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Work Exchange & Work Parties
Work Exchange: Offer labor for education and experience.
Work Party: Ask for help on your building project in exchange for sharing your knowledge.
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Work Exchange & Work Parties
Work Exchange: Offer labor for education and experience.
Work Party: Ask for help on your building project in exchange for sharing your knowledge.
Hi cob community,
I am looking for some cobbers to help out in building my large playhouse for my sons. We are located in cottonwood, az. I have been studying for cob for quite a while and have taken workshops with Ianto Evans and a few others. You need not have experience…just enthusiasm and an appreciation of small children(they will be helping, or attempting to that is) ;).
Love and Happy cobbing
Hi John! What is your timeline? I ask as we are moving to Cottonwood in the late summer. Cob is big where I live now, but I have not had the chance to work, except to build a cob oven at my son’s school.
Ahoy hoy! I’m interested in volunteering free labor in exchange for the opportunity to learn COB construction or any other natural architecture or permaculture skills. I live in Dallas and don’t mind traveling to surrounding areas within 25 miles or so.
I live in the Missouri Ozarks area & am interested in attending a nearby cob building workshop. If you know of any workshops or projects near me, please send me an email. Thank You!
dear susan
how beautiful your words and story – i hope you find a place to be
early last year i was blessed with finding a cob construction project in northern california with a wonderful family
love
dougie stardust
Looking for work, in exchange for finding myself again. I am 32, trained in fine arts, good with my hands. I’ve worked in a museum, a theater, and a home improvement store as a kitchen and bath designer.
I spent the past year living at home with my mom, trying to take care of my father, who finally passed away in September from Stage IV melanoma. I did what I could to alleviate discomfort for him, but the disease always moved faster, an arm support for his walker that he became too weak to use, ramps for the wheelchair he could no longer sit in, and easy-access clothing he could wear when he became paralyzed. He was buried in the shoes that I repaired and fitted with elastics for him to wear because I was convinced he’d walk again.
So right now, although i’m feeling totally defeated, i’m not ready to quit.
I’m a fast learner, a hard worker, and I speak some foreign languages (Spanish, Czech, always up for learning others) so I would be comfortable working on dual-language job sites.
I’ve always been fascinated by alternative building methods and construction, and given a choice between spending time or money, I always choose to take the time to learn a new skill, to reuse something, to hopefully improve and leave the world a little bit better. Its what my dad did.
Please let me know if I can be of assistance to anybody on their projects.
To Susan Elizabeth,
I can be of no help. The reason for this reply however, is because I empathize with you. I came to Springfield, IL to help my dad who was going to die of lung cancer. (I felt soon after arriving that my parents were saving my life since I had really lost a sense of myself in a city elsewhere) I had just donated my kidney weeks before to my husband. Husband was doing so great. I was tending to dad who had been taking care of my mother who had dymensia and a colostomy. I loved being with them. A crazy thing happen. My husband got a horrible fungus that almost took his life (this was from being on immune suppression. To save his life, they took part of his lung and he also ended up on complete life support. It was horrifying.) While dad was dying, my husband was said to have an 80% chance of dying. I was running back and forth between the two. It was awful. Fortunately my husband lived and eventually made it back, learned to walk, the kidney was destroyed while killing the fungus. My father died and then my mom got sick just a few months after that and died. I am so glad that 2013 is over. I am rebuilding myself. My husband is rebuilding himself but is dependent on dialysis. We live in seperate places. We lost our home. I am on the edge with our dog. I really feel for you and admire the skills you have. I know you will come through this and it will be wonderful. My dad was a wonderful brick/block/stone mason and I wish I had his wonderful skills. Anyway, best wishes to you. Your life is beginning anew. It’s just a very painful process, but its not always going to be so rough. I’m going to be 50 next month. I hope I can begin my life in a new way. Im working on it! Very best wishes to you. I know it’s going to get a whole lot better for you!
I seriously want to learn this very important craft. I’m in Illinois and nothing is happening around here that I am aware of. Additionally, I have no money to spend. Does anyone know of anything in Illinois? If my family visits California, I might have an opportunity to attend around Temecula, San Diego, or surrounding. Any suggestions?
Hi Susan,
I am sorry to hear of your fathers’ passing. Cancer is a slow, heart wrenching killer. I would love your help out in Cottonwood, AZ. Me and my family are building a playhouse for my sons. It will be fairly large, so they can enjoy it eternally and will second as a guest house with a circular sitting area overlooking the garden. I have taken workshops before but this will be my first project solo. Let me know if you or anyone else reading this would be interested. It is already reaching the 70s here and I have already begun digging the foundation.
Love and Slack
Hi Cari -I enjoyed speaking with you just now. I apologize if I made it sound sarcastic – I guess I was just tired. I really was just trying to alert you to a possible problem. As happens a lot, this was a case of user (me) error. I failed to navigate the website correctly so I didn’t see your links to the cob information.
Thanks very much for the info on CityRepair in Oregon. Sounds like a perfect place for learning about natural building…Rick
Hi Rick, that’s really concerning as I don’t believe I provided any links in my email (maybe in my original profile) – do you perhaps still have a copy of the link so i can check it out. I do have a weight loss website which I no longer administer. Thanks Cari
I went to the link provided in your e-mail and it took me to a bogus advertisement for weight loss.
Hi Rick, sorry I see the link you spoke about that I gave to Erin – to reach my contact form – I followed it and it just took me to the website. You can call me on 707 246 0346 as well if you like.
I am looking for an experienced cob builder to help me teach a cob course from May 24th to 31st, 2014 in Bluff Dale, Texas. Pay will depend on the level of experience you have. I can also cover airfare if needed. If you are interested give me a call at 214-732-9132 or email me.
Thank you
Emory
http://www.edenstudycenter.com
Hi Erin, sorry it took me a little while to get back to you – you can use the contact form on my website: http://www.ditch-diets-live-light.com to contact me or email me at mindoverfatterATcomcast.net . I’m going to be working on my little cob structure this weekend (on the interior) if you’d like to pop around.
Thank you so much! I will definitely let you know!
Hey Ashley! I am also on the East Coast, but in NJ. My son and I did some lovely cobbing with a couple in Maryland, late Fall, on a cob shed. They were super! They have a blog simply named cob shed. We will be visiting again in Spring and can’t wait! Also, Sigi Koko is an AWESOME resource and holds her workshops, etc on the East coast. I plan on working with her ASAP! Other than that, I’ve had a tough time out here, as everyone seems to be mostly out Cali/Oreg way. Let me know if you get anything going out here, I’d love to help!
We are on the east coast in Greensboro NC
http://cobworkshops.org/event/natural-building-volunteer-workshop/
We have work study available
Hi all! My partner and I are looking to build a straw bale/cob house in northern Maryland. We are both teachers at a small Montessori school and are very limited on funds to attend a workshop and also are not able to leave during the school year, but we have our summers off! We are eager to work to learn. We have done tons of research and read plenty of books, but the acts of doing are invaluable. Please, if anyone has any experience building a natural house on the East coast, or knows of people that may be able to help us, whether it’s just visiting to see what they have created, give us pointers, or actually needs help creating, please let me know – Thank you for your time.
I live in Covington, Georgia but I’m looking at building options as I want to move back home to Jackson, GA (its 1/2 way between Atlanta and Macon) next year. I would love to have help, get advice, and be able to create a livable work of art. My property stretches between 2 counties, one of which has very strict building codes but is the more ideal building site, the other is much more lax in their rules and I was told, “build what you like for whatever size you like as long as we can approve the plans.” Of course he was referring to stick built but I was just getting into exploring my options at the time.
I would like to attend a workshop 1st to get a feel for what building is really like and be hands-on with immediate answers to my questions, something a book and the internet just can’t provide. I would like to test the skills I learn on something small- a chicken coop, garden shed, or art studio. Then when I feel I’m comfortable with it I would like to build a house.
Some of my initial questions would be with cost. I need to build between 1200-1600 sf depending on the property we decide on and get approval for. We have an electrician, plumbers, and our best friend is a metal roofer. We have several old doors and windows around the property of different sizes, would get lots of clay and rock when we dig the septic tank and prep for the foundation, and the fields have been used for hay but we would probably get the hay elsewhere. There is electricity and a water line by the ideal site but also pretty close to the other. Also, the second site has an old house that was my great-grandparent’s they built sometime between 1890- around 1910. I’m going to look through it this weekend to see how sound it is. There have been buzzards living in it for several years so they scare me every time I get close to the old windows. But the roof, wood floors, foundation rocks, and fire place are all still standing. The porch has fallen off, the windows are mostly just holes in the walls with no glass, and I will have to cut a path through the sticks to get all the way inside but it could be cost effective to just fix it up with electricity, appliances, windows, and what we need and add to it as we go. It still has the old well but it could be dry.
Anyway, just want to know if anyone would be willing to share labor, maybe trade things when we get into the actual build, and any advice we can get. I really want to stay under $40k for the total build so we can fence in parts of the property for livestock, buy a small tractor for our garden, and for the upkeep of the property and massive taxes we pay every year. I also want to open a store with feed, produce from our garden, fishing and hunting supplies, and something similar to Tractor Supply but with horseback riding, actual fishing, and several other plans I will build up as we go. The plan is to sell our house in the spring after we make a few repairs/upgrades and use that money for what we need. But it would really be fantastic if we could just build a cob house or repair the old house and rent this one out for a while. That would be fantastic….
Hello, I am looking for a natural building work exchange experience in Florida. Cob, Palm Thatch, etc. I thought I received a post for something near St Augustine an couple weeks ago, but I can’t find it now.
I am free from April thru July of 2014. I would love to be part of a natural building project for that time. I have tons of WWOOF experience and building experience but I want to be an accomplished builder and need more. I have a tent and probably a car by then, and I’m keen to work. Send me a reply if you could use me during that time. Cheers.
Hi pat,
I could use your help out in Cottonwood, AZ. E-mail me for particulars, if interested. 🙂
Honestly. I have a tent. and just want to HELP BUILD and learrn to build my own.I am currently available ANYTIME after new years. Wiling to pay for my own travel to work and learn. I eat for cheap and have some cash saved up to get where i need to go…if ANYONE needs an extra hand building their place please respond. I am attending a workshop early next year but in the meen time I don’t want to waste time. I have a complete resume for employers.. extensive history in mechanics and metal working. Help me fulfill my dreams as I help you build yours!
Hey Will,
I could use some help building out in cottonwood, az. Let me know if you may be interested and I will send you more info.
Love and slack.
Hello Cob World!
Like most on this site, I’m hoping to learn anything and everything about building cob houses. A little background info: I’m 26, very resourceful, motivated, college educated, physically fit and up for manual labor. For years now, I dreamed of building cob homes for folks and teaching others how to do it. I just finished hiking the entire Appalachian Trail over the last 6 months and I decided that I wanted to dive head first into the cob learning process. I’m located in New York State and I’m looking for a work exchange anywhere in the US or even Canada if it’s feasible (what with Visa limitations and all. Also, if accommodations are scarce, I’m more than happy living in my tent for a few months. You can reach me at Holst_alex@yahoo.com
Warm regards, Alex
Hi, I am willing to work for a week in exchange for taking a course on cob building. I live in Colorado Springs,Colorado and plan on taking what I learn to the Philippines.
I forgot to mention, I will be able to do this work in May or June of 2014
Hi Everyone.
My husband, 2 dogs and I live full time in our RV. We are looking for an opportunity this spring/summer 2014 in Canada to learn how to build a cob house. We are looking to exchange our labour for a place to park our RV and live onsite. We are interested in any opportunities that involve eco friendly building, going off the grid or farming/gardening. If anyone has anything that would suit us please let me know. Thanks!
can we make cob work for these people who have just lost EVERYTHING due to a TORNADO in Washington, IL and Pekin, IL???? please email me blondie197561604@yahoo.com THANK U !!
http://www.cinewsnow.com/news/tornado-2013/Severe-weather-in-central-Illinois-photo-gallery-232266061.html
I would love to help out n learn how to make a cob house properly. Good experience for me i think. My huband n I want a cob house n the future so this would b great to do together.
Hi I am interested in helping build cob structures or any sort of natural building. I just moved to Portland and would love to be invovled with some projects. I am not sure if this is the right place for what I’m looking for, but if you have any information for me that would be so great!
– Thank you
Hi All,
My name is Cristiona, I happily got taken into the cobweb this summer and have been excited to learn more ever since! I am currently travelling by bike from Nanaimo on Vancouver Island down south to do work trades and odd jobs for skills and training. I am currently in Cresent City CA on a break from house painting in exchange for woodturning lessons! Like I mention I am heading south but I have no destination in mind so if you wish to trade or need help with a project my email is cnihici@gmail.com.
Great website btw,
Keep on cobbing on !!
Cris
I am interested in attending the build your home workshop and also the build a greenhouse workshop. I am interested in information on work exchange.
Thank you,
Karen Gennuso
Wow! That sounds great but unfortunately I am already booked that weekend. Have a terrific workshop, I hope we will meet soon. Be Well, Kari
Work Trade Opportunity in exchange for Cob Workshop Registration!
Our final workshop for 2013 is happening the weekend of November 16-17, “Introduction to Cob & Natural Plasters.” We need a few folks willing to come out either the weekend before, or a couple days before the workshop, and help us get ready in exchange for attending the workshop. We are located 15 minutes outside the town of Berea, KY. Call for more information at 606-256-8954, or see our website at http://www.disputantacob.com
Regards ~ Diane
k thank you diane. unfortunately my circumstances wont let me come, id Really like to get this started here in Peoria .
Hi I am very interested in coming up and helping if you still need help i am available the full week before the workshop starting 11-11-2013 please email me at kubwimana27@gmail.com
hi amit
send me and email at ddmackenzie at gmail dot com and let me know what you have in mind – i may be available to help
doug
I need email addresses of home builders from southern California to communicate with me by email to build a custom home on my lot in thousand Oaks, CA. Can you please help?
Portland, OR. I have friends who are curious but can’t host. I have friends who just want to play in the mud. I have friends with property. I have friends with time. I have friends who love helping other friends. I DON’T have a teacher. Be mine?
Hi Natty, I’m in Vancouver WA (so just over the river) and do quite a bit of cob building… am about to plaster a little cob cabin if you’re interested. Cari
Hi Cari,
I am also in Vancouver, Washington, and we are very interested in building a cob home in the area. We would love to talk to you! How do we find each other?
Erin
DIEING TO LEARN THIS ANYONE AROUND PEORIA, IL ????
Hello Michelle,
We are not very near Peoria, but have a workshop coming up this month that we are offering work trade opportunities for. We are in Central KY. See the website at http://www.DisputantaCob.com for more information, then call me at 606-256-8954 if you’re interested.
Regards ~ Diane
hey amit – did we meet recently at tim and terry’s place in royal oaks, ca? – my email address is ddmackenzie at gmail dot com – shoot me an email if you like – doug
please provide the email addresses of some builders in Southern California who would be willing to communicate with me by email to help build a house for me on my lot in Thousand Oaks, CA. Thank you.
I live in SW NM. Just looking for any learning opportunities with cob. Willing to work for a day to gain that experience.
AJ, are you looking for WORK, a workSHOP, or not picky? Do you live in or near Albuquerque area?
I am also a New Mexican looking for a Cob workshop.
Oh, and San Diego!
Anyone in New Mexico know about any COB structures I could visit or any plans to build one with which I could offer some limited but enthusiastic & free help? Are there any COB homes INSIDE the city limits of any NM city? Especially Albuquerque. In light of all the adobe here, were there difficult zoning, code, or other legal hurdles to overcome? Anyone interested in networking with me to promote COB in NM?
I have family in Texas, Arkansas, and Colorado. Always looking for excuses to do a road trip. Anyone in those areas have need of inexperienced COB construction help in 2014?
Hey cobbers!
I am looking for any cob work party/workshop that are happening in the four corners region for rest of 2013 or into 2014. any one have a house project or know of a workshop?
cheers!
Hi, Sunny. I live in Albuquerque & am also interested in COB in NM. I hope you’ll share here any leads you get!
Hi Sue and Dottie! I am in NJ and would love to get in on any project you might be hatching. I am building my skill set and am eager for experience! Thanks. Be Well! K
I am interested in learning how to build my own cob home. I would like to gain any experience I can in this area. I live in Lansing Michigan.
Hi Mark,
I teach cob classes through Mi Folk School out of Ann Arbor. While the school is taking its fall winter vacation there are plenty of cob classes coming up in the spring. There is a strawbale greenhouse build happening as well as numerous earth oven classes and a cob garden wall. Take a look:
http://www.MiFolkSchool.com
Jason
Hello All,
I am Sue & I have a strong desire to find land and start building my own (tiny home / cob / cordwood / earthship) home and out buildings — but first things first 🙂
I have built several Pinterest boards to hold ideas, techniques and general info ( http://www.pinterest.com/weareusphotos/boards/ ) … but what would really help is to get my fingers and toes dirty!
I live in Syracuse, NY; so if anyone in this area is going to be building a home or simple structure in the near future, I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to lend a hand (or foot) & learn more practically as we go.
I have convinced 2 friends to allow me to build cob ovens on their properties in the spring of 2014, so helping someone else before hand would be great!
Thank you all, Namaste and best wishes,
Sue – the photog
Sue – I, too, have no experience with these building techniques, but I am interested in cob or strawbale constuction. I have land near Little Falls and want to build a round house on the property. I would love to be able to meet you the next time I’m in Syracuse to visit my grandbabies. Let me know if that is possible. Right now, I’m off to check out your Pinterest boards! ~Dottie
Hello Sue,
We have a workshop coming up this month that we are offering work trade opportunities for. We are in Central KY. See the website at http://www.DisputantaCob.com for more information, then call me at 606-256-8954 if you’re interested.
Regards ~ Diane
Hey Ryan!
I would love to absorb any kind of info and technique that I can, whilst helping you out!!
My email is :
kona8592@gmail.com
please contact me there!
thanks!!!
Hello! I am VERY interested in all forms of natural building. I am located in NJ but can also sometimes travel. I am SUPER interested in Cob. Would love to help with ANY building projects in my area, as I am looking to gain some serious skills! Thanks and be well. K
Hi Kari,
We are building in central MD, not too far away from you. Check us out, cobshed.blogspot.com. Maybe you can make it down.
Ryan
Hello Kari,
We have a workshop this month, November 16-17, that we are offering work trade opportunities for. We are in Central KY. See the website at http://www.DisputantaCob.com for more information, then call me at 606-256-8954 if you’re interested.
Regards ~ Diane
Would love to learn different natural building techniques (COB, Rammed earth, Straw bale, etc) Please let me know if anyone knows anything going on in the Atlanta Georgia area!!
Hello,
Hi, My husband and I live near Portland, Oregon and we are very interested in offering our labor for learning. We would love to build own own home as well as be equipped to help others as well. If anyone knows of any opportunities in our area please let us know! Thank you so much!
Kathy Kelly
kabake51@gmail.com
Hello,
My wife and I are planning to build an earth home. We have not settled on cob or earth bag or any other possible building process. We live in Southwest Iowa and we would love to get started in the spring of 2014. At this point we are just researching and doing a lot of reading. We would love to offer our labor for education and experience and possibly use our home as an exchange workshop. We also have a small home in Mexico that we need to build an addition on and would also be interested in an exchange or possible building project in that location if that is a possibility. Our primary goal is to gain enough knowledge and confidence to do further projects on our property and then to assist others in there quest to build a natural earth home. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Thanks,
Adrian and Julie
Hi I would really love to labour for learning how to build with cobb from the ground up. I live in Australia are ther any work shops near Queensland who would like a passionate and hard worker? Please let me know its my dream and eventually I would like to teach others how to apply these skills, thank you Keri.
Hello, my name is Zachary Raskin and I am very interested in learning to build with cob as soon as possible. I was introduced to the idea not too long ago and fell in love with it right away. In fact, I am going to be giving up my business I recently started as soon as I have a place to start. My reasoning for wanting to learn isn’t to just be for me to live debt free, but to also help others do so as well. Since I’ve recently started a small business, I don’t have much money, but I’m a very hard worker and I am also very passionate about learning how to do this. I live in Orlando FL and would love to find someone who is willing to teach me how to do so for trade of my labor. Thank you for reading this and I look forward to hearing from anyone who has any offers or tips.
Hello Zachary. We are looking for someone who is interested in a work trade for our October workshop. We will be starting with foundation on October 1st, and will be hosting a “From the Ground Up with Cob” workshop that will run from the 1st thru the 5th. As much as is reasonably possible, we aim to prepare you to be able to go home and build your own cob home after taking the five day workshop with us. All of the instruction during our workshops is designed to ‘teach you to teach.’ We need a few folks willing to come out the weekend before the Oct. 1st workshop and help us get ready in exchange for attending the workshop. We are located 15 minutes outside the town of Berea, KY. Call for more information at 606-256-8954, or see our website at http://www.disputantacob.com
Regards ~ Diane
Hi, Diane. I am very interested in coming up the weekend before to help out. I tried to call earlier, but there was no answer. I will give you a call tomorrow. Thank you very much and I look forward to speaking with you.
My phone number is 407-569-5719 if it’s convenient for you. I’m available anytime.
Hi Zachary, I am interested in cob building and want to practice by building a play house for my kids. If you want to come and cob in St. Augustine FL email me and we can work something out. Ellen Pecchia
Are you looking for an opportunity to build with Cob from the ground up?
We will be starting with foundation on October 1st, and will be hosting a “From the Ground Up with Cob” workshop that will run from the 1st thru the 5th. As much as is reasonably possible, we aim to prepare you to be able to go home and build your own cob home after taking the five day workshop with us. We need a few folks willing to come out the weekend before and help us get ready in exchange for attending the workshop. We are located 15 minutes outside the town of Berea, KY. Call for more information at 606-256-8954, or see our website at http://www.disputantacob.com
Regards ~ Diane