and open pasture for the students\, as well as outdoor compost toilets\, an outdoor and indoor shower\, a massive outdoor movie screen with firepit\, a beautiful vegetable garden and much more as we grow this year. We plan to use the cob house as a center for learning and healing. \nHere there is no shortage of ways to spend time in the great outdoors on the weekends. We are about an hour’s drive from The Great Smokey Mountains National Park\, America’s most visited park and only 17 minutes from the Hiawassee River for kayaking. This region is home to some of the best hiking trails you can find\, with caves\, waterfalls and gorgeous views. River will be a great guide for those who want to explore every weekend.  For those who want to ditch the hiking boots and explore the city life\, both Chattanooga and Knoxville are rich with art\, culture\, rich cuisine\, and entertainment. \n  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTHE PROJECT\n  \n\n \nBelgium Cob Cottage\, 2025 \n\n  \nWorkshop students will be building the first COB structure on the Land and we are honored River & Michael have chosen COB to represent the start of his project\, to be built in an intimate\, sacred and soulful way and created\, as always\, with 12-15 pairs of loving and passionate muddy hands and feet.  Starting with the “boots”\, symbol for the stone foundation\, to the “hat”\, our indestructible\, gorgeous trademark reciprocal green roof\, we will cover EVERYTHING important in between!  You will leave blissed out\, confident\, transformed\, inspired\, motivated\, excited\, and ready for more.  Be prepared for a total life makeover\, and renewed strength and empowerment to fearlessly lead a life TRUE to yourself!  We see this in every workshop year after year.  It’s called “Cob Therapy” and it happens organically whether you intend it or not:) \n  \n\n \nThe sheathing before the green roof goes on! Belgium\, 2025 \n\n  \nWe will be building a 14m2/154ft2 round building (final size is always dependent on class number but this is usually the outcome). 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 roofs for council circles\, as we will do weekly throughout the 5 weeks\, to support all the inner and outer work happening. \n  \n\n \nThe sprint to the door and a completed finish floor\, the last step of the workshop! Belgium\, 2025 \n\n  \n\n \nHappy Cob Sculptor in Costa Rica\, 2025 \n\n  \nStudents 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 dig the foundation trench and fill it with landscape-wrapped drainage rock/gravel followed by a sturdy 30cm-wide aesthetic natural stone stemwall to support the cob wall and roof.  We finish the week off by pouring the first layer of adobe/cob floor on a layer of insulation underlain by a gravel drainage base and wrap up with the door(s) installation.  In weeks 2 & 3\, we build the monolithic cob wall\, layer by layer\, with all its detailed insertions (windows\, shelves\, electrical housing\, hooks\, niches\, bottles\, desk/counter\, anchors and roof connectors)\, and finish week 3 off with 2 days of relaxed sculpting.  In week 4 we plaster our beautifully-decorated and solid wall with an earthen/fermented manure scratch coat mix.  On Friday we build and install the Reciprocal Roof primary rafter structure and in week 5 we complete the structure and sheathing to support the impermeable Green Roof covering.  On the final days we will finish the top of the wall as well as the second finish floor coat\, ready for Graduation and the Celebration on Saturday evening.  Sunday morning is our Closing Circle followed by our final Lunch together and before the afternoon public Open House\, when the final project is revealed to the outside world! \n  \n\n \nKenya Cob friendship\, 2025 \n\n  \nWe encourage 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 of races\, cultures and languages.  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 embark on a life-changing adventure in 2026! \n  \nDETAILED WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION\n  \n\n \nBelgium Cob Maker\, 2025 \n\n  \nThe 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 Saturday before dinner and Sunday by 12pm and settle in. The two meals offered on Saturday (dinner) and Sunday (brunch) are optional and an additional fee of 10€ each.  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 before (Saturday) to acclimate and settle in (please let us know) but will need to cover their own food
 needs\, or pay the extra meal fees . The Opening Circle begins promptl \n  \n\n \nAll hands on deck fo the Ancestor Stones which will support our build! Belgium\, 2025 \n\n  \ny at 4pm\, followed by a Host Site Orientation at 5:30pm\, Dinner at 6:30pm and an Introduction to the Project by the Instructors at 7:30pm.  We require that students arrive Saturday before dark or Sunday by 12pm 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 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!!!! \nFollowing 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. \n  \n\n \nAll smiles in Week 1! Belgium Host got to be a student\, 2025 \n\n  \nThere 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 throughout the workshop after dinner for showing slides\, videos and having Course-related discussions. Other evenings except Tuesdays 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. \nOn 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. \nThe 35-day Course will offer practical learning by building a complete 14m2 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\, Bottles\, Niches\, Art\, Electrical Housing & Plumbing preparation\, Sculpting)\, Floor\, Plaster & Roof. \n  \n  \nDAILY SCHEDULE\nThe daily schedule (subject to slight modifications due to climate/time of year) will be: \n7:30-8:15 Breakfast\n8:30-1:00 Class\n1:00-2:30 Lunch\n2:30-5:30 Class (Lecture on MWF)\n5:30-7:00 Rest/Yoga\n7:00-8:00 Dinner\n8:00-9:00 Council Circle (Tues) & Slides/Videos/Discussion (Thurs) \nStudents 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! \nCOURSE CONTENTS\nStudents 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. \nOur hands-on practice will include: \ndigging foundation trench \npouring gravel and inserting drainage pipe (if applicable) \nbuilding foundation stemwall \nanalyzing soils and materials \nmaking test bricks \ndeciding on correct mixture \ndeciding on best location \nmaking cob w/ partner and solo
 building with cob \npreparing and inserting the door \npreparing and inserting fixed and opening windows \npreparing and inserting shelves \ninserting bottle windows\, glass and other objects \ninserting electrical housing and outlet/switch boxes (when applicable)* \ninsert PVC pipe for plumbing in walls (when applicable)* \nsculpting \npreparing and applying earthen plaster (1 coat) \npouring an earthen floor (2 coats) \npreparing walls for roof connection \nbuilding reciprocal roof frame \nputting on roof sheathing and other elements \ninstalling impermeable liner and green roof components \nmaking small-scale cob designs of future projects (time permitting) \n  \nIn addition to Cob Building practices\, the Course material 
also includes: \nlegal cob construction practices & the international cob code (Appendix AU in the IRC) \ncost analysis \ncreating a cob business (building/teaching) \nassisting\, building and teaching with CruzinCobGlobal \n*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. \nREQUIREMENTS & IMPORTANT INFORMATION\nStudents will need to come prepared for demanding physical work from Day 1. \nThis includes bringing: \nWork clothes appropriate for the country and climate we are in \nWork boots or other closed-toe shoes (for foundation and roof) \nFlip-flops or Crocs (for cobbing/plaster days) \nRubber dishwashing gloves (for lime mortar) \nWork Gloves (for stone work) \nTool Belt \nTape Measure \nBox Cutter
/Straight Edge \nWood Hand Saw with medium teeth (cheap)* \nLevel (2ft)* \nHammer* \nJapanese plastering trowel(s) (order online) \nBasic pointed steel mortar/plastering trowel \nEar Plugs (roof week) \nSafety Glasses \nWood Chisel* \n4”-6” Diameter Round Plastic Container Lids (for plastering) \nGood Moisturizer
 for Hands & Feet \nHat \nSunglasses \nWater Bottle \nNotebook/Pen/Camera \nCarpenter Pencil & Sharpener \nSample of your Soil (optional) \nAny other power tools like skillsaw\, grinder with 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 with only carry-on luggage and can’t bring some of these tools. \n*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. \n  \n ***PLEASE READ THIS IMPORTANT INFO!***\n \n  \n\n \nDoor frame goes up with everyone participating on Day 5\, the final goal for Week 1! Belgium\, 2025 \n\nEveryone is essential to the completion of the build!  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!  Everyone has a role every day all day! \n  \n\n \nCosta Rica All-Women Cob Team\, 2025 \n\n  \nWe 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. \n  \n\n \nTire foundation prep in Costa Rica\, 2025 \n\n  \n\n \nThe first step of the Reciprocal Roof\, a moment of joy! Costa Rica\, 2025 \n\n  \nThe 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 connect with their creative source now to design sculptures and beautify the walls around niches\, shelves\, windows\, etc.  This is a very special rewarding experience and time of the workshop\, decorating the walls with personal meaning as expressed by each unique student.  Usually there is an overarching theme decided on by the Host(s).  Plastering follows sculpting and is another 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\, after the wall has been plastered\, 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! \nFor 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\, focused on building a garden wall\, a bench\, a compost toilet or some other smaller scale project. \n  \n\n \nReading up on the Reciprocal Roof is essential for building your confidence with this tricky roof! Costa Rica\, 2025 \n\n  \nStudents 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). \nStudents 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!!! \n  \n\n \nTrying capoeira on the cob floor with one of the students during downtime! Costa Rica\, 2025 \n\nFinally\, please bring a watch or use your phone to be prompt and ready for each part of the Course\, including mealtimes. 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. \nWe 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! \n  \n  \n  \nMEALS & ACCOMMODATIONS\n  \n  \n\n \nKenya Workshop spread\, 2025 \n\nWe will serve three meals a day from Monday through Friday including the Welcome and Celebration Dinners and Farewell Brunch.  On 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 or bring their own supplements. \nWe 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. \nCamping with your own tent or hammock and bedding or and in your vehicle are free. There may be indoor sleeping options at neighbors’ houses. We will have more info on that in the Spring. \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nCOB INSTRUCTOR\nCLAUDINE “COB QUEEN” DÉSIRÉE\n\n\nBorn and raised on the 22nd floor of a skyscraper in NYC to two Jewish European immigrants from France and Romania via Morocco\, I carried my Manhattan/European roots with me to California and beyond. I studied Geography\, International Relations/Development and International Environmental Policy in the academic world in California\, France\, and Switzerland before and while raising Viva\, Joia and Xica\, my three stellar sons\, currently established all over the U.S. and honing their unique journeys… and all cob lovers of course!!!! My eldest Son Viva has become a Master Cobber in his own right\, specializing in Fire & Cob\, meaning beautifully-sculpted heaters\, cookstoves\, and ovens\, as well as stand-alone Cob Art. \n  \n\n \nWith Tennessee 2026 Workshop Host River looking for the perfect clay soil for the Cob mix! \n\n  \nMy academic pursuits soon gave way to the obligatory West Coast Yoga/Meditation/Massage path and thus the work of a Spiritually Awakened life was initiated. My academic interests were also complemented with hands-on learning in every aspect of Sustainable Living skills\, which I then put into action in our 5000 square foot homestead in downtown Santa Cruz\, near the beach\, with cob buildings\, permaculture\, a compost toilet\, chickens\, fruit trees and the lowest utility bill in SC! When my youngest son turned 18 in 2014\, and I turned 50\, my next Dream was manifested with the sale of our Mini-Urban Ecovillage in Santa Cruz to fuel a solo Global Ecovillage and Cob Teaching Bike Tour for the next five years through 15 countries in Africa\, South America\, the US and Europe\, in which I taught over 30 workshops\, most of them 4-5-week full builds. \n  \n\n \nAzorean Cob-Loving Cat \n\nIn January of 2019 I bought 5 hectares in the Alentejo region of Portugal\, planning on manifesting a Cob Ecovillage there.  However the isolation and dependence on a vehicle\, as well as the extreme winter/summer climates and drought conditions led me back to the Azores Islands\, that had caught my Heart the first time I stepped out of the plane and smelled/felt the air.  I had been brought to the Azores by an astrocartography reading in which my Venus and Neptune lines were strongly activated there.  My Neptune line runs right through São Miguel and one kilometer from the Quinta da Vida Beleza Ecovillage Farm \n\n\n \nSunrise behind the Majestic Azorean Cob Villa at the Quinta Da Vida Beleza\, 2025 \n\n  \n\n\nthat I created from scratch between January 2020 and 2023\, with the help of many workshop students\, teachers\, volunteers\, friends and my sons.  It is the present culmination of my 20+ years of Cob Life!  It is a fearlessly manifested Vision.  It is my comfort as I wake up every morning on the 2nd floor of my Cob Home and look out at the Atlantic Ocean to see if it looks good for an early morning swim.  The Azorean moist pleasant breezes that are always a perfect temperature wrap me in LOVE\, nurturing my Soul and Spirit every day.  The village I envisioned became a reality in a mere 3 years\, and is now highly enjoyed by campers\, bungalow guests\, volunteers\, family\, friends\, students\, cats\, chickens and many other living beings visible and invisible.  It is the first if its kind in the Azores and a unique phenomenon on the Planet.  You can find it on GoogleMaps and visit the website\, and come visit us for a dose of Natural before it is sold and transferred to the next fortunate caretaker. \n  \n\n \nCob Outdoor Rocket Stove Kitchen & Oven built by students led by Brazilian Instructor Paula Carneira\, 2023 \n\nOur last additions are my beloved and magnificent 2-story personal Compost Toilet with ocean view and an Outdoor Rocket Stove Kitchen.  My unending love of travel\, speaking in other languages and cultural immersion will always continue\, and I envision having beautiful cob houses to come to in all of my favorite places\, which I am continuing to discover. I am so grateful for the strong support of the Universe confirming this path every day. \n\n  \n\n \nMy first international cob workshop in the Canaries in 2015…been a full 11 years on the road and 22 years of spreading the COB word! \n\nLearning to build cob houses has been an unexpected gift in so many ways.  The joy I see on people’s faces at my workshops when they roll up their pants for the first time and stick their toes in the cool soft mud\, the laughter and heart-to-heart conversations ignited while mixing and building with a partner\, the meditative concentration of working on a sculpture\, the satisfaction of stepping back and seeing your beautiful trimmed wall section\, the excitement at embedding bottles and sculpting an art window\, the bliss of relaxing with good food and a cold beer after a full day’s building in community\, and the gratitude of leaving confident in starting a dream project….are why I do this work.  Over and over again\, all over the world\, cob building creates childlike joy\, love\, community\, and empowerment.  It has shown itself to be much more than a building technique.  It is a remedy for a better Life on Earth.  It creates Happy People living in Happy Houses. May the legacy of CruzinCobGlobal continue to heal the World one workshop at a time\, one new cobber and one more cob house at a time. Aho. \n  \nTRANSPORTATION\n  \nStudents will get to Decatur\, TN by car and rideshare/carpooling\, bus or train/plane to Knoxville or Chattanooga or if necessary for international flights\, Atlanta. Airport pickups will be organized by hosts and among students diving in from similar direction  We will setup a Whatsapp thread once we are a month out for students to organize carpooling and povide info on airport pickups.. \n\nREGISTRATION & PAYMENT\n  \nVery Early Bird Rate: $2600\, paid in full by January 6th\, 2026 \nEarly Bird Rate: $2700\, paid in full by May 6th\, 2026 \nStandard Rate: $2800\, paid in full by August 6th\, 2026 \nWe 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. \nPayment in USD (convert to current exchange rate) can be made using Zelle\, Paypal and  Venmo to claudinedesiree@gmail.com. Europeans and other international students can pay in Euros at the current conversion rate using the Wise app/website using same email.  You can also use this link for a free transfer up to 500€:  https://wise.com/invite/ihpc/claudined \nPlease contact claudine@cruzincobglobal.org or Whatsapp +1(831) 212-7225 to register and ask any questions. \nTo 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 May 1st\, 2026. \n\nCANCELLATION POLICY\n  \nStudents who have paid and cancel by June 6th\, 2026 can get a full refund minus a 5% administrative/inconvenience fee on the amount they have paid. \nStudents who have paid and cancel by July 6th\, 2026 will receive a credit for a future workshop within two years minus a 10% administrative/inconvenience fee. \nStudents who have paid and cancel after July 6th\, 2026 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. \n\nSEE YOU IN THE MUD!\n 
URL:https://cobworkshops.org/event/tennessee-complete-cob-cottage-for-all-in-the-fall/
LOCATION:River & Michael's Farmstead\, Decatur\, TN\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cobworkshops.org/wp-content/uploads/TennesseeCOB2026-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="CruzinCobGlobal":MAILTO:claudine@cruzincobglobal.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260919T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20261009T120000
DTSTAMP:20260729T131451
CREATED:20251221T095421Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251221T095624Z
UID:10041-1789833600-1791547200@cobworkshops.org
SUMMARY:Cob Hill 21-Day Natural Building Cert
DESCRIPTION:Service Description\nThis intensive hands on workshop is for adults wishing to begin their natural building journey toward building for others\, or to start their own home build. This class will give you a physical workout. Natural building is tough. Are you tougher? Find out during 21 days at Cob Hill Natural Building School\, as Cat Taylor and Danny Holmes teach the techniques and skills you will need to get from choosing property\, building the foundation to the roofing system. Your class will be building a structure from start to finish\, with hands on experience covering: property site selection soil testing home designing passive solar foundations stem wall cob straw bale palletable cob timber framing windows and doors LSC – light straw clay insulation roof designs living roofs roof sheathing tree felling log peeling log milling (saw mill) Shou Sugi Ban(Japanese art of waterproofing wood) budgeting/planning basic electrical/plumbing facts and myths common mistakes composting toilets. This is a certification course\, to receive your certificate you must attend all class time activities and pass a written test. Tent camping sites are available on-site 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\, contact us if this is an issue. (See FAQ section of naturalbuildingorg.com) Prospective attendees\, please be advised that we are unable to accommodate guests\, children 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. The $1975 tuition includes a $200 deposit to secure your spot that is is non-refundable unless NaturalBuildingOrg has to cancel the workshop for some unforeseen reason. If registration includes two or more people there is a $50 discount per person. Active duty military personnel and honorably discharged veterans with valid ID or DD214 may select the appropriate tuition tier to receive 20% off\, and eligible Cob Hill Lifetime of Learning (L.o.L.) Members can register as such by selecting that tuition tier.
URL:https://cobworkshops.org/event/cob-hill-21-day-natural-building-cert-3/
LOCATION:Cob hill natural building school\, hughes springs\, TX\, 75656\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cobworkshops.org/wp-content/uploads/Hobbit-house-2-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Cobhill%20Natural%20Building%20School":MAILTO:cobhill.naturalbuildingschool@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260921
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260926
DTSTAMP:20260729T131451
CREATED:20260707T152250Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260707T152604Z
UID:10200-1789948800-1790380799@cobworkshops.org
SUMMARY:Intro to Cob and Straw Workshop – East Tennessee
DESCRIPTION:Dates: September 21 – September 25\, 2026 (YES. We are still having the workshop as scheduled.)\n \nLocation: Greeneville\, Tennessee\n \nCome 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\, and pouring an earthen floor! 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. \n \nThis 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 structure and a straw-clay building\, mixing and applying lime plaster\, spreading an earthen floor\, and studying Natural Building together each day. You will also get to see living examples on-site of a completed cob building and straw-clay building. These are excellent examples that you can learn a lot from! After this workshop\, you will have the basic experience and confidence to design and build your own cob and straw constructions or buildings. \n \nHands-On Work Topics: \n– How to make cob (learn how to make cob with the tarp method and with machinery) \n– How to build cob walls using traditional hand-sculpting and using innovative slipforms (learn all the great advantages of building cob walls with forms) \n– How to make straw-clay (also known as light-straw-clay) and hempcrete! \n– How to build highly insulating straw-clay and hempcrete walls (learn how to frame and pack the walls) \n– Selecting and testing soils for cob and straw-clay (learn several ways to test your soil composition) \n– Learn how to create an earth floor. Subfloor and finish floors. This is a very unique opportunity! \n– Lime Plaster Finishing (learn how to mix and apply lime plaster finishes to your walls) \n– Create your own Dorodango – polished earth sphere! A fun project that you can take home with you. \n– Creating window and door frames in cob walls (learn how to install frames into cob walls) \n \nClassroom and Discussion Topics: \n– Site selection and design (includes Passive Solar design principles) \n– Materials and tools (covers traditional and modern cob building toolset and materials) \n– Building Solid Foundations (learn all about constructing proper building foundations) \n– Building codes and how to successfully get building permits for cob homes and straw homes. \n– Best practices for building a healthy\, non-toxic home. \n– Basic Electrical and Plumbing integration for cob homes and straw homes \n– Installing windows and doors \n– Roofing and Bond Beams. Proper roof ventilation practices! \n– Natural plasters and finishes (Vapor Permeable / “Breathable” finishes) \n– Overview of all Natural Building materials\, and how to hybridize them! \n \nThis 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! \nPlus – 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! \n \nThe workshop will be held at Alex’s land in Greeneville\, Tennessee\, and we’ll also be doing some work on a project at Little Hills Farm in Parrottsville\, Tennessee. Enjoy the workshop in this natural environment on a small\, health-conscious farm. You’ll get to experience a lot of great natural building examples! \n \nEach 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! \nTeacher \n \nThe 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. \n  \nAlpaca Farm Tour! \nAs an added bonus to the workshop\, we also offer a free alpaca farm tour at my neighbor’s Two Roots Farm. They have over 50 friendly alpacas\, alpaca infrastructure\, and a gift shop! We usually go on this tour Wednesday after class. \n \nListen to the great things that our workshop participants are saying! \n  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“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!” \n\n\nTony Romo\, Texas \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“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!” \n\n\nMarybeth Babos\, Tennessee \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“We thoroughly enjoyed and benefited tremendously from our Building With Cob workshop experience with you. Workshops that are fun\, informative and full of practical application and guidance through hands-on experiential learning like this are a real joy. \nAs an instructor we found you to be knowledgeable\, well organized and flexible addressing the needs and questions that came up.  We appreciated your careful considered responses to every one of the many and varied questions our group threw your way.  And the pace and mix of lecture and activity was just right for us. \nThank you Alex for a workshop that did all you said it would do\, and more!” \n\n\nWes Shattuck\, New Hampshire \n\n\n\n\n \nLodging \nThere 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. \nNearby is the Briggs Brother’s Ranch in Parrottsville\, TN (highly recommended) (Call them for a 10% Cob Workshop Discount)\, and the Hot Springs Resort in Hot Springs\, North Carolina. \nCampers will have access to a private portable toilet and a private outdoor shower. The outdoor shower features a beautiful rammed earth wall and timber framed enclosure. \nThe workshop location has running water available\, and an electrical hookup to charge phones and small devices. \n \nFood \nMeals 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! \nEach 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! \nRecreation & Surroundings \nGreeneville 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. \nFamily & Group 10% Discounts \nAsk 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. \nTeens accompanying a parent/guardian are half price. Children under 13 accompanying a parent/guardian are free. \nChildren/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. \nPlease email me to register with the group/family discount. For normal registration\, please sign up below.\n \nIf you have any other questions about the workshop\, please feel free to email me at alex@thiscobhouse.com \n  \nPrice: $499
URL:https://cobworkshops.org/event/intro-to-cob-and-straw-workshop-east-tennessee-11/
LOCATION:This Cob House\, Greeneville\, TN\, 37743\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cobworkshops.org/wp-content/uploads/intro-to-cob-and-straw-workshop-2024-11.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Alex%20Sumerall":MAILTO:alex@thiscobhouse.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260925
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261019
DTSTAMP:20260729T131451
CREATED:20260529T150621Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260529T150621Z
UID:10185-1790294400-1792367999@cobworkshops.org
SUMMARY:COB & SALSA | COB INTENSIVE WORKSHOP IN PORTUGAL
DESCRIPTION:This is going to be EPIC! We are going to Majuma Valley in the hills of central Portugal! Join us for a unique theoretical and hands-on cob workshop. In this 3-week intensive experience\, we will design and build a cob sauna with an outdoor tadelakt shower and a reciprocal green roof\, while having some SALSA classes on site and enjoying a natural swimming pool! \nDuring week 1\, we will start right away with cob: earthen floor and cob walls\, bringing the structure to life: completing the walls\, integrating windows and doors\, sculpting shelves and niches\, and building a beautiful outdoor shower. In week 2\, we will finalize the walls and build a reciprocal green roof. Finally\, week 3 is our artistic week\, dedicated to creative expression: sculptural work\, earthen and lime plasters\, and tadelakt\, to elevate both function and beauty. \nThrough this immersive process\, you’ll gain the knowledge and practical skills to build your own cob structure – from the ground up. The workshop is designed with a balance of 70% hands-on practice and 30% theory\, covering essential topics such as cob wall techniques\, the benefits of earthen building\, soil testing\, how to prepare and apply earthen and lime plasters\, how to do tadelakt\, how to sculpt with cob\, how to build a reciprocal roof with green covering\, how to dance salsa\, and much more! \nWhether you’re dreaming of building your own cabin or natural structure\, this workshop will give you the confidence and tools to get started\, and connect with like-minded people! \nJoin us for this intensive experience and become part of the TIERRAMIGO community\, gaining access to the community chat to connect with others and learn about additional trainings with special discounts. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nCOURSE DETAILS\nCob is a very inclusive\, organic\, and creative earthen building technique that allows us to shape walls freely\, working with curves very easily. In this way\, we can sculpt a house\, turning it into a collective work of art. \nIn this workshop\, we will dive into this technique to build a unique Cob Sauna for Majuma Valley! It is going to be an organic-shaped building\, with a reciprocal green roof and an outdoor Tadelakt shower\, in this way you are going to be able to learn about cob essentials\, reciprocal roof structures and different plastering techniques such as earthen plasters\, lime and tadelakt! Besides all this\, we are having some Salsa Classes going on in some of the evenings\, so we can all gather to have some fun\, dance and connect! \nThe 3-weeks intensive workshop will be divided into 3 modules\, starting the 25th of September with a welcome dinner and the workshop introduction. There are some days off in between\, to make sure you have time to rest\, connect and explore! \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMODULE 1 – Cob Walls \n25th of September to 6th of October \nIn the first module\, we will start right away pouring an earthen floor in the ready build stone foundations that are going to be prepared before the workshop. Once our floor is in\, door frames will be placed\, so we can start with the cob walls! \nAlongside the hands-on work\, we’ll dive into the core principles of earthen building. You’ll be introduced to different natural building techniques and explore clay soil as the essential ingredient of cob building. We will also talk about site selection and the importance of a good design while building with earthen techniques. Through practical exercises\, you’ll learn how to test and analyze soils\, developing the ability to understand\, select\, and work with materials from your own land. We will start the practice of Cob by building the walls. During this process\, lots of wall insertions will happen: windows\, niches\, shelves\, and more. \nTo finalize\, we will make this building unique\, by sculpting and customizing it. We will have the natural builder and mud artist Alyshia\, from the UK\, that will be guiding the building artistic design and bringing all her experience in sculpturing with cob to make this sauna look stunningly beautiful! \nThe intention of this module is to give you a strong foundation in earthen building: understanding its benefits\, learning how to read and stabilize clay soils\, preparing the cob mix\, and how to build with confidence: step by step\, layer by layer. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMODULE 2 – Reciprocal Roof and Green Vernacular Roof\n7th to 12ve of October \nIn the second module\, we’ll implement a reciprocal roof structure\, understanding how to design and build one\, and the many possibilities that you can achieve with this type of structures. This week\, we will step out of the mud to interact with wood\, understanding how this material works and what can we achieve. \nDuring the work of the roof\, sculpting the walls will continue\, so there will be time and space for you to explore this creative aspect of cob building. \nWe will bring the roof to life with a green\, living layer. You’ll learn how to design and build a vernacular green roof\, understanding the materials\, layering systems\, and techniques needed to create a resilient and beautiful living cover. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMODULE 3 – Natural Finishes: Earth\, Lime and Tadelakt!\n13th to 18th of October \nIn the final module we’ll dive into natural finishes for earthen buildings: earthen and lime plasters and Tadelakt. \nYou’ll learn how to design\, test\, and apply both earthen and lime plasters: understanding their composition\, additives\, and techniques. Using local soils and aggregates\, we’ll create our own plaster recipes and apply them to the walls\, bringing the structure to its final form with rich textures and natural earthen colors. \nWe will have the master plasterer Matilde\, a chilean friend based in Portugal\, which will be guiding us into the world of Tadelakt\, sharing with us all her knowledge and sympathy to make this experience even better! \nWe will have a Tadelakt Party and Graduation on saturday 17th\, and finish the workshop on Sunday 18th with a farewell lunch. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDuring your stay\, you’ll be immersed in the beautiful atmosphere of Majuma Valley! Alongside our course\, we are going to have Salsa Classes organized by Nick and Roos in some of the evenings\, movie nights and some surprise activities! \nWe’ll be sharing delicious meals as one big community\, creating plenty of opportunities to connect\, exchange ideas\, and build meaningful relationships. Bring your ideas and projects so we have time to explore them and help! \n\n\n\nCONTENT\n\n\n\n\n\nUnderstanding clay and its properties\nHow to test and assess clay soil for building\nIntroduction to other natural building techniques\nBenefits of earth as a building material\nStone foundation principles\nEarthen floors\nCob: how to mix and build\nWall insertions: windows\, doors\, niches\, shelves and more!\nReciprocal roof structure with a vernacular green roof\nEarthen plasters: how to test\, stabilize and apply fine plasters\nLime plasters and lime cycle\nTadelakt\nSculpting with cob\n\nFeel free to ask questions throughout – we are here to help!\nAll course materials will be provided digitally after the workshop \n\nDAILY SCHEDULE\nThe daily schedule may be subject to weather conditions or slight modifications. \n08:00 to 09:00 – Breakfast \n09:00 to 13:00 – Morning Session \n13:00 to 14:30  – Lunch\n14:30 to 17:30 – Afternoon Session \n18:30 to 19:30 – Dinner\n19:30 to 20:30 – Evening Activities \nSome afternoons we will have lectures related to the topics we are working on. On certain evenings\, we will also have video nights or presentations connected to the workshop themes\, serving as a complement to the learning experience\, and also\, we are going to have Salsa Classes on the dancefloor! These will be optional and included for everyone\, if you feel you want to learn\, dance and have fun\, jump in!
URL:https://cobworkshops.org/event/cob-salsa-cob-intensive-workshop-in-portugal/
LOCATION:Majuma Valley\, Castelo Branco\, Portugal
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobworkshops.org/wp-content/uploads/COB-AND-SALSAArtboard-1-2.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Tierramigo":MAILTO:tierramigo@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261006
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261012
DTSTAMP:20260729T131451
CREATED:20260724T163501Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260724T163501Z
UID:10209-1791244800-1791763199@cobworkshops.org
SUMMARY:2026 Hearth & Hands Convergence
DESCRIPTION:Unbound Earth School and the Wood-Fired community are working to host a community wide event this fall focused on cooking with fire and clay ovens. Organizers are in the process of looking for site hosts and collaborators to lead community events. This event will take place over the week of October 6- 11th and offer many hands-on classes\, building activities\, classes on cooking with fire\, bread making\, a pizza party\, and other fun community activities like an Oven-Building Challenge. \nIf you would like be an event sponsor\, lead a class\, or volunteer\, reach out to organizers at unboundearthschool@gmail.com and follow updates through the Wood Fired Skool Community here.
URL:https://cobworkshops.org/event/2026-hearth-hands-convergence/
LOCATION:Oconee\, SC\, Seneca\, SC\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobworkshops.org/wp-content/uploads/HH-Convergence.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Unbound%20Earth%20School":MAILTO:unboundearthschool@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261012
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261017
DTSTAMP:20260729T131451
CREATED:20260707T152925Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260707T153422Z
UID:10204-1791763200-1792195199@cobworkshops.org
SUMMARY:Intro to Cob and Straw Workshop – East Tennessee
DESCRIPTION:Dates: October 12 – October 16\, 2026 (YES. We are still having the workshop as scheduled.)\n \nLocation: Greeneville\, Tennessee\n \nCome 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\, and pouring an earthen floor! 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. \n \nThis 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 structure and a straw-clay building\, mixing and applying lime plaster\, spreading an earthen floor\, and studying Natural Building together each day. You will also get to see living examples on-site of a completed cob building and straw-clay building. These are excellent examples that you can learn a lot from! After this workshop\, you will have the basic experience and confidence to design and build your own cob and straw constructions or buildings. \n \nHands-On Work Topics: \n– How to make cob (learn how to make cob with the tarp method and with machinery) \n– How to build cob walls using traditional hand-sculpting and using innovative slipforms (learn all the great advantages of building cob walls with forms) \n– How to make straw-clay (also known as light-straw-clay) and hempcrete! \n– How to build highly insulating straw-clay and hempcrete walls (learn how to frame and pack the walls) \n– Selecting and testing soils for cob and straw-clay (learn several ways to test your soil composition) \n– Learn how to create an earth floor. Subfloor and finish floors. This is a very unique opportunity! \n– Lime Plaster Finishing (learn how to mix and apply lime plaster finishes to your walls) \n– Create your own Dorodango – polished earth sphere! A fun project that you can take home with you. \n– Creating window and door frames in cob walls (learn how to install frames into cob walls) \n \nClassroom and Discussion Topics: \n– Site selection and design (includes Passive Solar design principles) \n– Materials and tools (covers traditional and modern cob building toolset and materials) \n– Building Solid Foundations (learn all about constructing proper building foundations) \n– Building codes and how to successfully get building permits for cob homes and straw homes. \n– Best practices for building a healthy\, non-toxic home. \n– Basic Electrical and Plumbing integration for cob homes and straw homes \n– Installing windows and doors \n– Roofing and Bond Beams. Proper roof ventilation practices! \n– Natural plasters and finishes (Vapor Permeable / “Breathable” finishes) \n– Overview of all Natural Building materials\, and how to hybridize them! \n \nThis 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! \nPlus – 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! \n \nThe workshop will be held at Alex’s land in Greeneville\, Tennessee\, and we’ll also be doing some work on a project at Little Hills Farm in Parrottsville\, Tennessee. Enjoy the workshop in this natural environment on a small\, health-conscious farm. You’ll get to experience a lot of great natural building examples! \n \nEach 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! \nTeacher \n \nThe 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. \n  \nAlpaca Farm Tour! \nAs an added bonus to the workshop\, we also offer a free alpaca farm tour at my neighbor’s Two Roots Farm. They have over 50 friendly alpacas\, alpaca infrastructure\, and a gift shop! We usually go on this tour Wednesday after class. \n \nListen to the great things that our workshop participants are saying! \n  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“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!” \n\n\nTony Romo\, Texas \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“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!” \n\n\nMarybeth Babos\, Tennessee \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“We thoroughly enjoyed and benefited tremendously from our Building With Cob workshop experience with you. Workshops that are fun\, informative and full of practical application and guidance through hands-on experiential learning like this are a real joy. \nAs an instructor we found you to be knowledgeable\, well organized and flexible addressing the needs and questions that came up.  We appreciated your careful considered responses to every one of the many and varied questions our group threw your way.  And the pace and mix of lecture and activity was just right for us. \nThank you Alex for a workshop that did all you said it would do\, and more!” \n\n\nWes Shattuck\, New Hampshire \n\n\n\n\n \nLodging \nThere 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. \nNearby is the Briggs Brother’s Ranch in Parrottsville\, TN (highly recommended) (Call them for a 10% Cob Workshop Discount)\, and the Hot Springs Resort in Hot Springs\, North Carolina. \nCampers will have access to a private portable toilet and a private outdoor shower. The outdoor shower features a beautiful rammed earth wall and timber framed enclosure. \nThe workshop location has running water available\, and an electrical hookup to charge phones and small devices. \n \nFood \nMeals 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! \nEach 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! \nRecreation & Surroundings \nGreeneville 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. \nFamily & Group 10% Discounts \nAsk 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. \nTeens accompanying a parent/guardian are half price. Children under 13 accompanying a parent/guardian are free. \nChildren/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. \nPlease email me to register with the group/family discount. For normal registration\, please sign up below.\n \nIf you have any other questions about the workshop\, please feel free to email me at alex@thiscobhouse.com \n  \nPrice: $499
URL:https://cobworkshops.org/event/intro-to-cob-and-straw-workshop-east-tennessee-12/
LOCATION:This Cob House\, Greeneville\, TN\, 37743\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cobworkshops.org/wp-content/uploads/intro-to-cob-and-straw-workshop-2024-12.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Alex%20Sumerall":MAILTO:alex@thiscobhouse.com
END:VEVENT
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